Eating Before Bed & Bodyfat

Hey Guys,

I had always heard that evening calories "stuck" to you and made you fatter than those ingested during the day. Of course, then there's the other camp that says "a calorie is a calorie, no matter when you eat it, it's energy value, useability and storability are the same."

It seems there is one more factor, though. Recent reading tells me that insulin suppresses natural growth hormone, which happens to have it's biggest release a couple hours after we go to sleep. Since less growth hormone equals less muscle and higher bodyfat, going to bed within three hours of eating large high carb meal can actually cause bodyfat % to increase. If your meal could be considered low-carb then two hours space is sufficient, while ninety minutes after a no-carb meal is sufficient.

Anyone heard of this concept or have any additional info about night eating?

One additional benefit might be that it actually cuts out 2-3 hours of food intake time.

Best Wishes,

Dave

So if I take my insulin before I go to bed at night I'll get fatter?? That would explain a lot!!! Thanks for your post.

Hi Bill,

I'm sure diabetics have to play by a completely different set of rules. That said, I would guess insulin/gh conflict makes an even stronger case for getting sugar down through diet and exercise whenever possible. I'm in way over my head here...

Best Wishes,

Dave

How's it going "Mr. Lighter Than Air",  I rarely eat anything "no-carb" between dinner and bedtime. I don't eat a lot, but I do sometimes snack a little during that time period. Examples are bananas, cottage cheese and peaches, sometimes sugar free pie. Neither of these are great choices, but..... I have found that if I continually drink from 30 minutes after dinner until bedtime that I don't eat.

Ron

Hi Ronnie,

I'm doing great, thanks. Glad to hear things are looking up for you. You're staying slender as well.

Faigin says two hours between carbs and bed time, ninety minutes between protein or fat and bed time, but I know of other books like those on carbohydrate addiction that talk of food quantities/ types that do not cause a spurt of insulin. It must not be an "all or nothing" deal.

I'll have to check that old "The Carbohydrate Addicts Diet" book.

Best Wishes,

Dave

They actually have a protein powder at GNC called PM Protein. I guess it is a time released protein shake. You drink it right before you go to bed. The usual protein is absorbed but the other type of protein in it releases over the next 6 hours.

Hi Tomi,

Body builders have long used Casein protein before bed, because it is said to digest much more slowly than whey protein. The insulin/gh conflict idea is still only accepted by some. My personal feeling is that the body is supposed to rest during sleep time and if it has to work on digesting anything like protein, you'll probably sleep less soundly. I've heard that fiber and protein both cause sleep disruption. Maybe there's some research that says differently, I'm not sure.

Best Wishes,

Dave

Great topic, Dave. I am, and have always been, a late night eater because of work, etc. Tough habit to break so I've read up on it quite a bit. I used to believe the one calorie in, one calorie out theory but have changed my thinking.  Carbs are burnt when we need fuel (i.e. throughout the day, exercise, etc.). When excess carbs are not needed immediately (i.e. when we sleep), the body stores them as fat. Thus the problem.  Your comment that "insulin suppresses natural growth hormone, which happens to have it's biggest release a couple hours after we go to sleep" also makes sense.   I have read that many pro cyclists looking to shed a few lbs will not eat anything after 8PM which makes them hungrier in the mornings. A large breakfast then fuels their body prior to a ride. The body's food supply and energy demands are in balance.  Now if I can only break this late night eating habit. I liked the suggestion of drinking water big time the last couple of hours prior to bed so I'll give that a try.  Hope all is well. Boner 

Hi Boner,

Glad to see that you're still racing hard as ever.

Fasting/ carbo loading will definitely cause the body to store more carbohydrate than usual.

My guess is that the "What you don't use, you store argument" holds somewhat true. I don't know if eating before sleeping would affect growth hormone in the short run, perhaps it's something that would make a difference over 2-3 years.

Drinking water would be good, but I would pee like a racehorse all night.

Best Wishes,

Dave

 

I'll have to keep this one in mind. This is one of my personal demons.  Especially right now with all four of us who live here in college and having a CRAZY schedule.  Makes it so that you're in such a rush to do things that the only time to relax is late at night. During the day I'm so busy I don 't eat much, and then at night, when we're trying to relax, I get into the habit of, "Oh crap, I haven't had enough protien for the day" and start eating little bits and pieces of stuff here and there. This is my own fault, as I need to remember to eat regularly throughout the day.  Just kind of hard to do if you're sitting in class or sitting at home studying with your head buried in the 7 Layer OSI model for Networking, or internet security protocols, or Windows Server functions .. the list goes on.  (Gee, it's fun preparing to go back to work after being unable to for five years.  Seriously, it is! I can't wait to go back to work!)  I have to agree with the finding, if you drink, you don't eat as much.  On days I make sure I get the water in , I don't feel like eating.  But then again, I don't ever get the full-on "I need to eat!" feeling anymore, so it's more of my head stating, "You need to get protien in".  Especially since my most recent blood test showed I was low on protien and HDL cholesterol.  Though my bad Cholesterol was at 136, so I'm happy with that. (Looking back over this post)  Can you tell I had my coffee this morning?