Does Eating Late Cause Weight Gain?
Ooo this is a juicy one because this myth has been around for a long time. But is eating late at night truly the enemy they've been made out to be? Let's dive in and uncover the truth!
🚫 Why this myth is unhelpful:
This myth is based on the false idea that the metabolism slows down when you fall asleep and any undigested calories won’t go through their usual process that happens before 8 pm and instead will just turn to fat.
This is just not physiologically not true! Your body is equipped to metabolise food 24/7 and the body doesn't know what time it is. A calorie is a calorie at any time of the day.
And look, life happens. We snack late at night some days when watching the television or we end up having a longer day than planned and eating our dinner late.
🌟 What you could do instead:
Make sure you are eating enough across the day: If you find you have the munchies and you are snacking most evenings, my first question would be, are you eating enough food across the day? When we skip breakfast/lunch or even cut out food groups from our meals like carbs, it is normal for our body to up the cravings and we tend to eat more in the evening.
Keep it stress-free: There is no point stressing about “making sure you eat at certain times”, this idea feeds into the idea that there is a perfect way of eating (there isn’t by the way). Remember that life happens and it's going to be much better for you to eat a meal late than ending up snacking and grazing.
Mindfully eat that late meal: When you do have a late-night meal, slow down! Make it an enjoyable experience by eating mindfully. Sit at the table and focus on the flavours, textures, and the moment itself without your phone or TV!
Grazing late at night after a stressful day: If you find yourself reaching for late-night snacks after a particularly stressful day, remember that this is okay. Stress eating is a real (and normal) thing, and it's okay to soothe your nerves with a late-night bite once in a while but if food is your only go-to, maybe you need to find other things that help soothe your stress levels.
Focussing and stressing about meal timing is unnecessary; what matters is balanced eating throughout the day. Late-night meals can be enjoyed mindfully, and occasional late-night snacks in response to stress are okay, but it's essential to explore non-food methods to cope with stress effectively. Ultimately, it's about nourishing your body and finding a flexible approach to meal timing that suits your lifestyle.
Stay tuned for more myth-busting adventures in the coming weeks as we continue our mission to debunk myths and make food less stressful.
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