If you used to eat after your evening meal...

[DtPeabodysLoosePants]

...and then stopped, did you lose weight?

I used to eat a fair amount in the evenings (mainly chocolate, crisps, chocolate biscuits, sweets)but have recently stopped. I eat dinner between 5 and 6pm and then nothing until breakfast at 7am. I only drink water after my morning cups of tea.

I've estimated I must have cut 500 calories from my daily intake at least as don't tend to snack during the day either.

I am always hungry at bedtime but ignore it. I am satisfied with my breakfast although hungry again by 9.30am. This was the same as when I did eat in the evening though so not connected.

I'd like to lose a stone to be more comfortable so I'm wondering if anyone has any positive experiences of cutting out evening eating and losing weight?

[Kbeeb1992]

I want to lose a stone too and did pretty mich the same thing your talking about but i also started eating my main meal for my lunch and having something lighter for dinner , its hard because your still hungry but it does work as your metabolism works better earlier on and i lost 4 pound the first week, i also cut out alcohol for the week aswell . I do that 5 days a week now and then just eat normal on weekends.

[Mookins14]

Yes. Evening snacking is my weakness. I stopped 2 years ago and lost two stone. I also try only to eat when I am hungry and small (tiny) portions. In truth I am rarely hungry (on about 1,200 kcals a day) but would eat out of boredom or to cheer me up.

[DtPeabodysLoosePants]

I tried on trousers this week and I've adjusted that number to 2 stone! I hate my body so much.

[Girlintheframe]

I eat Keto which has meant I'm rarely hungry or snack.
I used to be a BIG snacker, mainly sweet things. I've found on keto that I much more satisfied after eating, rarely feel hunger in between meals and don't crave sweet things nearly as much. Have also lost 2 stone.

[Lyingonthesofainthedark]

I usually have a 0% greek yogurt.

[joystir59]

I eat fruit, rice cakes, celery sticks, carrots, a bit of humus in the evenings if I'm hungry. I have lost 5 stone in the last year. I eat three small healthy meals a day and healthy snacks, as above, if I'm hungry in between. I also eat anything I want on Saturday.

[joystir59]

I've also become very active in the last 2 years through getting a Jack Russell and more recently a cleaning job

[joystir59]

Typical eating pattern:
B: porridge made with water, large blob low fat Greek style yoghurt, a banana, black tea
L: large mixed salad, half avocado, dry fried halloumi slices, small wholemeal wrap, apple to follow, decaff coffee or tea
T: steamed veg with some grated cheese and small blob humus handful of walnuts, apple X 2, and an orange or other fruit such as pineapple, pomegranate, whatever we've got in. tea or coffee,
Glasses of water throughout day.

[BellaBattenburg]

Well done on cutting out food after teatime. I admire your iron will and mindset of just ignoring the hunger! I find if you can persist with changes like this, they do become habits and require less and less effort to maintain.

If you're eating 500 fewer calories per day, I would think you should lose about 1lb a week.

What do you have for breakfast? Maybe scrambled eggs on wholemeal would keep you fuller for longer???

[joystir59]

Another typical day:
B:Cafe breakfast of 2 slices buttered wholemeal toast, 2x poached eggs, cappucino
L: steamed fish and big plate mixed steamed veg, fruit, tea or coffee
Ryvita X 2 with thin slices of cheddar, apples, oranges, sliced tomatoes, a carrot some walnuts or sliced German (low cal v lean) ham. Tea or coffee
Glasses of water throughout

[joystir59]

Typical Saturday:
Cafe breakfast as above
No lunch
Pub visit late afternoon, Prosecco crisps
Fish and chips
Dark choc

[MillieMoodle]

Evening snacking is my weakness too. I need to stop it altogether. Some days it's just so difficult though! I also want to lose two stone. I've started today with a new level of commitment and motivation!

[Daisyboobooboo]

Not eating after your evening meal at 6 and then eating at 8 is fasting 14/10. Lots do 16/8

[MustardScreams]

I am a horrific snacker. Since I’ve been doing keto though I haven’t had the urge to snack once. It’s honestly blown my mind a bit. The first couple of weeks were rough an I’d have probably sold dd for a biscuit. But! Stuck it out and now barely think about food anymore. Game changer.!

[Innishh]

A typical evening for me would be 1/2 bottle of wine, 1/2 huge bar choc and large bag crisps. I also had choc in the day - loads of white bread and butter / pasta / chips / pizza / takeaways - no fruits or veg.....and I was still always hungry.

For the past 4 weeks I have been doing 16:8 - don’t eat after 7pm and wait until 11am to eat the next day. I have given up wine, processed carbs/sugar. They just make you hungry. For me they are trigger food so - I cant have one biscuit - I had to trough through a whole packet.

I am going to SW to weigh in each week and following their recipes. I have lost a stone in 4 weeks. I have another 3 to go.

The 16:8 means I pack all of my food (healthy veg, protein) into those 8hrs - so I and stuffed at 7pm and don’t snack in the day or evening.

First few weeks were hard - but if you tough it out the “hunger” cravings stop.

[Samosaurus]

I’ve lost two stone since June doing the 16:8 way of eating, sounds similar to what you are doing. I usually finish eating around 7:30pm then don’t eat again until lunchtime the next day. It’s such an easy ‘diet’ to follow. I’d recommend reading the book first as that was really motivating for me.

[MontyBowJangles]

I can't not have supper as I'm do hungry I can't sleep. If I ignore the hunger pangs and growling stomach and do manage to get off to sleep I'll then wake between 1am - 3am ravenous and then have to go downstairs for the bowl of healthy cereal I just should have had at 9.30pm. Then I'm tired the next day and more hungry So I've just accepted this is how my body works and eat fewer calories during the day to accommodate.

I've been using mfp for four weeks now and have lost 6lbs. Going from 11st 12lbs to 11st 6lbs,and interim target is 11st (I'm 5ft 8). It let's me have approx 1500 kcals a day so normal day is:

B: Cornflakes with milk. Tea. 200kcals
L: soup (125 kcals) bread (100kcals) fruit.
D: healthy balanced meal @ approx 500 - 600kcals like chicken stir fry.
Supper: Weetabix or bran flakes or Cornflakes.

I'm usually under my max allowance during the week but make up for it on the weekend when I have some treats/wine.

[MontyBowJangles]

I would love to try the 16:8 thing but always wake up starving hungry and feel light headed and snappy walking the kids to school if I don't eat breakfast!

I have noticed I'm less hungry during the day now I've cut out a sugary mid morning snack.

[Innishh]

What book have you read samosaurus?

The morning isn’t too bad - you get used to it in a few days and I find being busy in the mornings is nicely distracting and easier to get through than a long hungry evening.

Not sure if it’s the 16:8 or the no sugar / low carbs that has freed me from constantly eating shite or a bit of both?

[Samosaurus]

It’s called the Fast800 by Michael Moseley - although it’s not the focus of the book he writes about the benefits of the 16:8 way of eating. Another book that outlines the benefits of this type of intermittent fasting is The Obesity Code by Jason Fung. The basic science behind it is by leaving a long gap between eating is your blood sugar gets a chance to stop spiking and your insulin levels get a chance to go back to normal as our bodies were not designed for the constant grazing that we’ve become used to - obvious both books explain it better than how I’ve just attempted :)

[Innishh]

Thanks samo - I have read MM BSD - which is a 800 cal and his version of Mediterranean eating - “lowish carb, moderate healthy fats” ..... so is his new book the same just adding in 16:8?

Does he discuss the merits of all other ways of fasting alternative day, OMAD, 5:2, 20:4 etc and if so why was 16:8 selected?