There is much conflicting health advice out there, and the time to eat is one of them. You probably must have heard times without a number that you shouldn’t eat after 8 p:m. But does the time you eat actually determine how much weight you gain?
To be candid with you, whether you eat at 8 a:m. or 8 p:m. (or even 11 p.m.), since it is the same food you’re ingesting, it will have the same effect on your body. But there has to be a balance anyway; everything is about balance. Everything is about balance because what you eat and how much you eat during the day can make a difference.
If a person eats well-balanced meals during the day and begins snacking on loads of food at night (healthy or junk), weight gain will set in. We know that self-control decreases late at night, making it more tempting to reach for ice cream. However, if it is the same food, it doesn’t matter the time of the day you’re consuming it.
Therefore the widespread belief that late-night eating will make you gain weight is a fallacy! Your body treats food the same way, no matter the time of day. The type of food you eat causes weight gain, not the time you’re eating it. Simply put, late-night eating won’t tip the scale.
You may wonder if there’s proof (scientific or whatever) to back up this claim. Indeed, there’s scientific proof. Aside from that, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Weight Control Information Network said, “it does not matter what time of day you eat. What and how much you eat and how much physical activity you do during the day determines whether you gain, lose, or maintain your weight.“
Continue reading to learn more about the effects of eating late. We know it’s hard to carry on with all the misconceptions flying around, but we are here to debunk the late-night eating myth. This article clarifies whether late-night eating will cause weight gain or not.
Evidence against the health claim
Scientists at Oregon Health and Science University analysed rhesus monkeys’ eating habits and weight-gain patterns, which they regarded as a valuable model for examining human obesity. The research reveals that the monkeys who consumed most of their food late at night were at no significant risk of gaining weight than those who picked out to eat during the day.
Such evidence backs the claims of many health organisations and professionals, like N.I.D.D.K. (National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases). They pointed out that the number of calories you ingest, not the time of day you consume them, affects the amount of weight gained or lost.
Though weight fluctuates over weeks and months (and not hours) due to long-term patterns of eating (and probably exercise), your body will not accumulate more fat after eating the same meal at 10:00 p.m. instead of 5:00 p.m.; calorie intakes are the same! Only when you overeat can your body store extra calories as fat, indicating weight gain, no matter when you eat them.
As a person concerned about weight gain, you are worried about maintaining a healthy weight. Stop worrying right now and hop on a call to speak with a doctor on achieving and maintaining a healthy weight quickly.
