late night eating

Question
Hi,
I've been told that eating late at night is not healthy and that dinner should be eaten no later than 7pm.  I have no problem eating dinner at or before 7, but I don't usually go to bed until 11pm or 12am, so that leaves a large time frame of not eating.  By the time I go to bed I'm so hungry.  I usually try to have a fruit or something small during that time frame, but I'm relly trying to eat healthier and lose weight.  Is eating late at night or before bed really bad for you?

Answer
Mika,

I can't say that eating late at night is really bad for you but you should minimize it. If you regularly stay up until 11 or 12 I would suggest eating dinner between 8 and 9pm, instead of 7. That will minimize your need to snack at night.

You can snack on fruits, whole grains, nuts, etc. between meals in order to get yourself to a later dinner. In general, you should never get to the point where you feel intensely hungry. You should eat several small meals throughout the day so you don't load yourself up at any given time. Even if you take on a few more calories this way, you will burn them more efficiently and it will help your weight loss efforts.

Still, physical activity and getting enough sleep are extremely important. You actually release hormones while you are sleeping that help regulate your metabolism. If you are not getting enough sleep you will find it difficult to lose weight. And exercise is obviously a key factor.

Hope this helps.

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