Yes, You Can Eat After 7PM!

When I was newer to the world of health & fitness, I would always hear the same damn thing:

"Do not eat after 7p.m. or late at night because this will cause unwanted weight gain."

I am pretty sure that you might have heard this too, along with limiting your carbs right before you get to bedtime. But I am so happy to tell you that this is a very common misconception and, quite frankly, a big fat MYTH!


Our bodies need fuel constantly, not just when we are awake. When we're sleeping, our bodies are burning calories to circulate blood, assist with lung functioning, and fuel our brains. 

To make things even better, studies consistently show that night time eating does not actually cause weight gain... if you stay within your body's daily caloric needs. Meaning, if you burn more calories than you consume, then you are GOLDEN!

Every night, if I am still hungry after dinner, I will literally eat a snack in bed-you can ask my husband! My go to late snack is always usually the same thing: a bowl of full fat Greek yogurt topped with granola and raw honey. It has a ton of protein which satisfies my belly throughout the night. 

But, don't get me wrong-I still eat carbs later at night if I am craving them! Why? Because there is nothing evil about having them at night! After all, calories are calories and it all works the same-regardless if you are asleep in your bed or running on your treadmill.

Now, where most people get into trouble is binging at night where too much of a calorie consumption happens. Maybe, you are so tired that you don't even notice the amount of calories that you are taking it. My advice? EAT A BEDTIME SNACK. One that is filled with protein and complex carbs. Make a little snack "emergency kit" to keep in your fridge just in case you want a little something more after bedtime!

The bottom line: Your body does not process food differently after it gets dark outside. Eating too many calories, regardless of the time of day in which you do so, can lead to weight gain. It all comes down to balancing calories in with calories out with calorie counting and exercising!