Is it true that eating after 8 p.m. makes you put on pounds?

I don’t believe this to be true. If you weight yourself in the morning and you have eaten a big meal later in the night, the scales will reflect that...this, however, is not a genuine reflection of your weight as even if you drink a few glasses of water, the scales will go up. Eating a healthy dinner at 8pm should not be an issue

In general, most nutritionists recommend that you should eat a big breakfast, moderate lunch and small dinner to burn the maximum calories while you are most active. However, there are different circumstances that may make that impractical.. for instance, I work evening and night shifts so timing meals is a challenge. There are other weight loss methods that recommend more (or less) protein, carbs or fats with pros and cons for each. Other diets focus on fasting and eating at intervals which works for some people. There is no hard evidence to give an absolute answer to your question. The only thing that matters is how YOUR body reacts to eating at that hour. Alcohol at night can not only disrupt sleep, but also can lead to eating unhealthy snacks to go with it. In any case if you have a regular bedtime it makes sense to have something light like yogurt or fruit. Try out a different approach and see what works for you.

Researchers examined the eating habits of 1,620 children using data from the UK's National Diet and Nutrition Survey Rolling Programme collected between 2008 and 2012. There is no link between eating after 8pm and weight gain . A calorie consumed is a calorie consumed, no matter what time of the day it is. Overall calorie consumption (how much you eat), overall movement patterns (how much you exercise), and quality of calories (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, dairy, healthy fats, etc.). That being said, you still need to be mindful about snacking. After-dinner snacks may tend to be unhealthy, usually eaten because of boredom, stress, etc. If you make your meal satiating by having fiber-rich vegetables and a good source of protein, it will help manage the hunger and may help curb snacking. Having healthier snack options nearby such as nuts, fruits and natural yogurt can also help. So there you go! No, eating after 8pm does not make you gain weight!

No, time doesn't make you fat or lean. I'll save you a heartache and tell you a secret: calories IN - calories OUT = Energy = Fat loss or gained It's thermodynamics. You cannot generate stored fat from a negative value, energy can't be stored if you don't have any surplus. Eat as normal before bed. Your metabolism is set by your lean muscle tissue (aka organs aka your metabolism is based solely on height/sex/genetics). You burn slightly less calories during sleeping hours, but the food you eat before bed has no effect on that. People will argue and argue over the science. Eat whatever you feel comfortable, just remember, if you go the entire day on 500 calories, and sneak 1500 in before bed, your day's total is still 2000.

No, eating after a certain time of the day will not make you put on weight any differently to eating earlier during the day. Weight gain occurs when you're consuming more calories than your body is using up. Eating after 8pm would not be the reason that you gain weight, the excess calories that you consume would be. The whole "Don't eat past X time" is a myth, it all started out because if you eat late at night then you don't have as much time to burn the calories off, as you would do eating earlier in the day. But, if you don't overeat during the evening so the calories you're consuming aren't excessive, and you are physically active enough in the day to have burnt the calories off in advance, then eating after 8pm will not make you pile on the pounds.

No this is not true. They tell you not to eat before you sleep because it can lead to discomfort, acid reflux, and bad sleep. If you do not want to put on pounds the true and tested way is to calorie count what you eat. Be mindful of what you put in your body. Is that burger going to keep you full for hours and hours till the next meal? Or will meal with veggies and a portion of meat make you more full but have less calories? Most people put on weight because they are not mindful of how they eat, how much they eat, their sugar intake, and activity level. You do not need to be a gym rat to be in shape. The average person only needs a workout that tires them out for 30 minutes a day twice a week. Athletes train everyday, make a workout program, and diet to fit the physique they need. The average person just needs to say no to a donut and yes to maybe some oatmeal for breakfast. Or no to the fast food burger and yes to some grilled chicken or beef. I hope this helps you. Because I am actually weight lifter/power lifter and I personal train a few people to be in better shape.

This is not necessarily true. Gaining weight is a matter of consuming an excess of calories that do not get "burned off." Yes eating later can slow down digestion and make sleep difficult but not necessarily gain pounds. It's more of a question of did you eat enough earlier in the day? When did you have breakfast? It is important to not under eat as much as it is important to not over eat. Making healthy choices if you are going to eat that late are important. Consuming a high sugar food may really hurt your weight loss goals but a piece of fruit or some protein may be helpful. An apple or banana with some peanut butter (choose sugar and oil free) can be a healthy snack but not ruin what you are working for.