Eating before bed is ok? The rule is just a whives tale?

[Chris09]

I had a friend say he heard a nutritionist on an infomercial say that eating before you go to bed is ok to do. The rule that you shouldn't eat before bed is just some old whives tale.

I disagreed with him and he asked me what my source was. I dont really have one. I just have always heard that it was bad. You fill up with food and then sleep. You dont work it off. And it just seems to make sense to me.

So what is the deal? Is really ok to eat before you go to sleep?

If not, can anyone suggest any articles or reputible sources that I can show him?

Thanks

Chris

[abear]

yes it is fine to eat before bed. now of course we're talking good quality food and sane amounts. best info i've ever seen was john berardis "bedtime story" article

[W8LFTR]

About eating before bed, here is the rule that I've stuck to, and i think it makes sense. If you are on a regular lifting schedule then every night while your sleeping, your muscles are resting and therefore growing, so eating food right before bed that is high in protein will be fueling the growth and be helpful. Don't eat a steak or a whole chicken right before bed, but you get the point. And unused protein just gets "passed" anyways so it won't get stored as fat.

Carbs on the other hand are the opposite. If you eat carbs right before bed, you have put unnecessary fuel into your body that you won't need while your sleeping so most of it gets stored as fat.

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by W8LFTR

Carbs on the other hand are the opposite. If you eat carbs right before bed, you have put unnecessary fuel into your body that you won't need while your sleeping so most of it gets stored as fat.

Not all carbs are created equal. You can eat as many high-fiber veggies as you want to get full and they DO NOT pack on the fat. On the other hand, avoid lots of starchy carbs like pasta, rice, potatoes, breads, cakes, etc.

[CF-OC_gal]

Some people can some people can't. Same thing with what they eat before bed. (I can't eat veggies before sleeping or I get cramps and gas either over night or upon waking.)

It depends a lot on your metabolism,your energy demands and the time/work schedule you are on.

I summarized that from posts written by a registered dietician.

[threenorns]

that's a myth created by the diet industry to put a curb on binge eating.

[Octagon]

Originally Posted by W8LFTR

And unused protein just gets "passed" anyways so it won't get stored as fat.

That's simply not true. Excess protein gets stored as body fat just like excess carbs or excess fats do.

The only difference (and the likely source of this particular fitness myth) is that of the three macronutrients proteins are the least efficiently stored.

[Cort]

Originally Posted by W8LFTR

And unused protein just gets "passed" anyways so it won't get stored as fat..

Octagon is right on that, protein can definitely be stored as fat.

Before bed I like to eat green veggies with a little olive oil, and a small amount of lean meat.

[Chris09]

So it is ok to eat late at night just use the same rules that would apply during the day... smaller portions and healtier food. Got it. Thanks

[maverick]

Originally Posted by threenorns

that's a myth created by the diet industry to put a curb on binge eating.

Wait a second *looks over both shoulders*... Oprah's wrong?!

[Cryptic]

Originally Posted by Cort

Before bed I like to eat green veggies with a little olive oil, and a small amount of lean meat.

I like to have some romaine lettuce with a bit of fresh lemon squeezed over it give that a try.

As for the question at hand try to keep the meals consistant with how you planned your nutrition for the day maybe you can make it your smallest meal that takes care of what you might have missed earlier on
Id say give it a try log your results and see how your body responds, if it doesnt like it then you know to drop it.
Good luck!