Facebook Pixel
That's Healthy, Right?

What Happens to Your Metabolism When You Eat At Night?

That's Healthy, Right?
That's Healthy, Right?

There’s a long-held belief that eating right before you sleep is a bad habit that turns those late-night calories directly into fat. The theory is simple: the later in the day, the fewer calories we burn, which means your metabolism slows down. Add that to a slower metabolism when you sleep, and it’s easy to see why “don’t eat much after 7 pm” became a common piece of diet advice.

There’s just one problem: these theories were based on animal models and shift workers.

When you look at the research about eating at night, the fluctuations and impacts on your metabolism are not what you think. And, there are even studies showing that people who eat most of their calories at night burn more fat.

In this episode of That’s Healthy, Right? we take a deeper look at understanding if when you eat affects how you gain weight. We’ll explore if breakfast really is the most important meal, when calories are most likely to be stored as body fat, and the number one factor for successful weight loss.

To ask a question, read the transcript, or learn more, visit bornfitness.com/thats-healthy-right.

Don’t forget to Subscribe to the show, and Rate or Review wherever you tune in!

Resources:

We Have Been Asking the Wrong Question About Breakfast – That’s Healthy, Right? Podcast

Eating at Night Does Not Make You Fat – Born Fitness

The Health Impact of Nighttime Eating: Old and New Perspectives — Nutrients

Weight Loss Is Greater With Consumption of Large Morning Meals and Fat-Free Mass Is Preserved With Large Evening Meals in Women on a Controlled Weight Reduction Regimen — The Journal of Nutrition

Greater Weight Loss and Hormonal Changes After 6 Months Diet With Carbohydrates Eaten Mostly at Dinner — Obesity

Chronobiological Aspects of Weight Loss in Obesity: Effects of Different Meal Timing Regimens — Chronobiology International

The Role of Breakfast in the Treatment of Obesity — American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Influence of Meal Time on Salivary Circadian Cortisol Rhythms and Weight Loss in Obese Women — Nutrition

Pre-sleep protein in casein supplement or whole-food form has no impact on resting energy expenditure or hunger in women — British Journal of Nutrition

That's Healthy, Right?
Not playing