eating before sleeping and sitting down after eating

[milkmaterial]

i read that eating something before you sleep actually helps you lose weight. i dont mean eat a basket of ham, but rather eat an apple. or half an apple.

 

also was wondering if

 

sitting down after eating makes u gain weight in the middle..?

[tman666]

That's great and all, but I just don't sleep as well without my pre-bedtime basket of ham.

 

I'm not aware of any evidence to support that eating before bed leads to any sort of fat gain beyond what the food intake would cause at any other time, other than a fast-breaking meal or a post workout meal.

 

Also, you cannot spot reduce (or spot add) fat. If you're going to get fatter, your body's genetics will determine where to add fat. I.E. sitting down after eating won't make your midsection fatter than anywhere else on your body, just like doing crunches isn't going to burn fat off your stomach area.

Edited April 12, 2011 by tman666

[EyesWideOpen]

sitting down after eating makes u gain weight in the middle..?

 

?!

That's a new one to me. Please say it isn't true! I sit all freakin' day.

[Feelin Frisky]

Eating before bed is out of the question if you are trying to lose weight. I hate that fact because I find it hard to get to sleep without a snack. But when I'm on a diet and working it, there is no eating after the last meal which should be at least 5 hours before bed. You may be able to have some protein like a chick leg or something but no pleasure foods. I don't know about the other question. I don't think it matters if you sit and most people do whether they are fit or not.

[tman666]

Eating before bed is out of the question if you are trying to lose weight. I hate that fact because I find it hard to get to sleep without a snack. But when I'm on a diet and working it, there is no eating after the last meal which should be at least 5 hours before bed. You may be able to have some protein like a chick leg or something but no pleasure foods. I don't know about the other question. I don't think it matters if you sit and most people do whether they are fit or not.

 

Ok... Meal A is equal to Meal B in terms of calories and macronutrient breakdown. Meal A is eaten for lunch and is not associated with any immediate pre- or post-workout nutrition. Meal B is eaten right before bed.

 

Are you positing that Meal B will cause a different metabolic effect than Meal A?

[EyesWideOpen]

Ok... Meal A is equal to Meal B in terms of calories and macronutrient breakdown. Meal A is eaten for lunch and is not associated with any immediate pre- or post-workout nutrition. Meal B is eaten right before bed.

 

Are you positing that Meal B will cause a different metabolic effect than Meal A?

 

I think the idea is that the "activity" of sleep burns less calories than walking or even seated work. Thus the immediate assumption is made that sleeping will cause you to gain weight.

 

But even if the burn-less-calories-sleeping statement holds true, I don't see any difference between eating before bed and eating while sitting at your desk at lunch. In either case it's still whether you're eating more calories than your body will use up.

[tman666]

I think the idea is that the "activity" of sleep burns less calories than walking or even seated work. Thus the immediate assumption is made that sleeping will cause you to gain weight.

 

But even if the burn-less-calories-sleeping statement holds true, I don't see any difference between eating before bed and eating while sitting at your desk at lunch. In either case it's still whether you're eating more calories than your body will use up.

 

Exactly. There's nothing magical that happens when we go to sleep that makes eating at night any better or worse than eating during the day. It boils down to basic thermodynamics. If you're taking in more calories than you're burning over time, you'll gain weight. If you're using more calories than you're taking in over time, you'll lose weight. There's obviously some complexities with hormones and what not, but bedtime is not one of those factors.

 

I also agree with your first statement in that it's best to eat according to what you're about to do (or just did), activity wise. This is why pre and post workout nutrition is so important. Otherwise, eating while awake and sedentary and eating before sleeping have no discernible differences.

Edited April 12, 2011 by tman666