There are tons of theories about eating after 6pm
Do not eat after 6pm!
Eating after 6pm will lead to weight gain!!
If you want results you must eat before 6pm!!!!!
If your Dr, Nutritionist, Trainer, or anyone tells you this, run away from them, they may still believe that the earth is flat.
For some bizarre reason, there is this theory that people believe that if they eat after 6pm, they will magically gain weight. Is it that if you eat a banana before 6pm it is only 120 calories? But if you eat it after 6pm for some mysterious magical reason that same banana will turn into 2000 calories? Most likely that it is not the case, but let’s keep looking for other possibilities.
Oh, I know what it is. The reason why you should not eat past 6pm is because normally after 6pm is when people tend to move less. Therefore, they use less energy. As a result they do not need food because they are not burning any energy. If you eat after that time, anything that you eat, will be turned into fat. Make sense, right…?
Well, let me tell you, that it is not how it works! That is just a theory that sounds right, but that does not mean it is. Through the short history of nutrition and anatomy, a lot of claims on how the human body works, were based on “theories”. Just because they made sense, they were deemed as the “absolute” truth.
However, in recent times, more and more studies have shown that the body is more complex than “common sense” and not everything that happens in our body is like 2+2=4.
Multiple studies have already shown that total daily caloric intake is more important than meal timing.
Whether you eat after or before 6pm you can still lose or gain weight. Also, a lot of people tend to feel very restrictive with this type of approach because there is a big gap from the time that they eat, to the time that they go to bed. Often times, this leads to snacking whatever is “convenient” and as a result, they end up on a caloric surplus.
This does not mean that if you eat before 6pm, you are doing something wrong. I know plenty of people that they grew up this way and they are totally fine. However, for a lot of people this is not the case, and if you are one of these individuals then do not do it.
At the end of the day, in order to achieve your fitness goals, you have to do what work best for you.
Remember you have to take the lifestyle approach, something that you can sustain for your whole life, not only for three months.
Most of the time we tend to focus on the small minutiae and what’s the next “hot diet” out there, forgetting to look at what works best for us. This is why most diets fail.
If you are a person that would like to eat before 6pm or you just eat before 6 because you cannot stomach a bigger meal later on, but feel the munchies a few hours later, then I have a tip for you.
Plan a snack, do not just go for what is in front of you. There are plenty of snacks that are low in calories, and they can do the trick, such as:
- 94% fat free popcorn.
- Fridge Greek yogurt, either plain or flavored (I like to tell my clients to combine ½ and 1/2 to enjoy it a bit more).
- Frozen Greek yogurt with walden farm syrups and pistachios.
- Halo top ice cream
Do not fall in the FAD traps, you are better than that. If you would like more tips or would like to work with me, just email me at [email protected] or add me on Instagram @vangaless and DM me.
Until next time, nos vemos!
Alejandro.
Aquam Fitness
Reference
Varady, K. A. (2011). Intermittent versus daily calorie restriction: Which diet regimen is more effective for weight loss? Obesity Reviews, 12(7). https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-789x.2011.00873.x
