Eating Late? Here’s How It Affects Weight and How You Can Avoid It

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Workload today has turned millions of people into night-owls. And those who haven’t turned into night-owls, come home late at night, which frankly is another characteristic of an owl. But we are not here to talk about owls. We are here to talk about what such “owls” need to eat in order to maintain its weight, or what we need to be so.

Returning late means eating late. Usually, dinner time duration ranges from 7-8 pm to 8-9 pm. And as this is the usual time we are used to, so is our body. Hence, when we eat late, our body only processes the amount of food that it usually does and the rest is added to fat. That’s not good. You might return home hungry and nibble on whatever you get hold of from the fridge and add thousands of calories hidden in the dark. Worry not. We will help you manage it well along with your weight.

Here are 3 things you need to know to keep a check on your late-night eating habits:

1. Eating late leads to weight gain
   It is not so that the human body processes food in different ways at different times of the day. But the thing is, at might, you more likely not moving or are sedentary. So you eat late, you get on the couch and watch television, and after an hour or so, go to sleep. The calories being accumulated remain unused and are stored as fat. And if this goes on for long, it can affect your hormones and metabolism.
2. Avoiding too much carbohydrates
   In this scenario, the most important things to avoid are processed carbohydrates and sugar. Foods rich in these digest quickly and if not burnt, get stored as fat under the skin. High-fat foods are an absolute no as they contribute heartburn and acid reflux. So, bye-bye ice-creams. However, this does not mean going to bed empty. A small portion of around 200 calories approx, with a balance of healthy carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, is just great. Having trouble understanding? Have a banana with peanut butter. Or grab a small bowl of whole-grain cereal along with skimmed milk.
3. Set up a healthy eating schedule
   The main reason for eating late is due to an unorganized eating schedule. And while many of us do eat 3 meals a day, what we eat is what matters more. First of all, we need to increase the schedule from 3 meals a day to 3 meals and 2 snacks a day with 3 to 4 hours in between each. Next, you need to make sure that lunch and dinner are calorie-consciousness so that you do not return home a monster ready to devour anything that comes your way. Go for an afternoon snack, like nuts, to balance the daily diet. Have the same sort for the evening. Maintaining a healthy schedule will help your body manage the calories better than will help you maintain your weight too.
   Condition: If you are one of the nominees of the Binging-On-The-Couch Award, a good decision would be to set an alarm to remind you that the kitchen is closed for the night. In case you are a night-shifter, trying having the last meal of your day at least an hour or two before going to bed.

These 3 points show a flowchart of eating late that contributes to weight gain and how you can avoid it. Whatever it takes to tune your weight-regime, the most important thing is to make a healthy habit out of it.

Theresa Perez

Theresa Perez is a seasoned writer for the health industry dedicated to providing fact-based health information. She sources concise facts from authoritative sources to ensure maximum credibility and shares guidelines to lead a healthy lifestyle.