Eating Before Sleep

NYC XYZ said:

Hi, All:

I've heard different things about eating before bed...it makes you
fat, food simply passes through without real benefit, interferes with
a good night's sleep...does anyone know (and/or have links/refs)
regarding this matter?

I mean, is it a bad thing? (Unhealthy?) Why?

TIA!

I usually eat dinner at 10pm, then go right to bed. But I don't get home
from the gym until 9pm, and to deprive my body of protein and nutrients post
workout would be stupid. I also eat before I go to the gym. Usually a
protein shake with some fruit.

It's not so much "when" you eat, but how much in a day. Excess calories is
what make you fat. When I get home from the gym, I'm usually around 1,800 -
2,000 calories at that point. Since I'm cutting (dropping some weight), I'm
shooting for around 2,600 calories. So, dinner is around 600 calories.

You need to estimate what your calories are to maintain your weight. Then
you can decide to eat at that to maintain, or under that to lose weight. I
like this site:

http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html

You could also start a free account on fitday.com and track calories. This
will also give you grams of protein / carbs / fats eaten, which is helpful.

If you eat more than your maintenance in a 24 hr period, you'll get fat. If
you eat under your maintenance, you'll lose weight. Simple.
--
-Larry

Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but the food
will not digest until you wake in the morning. Then your body tries to
digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as much thus depriving
yourself of nutrition for that day.

Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep; indigestion or
sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though I've heard
as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

...the food will not digest until you wake in the morning.

I'd love to see a reference for that gem.

Slambram said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

...the food will not digest until you wake in the morning.

I'd love to see a reference for that gem.

I was wondering the same thing...
--
-Larry

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but the food
will not digest until you wake in the morning. Then your body tries to
digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as much thus depriving
yourself of nutrition for that day.

Why wouldn't the food digest when I am sleeping, why am I hungrier when
I wake up after eating right before I go to bed?

Quoted message said:

Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep; indigestion or
sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

Just don't eat [censored].

Quoted message said:

The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though I've heard
as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.

I do not agree with this advice, I think you should eat whenever you
like, but ideally spread your calories throughout the day. While
bulking wake up in the middle of the night and chug a glass of milk.

--Falooley

"Larry Hodges" <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Slambram said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

...the food will not digest until you wake in the morning.

I'd love to see a reference for that gem.

I was wondering the same thing...

"The Stooges Hotmail Guide To Health And Nutrition", page 127.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0684854627/qid=1109797883/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-3319846-3669566

David

Slambram said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

...the food will not digest until you wake in the morning.

I'd love to see a reference for that gem.

I've heard that too...and, frankly, it does seem that when I do eat
right before bed (even just half of a "real" meal, up to two whole
hours just before sleep), I tend to do a "number two" first or second
thing in the morning! =d

On 2 Mar 2005 09:25:53 -0800, "NYC XYZ" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hi, All:

I've heard different things about eating before bed...it makes you fat,
food simply passes through without real benefit, interferes with a good
night's sleep...does anyone know (and/or have links/refs) regarding
this matter?

Quoted message said:

I mean, is it a bad thing? (Unhealthy?) Why?

If you have GERD (reflux), it's probably not a good idea. But even if
you have GERD, you may be able to get away with certain foods like
milk, ice cream, protein shakes, etc., if you don't overdo it.

Quoted message said:

TIA!

-----------
Proton Soup

"Thanks for noticing that I didn't actually say anything." - Mike Lane

"Bob Falooley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but the

food

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

will not digest until you wake in the morning. Then your body tries to
digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as much thus depriving
yourself of nutrition for that day.

Why wouldn't the food digest when I am sleeping, why am I hungrier when
I wake up after eating right before I go to bed?

Quoted message said:

Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep; indigestion

or

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

Just don't eat [censored].

Quoted message said:

The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though I've

heard

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.

I do not agree with this advice, I think you should eat whenever you
like, but ideally spread your calories throughout the day. While
bulking wake up in the middle of the night and chug a glass of milk.

--Falooley

It's not a matter of calories as much as acid burning your esophageal valve
and eventually going up into your throat. The Ashley Simpson excuse as to
why she sounded like [censored].
If you do it all the time eventually you will have esophageal reflux disease
and will have to sleep in a more upright position. Anybody with this
condition knows and you don't have to ask them twice about how long one can
eat before going to bed. You will find out as the years pass. That question
is really one for the young foolish kids.

"Proton Soup" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

On 2 Mar 2005 09:25:53 -0800, "NYC XYZ" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hi, All:

I've heard different things about eating before bed...it makes you fat,
food simply passes through without real benefit, interferes with a good
night's sleep...does anyone know (and/or have links/refs) regarding
this matter?

Quoted message said:

I mean, is it a bad thing? (Unhealthy?) Why?

If you have GERD (reflux), it's probably not a good idea. But even if
you have GERD, you may be able to get away with certain foods like
milk, ice cream, protein shakes, etc., if you don't overdo it.

Quoted message said:

TIA!

-----------
Proton Soup

"Thanks for noticing that I didn't actually say anything." - Mike Lane

You should rephrase that from "if you have GERD" to "if you want to avoid
GERD" and also if you want to avoid esophageal cancer. People don't get it
that their is concentrated acid in their stomach and if you lie down then it
travels back up. The esophagus and upper structures are not well suited for
handling a constant acid load.

Bob Falooley said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but
the food will not digest until you wake in the morning. Then your
body tries to digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as
much thus depriving yourself of nutrition for that day.

Why wouldn't the food digest when I am sleeping, why am I hungrier
when I wake up after eating right before I go to bed?

Quoted message said:

Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep;
indigestion or sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

Just don't eat [censored].

Quoted message said:

The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though
I've heard as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.

I do not agree with this advice, I think you should eat whenever you
like, but ideally spread your calories throughout the day. While
bulking wake up in the middle of the night and chug a glass of milk.

--Falooley

A jar of cookies close to the milk is downright convenient too 😉
Actually it works while cutting too 😉)) I just leave out the milk and go
for the cookies.

--
Perre
I gave up on SPAM and redirected it to hotmail instead.

Robert said:

"Bob Falooley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but
the food will not digest until you wake in the morning. Then your
body tries to digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as
much thus depriving yourself of nutrition for that day.

Why wouldn't the food digest when I am sleeping, why am I hungrier
when I wake up after eating right before I go to bed?

Quoted message said:

Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep;
indigestion or sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

Just don't eat [censored].

Quoted message said:

The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though
I've heard as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.

I do not agree with this advice, I think you should eat whenever you
like, but ideally spread your calories throughout the day. While
bulking wake up in the middle of the night and chug a glass of milk.

--Falooley

It's not a matter of calories as much as acid burning your esophageal
valve and eventually going up into your throat. The Ashley Simpson
excuse as to why she sounded like [censored].
If you do it all the time eventually you will have esophageal reflux
disease and will have to sleep in a more upright position. Anybody
with this condition knows and you don't have to ask them twice about
how long one can eat before going to bed. You will find out as the
years pass. That question is really one for the young foolish kids.

I don't think it's a matter of age as much as of obesity.

--
Perre
I gave up on SPAM and redirected it to hotmail instead.

Larry Hodges wrote:
:: NYC XYZ wrote:
::: Hi, All:
:::
::: I've heard different things about eating before bed...it makes you
::: fat, food simply passes through without real benefit, interferes
::: with a good night's sleep...does anyone know (and/or have
::: links/refs) regarding this matter?
:::
::: I mean, is it a bad thing? (Unhealthy?) Why?
:::
:::
::: TIA!
::
:: I usually eat dinner at 10pm, then go right to bed. But I don't get
:: home from the gym until 9pm, and to deprive my body of protein and
:: nutrients post workout would be stupid. I also eat before I go to
:: the gym. Usually a protein shake with some fruit.
::
:: It's not so much "when" you eat, but how much in a day. Excess
:: calories is what make you fat. When I get home from the gym, I'm
:: usually around 1,800 - 2,000 calories at that point. Since I'm
:: cutting (dropping some weight), I'm shooting for around 2,600
:: calories. So, dinner is around 600 calories.
::
:: You need to estimate what your calories are to maintain your weight.
:: Then you can decide to eat at that to maintain, or under that to
:: lose weight. I like this site:
::
:: http://www.exrx.net/Calculators/CalRequire.html
::
:: You could also start a free account on fitday.com and track
:: calories. This will also give you grams of protein / carbs / fats
:: eaten, which is helpful.
::
:: If you eat more than your maintenance in a 24 hr period, you'll get
:: fat. If you eat under your maintenance, you'll lose weight. Simple.

Not quite. You can average calories over days to avoid weight gain. Hence,
if you eat over maintenance one day and then eat under maintenance the next
by the same amount, it will balance out. there seems to be a lag time
before the body can respond to an increase/decrease relative to maintenance.
IME, BTW.

:: --
:: -Larry

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 13:35:36 -0800, "Robert" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

You should rephrase that from "if you have GERD" to "if you want to avoid
GERD" and also if you want to avoid esophageal cancer. People don't get it
that their is concentrated acid in their stomach and if you lie down then it
travels back up. The esophagus and upper structures are not well suited for
handling a constant acid load.

If i lie down after i eat i'll get cancer?

drhowarddrfinedrhoward said:

Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but the food
will not digest until you wake in the morning.

Horsepuckey. Please show some data.

Quoted message said:

Then your body tries to
digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as much thus depriving
yourself of nutrition for that day.

Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep; indigestion or
sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though I've heard
as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

Per Elmsäter said:

Robert said:

"Bob Falooley" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

drhowarddrfinedrhoward wrote:
> Do not eat right before bed time. It does not make you fatter but
> the food will not digest until you wake in the morning. Then your
> body tries to digest it along with breakfast. You may not eat as
> much thus depriving yourself of nutrition for that day.
>

Why wouldn't the food digest when I am sleeping, why am I hungrier
when I wake up after eating right before I go to bed?

> Depending on what you eat it can interfere with your sleep;
> indigestion or sugars trying to give you an energy boost.

Just don't eat [censored].

>
> The best is do not eat less than two hours before bed time though
> I've heard as much as three and as little as 1.5 hours.
>
>

I do not agree with this advice, I think you should eat whenever you
like, but ideally spread your calories throughout the day. While
bulking wake up in the middle of the night and chug a glass of milk.

--Falooley

It's not a matter of calories as much as acid burning your esophageal
valve and eventually going up into your throat. The Ashley Simpson
excuse as to why she sounded like [censored].
If you do it all the time eventually you will have esophageal reflux
disease and will have to sleep in a more upright position. Anybody
with this condition knows and you don't have to ask them twice about
how long one can eat before going to bed. You will find out as the
years pass. That question is really one for the young foolish kids.

I don't think it's a matter of age as much as of obesity.

It's both -- plus genetics. I have mild GERD. It is being controlled
with proton pump meds. It has gotten worse as I have gotten older. It
gets worse if I gain weight. My doc confirms both of these. He also
says that I probably have a weakness or maybe a defect in the valve
that keeps stomach acid in the stomach.

Eating within an hour or so of going to bed causes severe heartburn.

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

On Wed, 02 Mar 2005 15:22:23 -0600, Proton Soup <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

On 2 Mar 2005 09:25:53 -0800, "NYC XYZ" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Hi, All:

I've heard different things about eating before bed...it makes you fat,
food simply passes through without real benefit, interferes with a good
night's sleep...does anyone know (and/or have links/refs) regarding
this matter?

Quoted message said:

I mean, is it a bad thing? (Unhealthy?) Why?

If you have GERD (reflux), it's probably not a good idea. But even if
you have GERD, you may be able to get away with certain foods like
milk, ice cream, protein shakes, etc., if you don't overdo it.

Some can, I suppose. I can't get away with even water. Nada. If I eat
within an hour or so of bedtime, I pay.

--
Email: Usenet-20031220 at spamex.com
(11/09/04)

Top Spin said:

On Wed, 2 Mar 2005 22:44:58 +0100, "Per Elmsäter"

Quoted message said:

I don't think it's a matter of age as much as of obesity.

It's both -- plus genetics. I have mild GERD.

I just have to step out of lurking to contradict this... It is more
eating habits and genetics than sheer obesity.
I was always the skinniest kid in school, and have never been obese, or
even average at any point in my life, but I remember having acid reflux
from as early as the age of five. By the time I was 12, it was so
severe, I could hardly swallow, and endoscopies showed severe damage as
well as barrett's esophagus, (a pre-cancerous condition from repeated
scaring.) For me, it was completely genetics and my dad who was always
thin suffered at a young age as well.

And back to the original question, the only problem with eating before
bed is, as discovered, heartburn and acid. One effect of acid reflux is
it causes difficulty breathing as acid may irritate the airways. If I
lay down within 2-3 hours of eating, I wake up with horrific heartburn
and difficulty breathing that lasts for hours, other people may be more
lucky.

mjoann

"NYC XYZ" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi, All:

I've heard different things about eating before bed...it makes you fat,
food simply passes through without real benefit, interferes with a good
night's sleep...does anyone know (and/or have links/refs) regarding
this matter?

I mean, is it a bad thing? (Unhealthy?) Why?

TIA!

This came to my mind:

From "Protein Power" by Drs Eades in regard to the release of human growth
hormone

"A couple of important points need to be made, however. First, since
increased glucose levels inhibit the release of growth hormone, it behooves
us to avoid anything sweet, starchy or otherwise carbohydrate laden before
we go to bed. Any of these substances will give us an elevation of blood
glucose that will inhibit the normal shot of growth hormone released an hour
or so after our falling asleep. See what all those snacks of milk and
cookies at bedtime have been doing to you!
Second, the pulse of growth hormone released by exercise generally hits the
circulation toward the end of the workout and immediately after. If you
want to inhibit this growth hormone surge, all you have to do is to eat a
power bar or a candy or drink fruit juice, as trainers often advise you to
do before, during, and right after workouts in the mistaken notion that you
need "explosive, high-carbo energy" as on of these products advertises.
What you're really getting is not growth hormone. Always work out on an
empty stomach, don't consume anything except water during the workout, and
don't eat until an hour or so after. Then make sure it's a protein-rich
meal-you need plenty of amino acids for the growth hormone to use to repair
and rebuild your muscles."

Comments?

René