Eating at night (late evening). Your take?

[HappilyEvrAfter]

What is YOUR opinion?

I've read so many confusing articles about both sides of eating a good chunk of daily calories at night that I can't come to a decision.
In the larger scope of things, is it bad or okay??
I mean, I know that if you do your weigh-ins in the morning it can have an affect due to undigested food, but....

I'm talking about the still healthful, clean, stay within caloric range kind of evening/night eating. Not night binging, which I've finally gotten outta my life.

Does it really matter that my dinner might be up to 50% of my daily calorie allowance?

[spughy]

I think it's one of those "everyone is different" things. Personally, I feel much better when I space out my food intake over the day, without any one meal being bigger than the others, and if I go to bed slightly hungry. I sleep better and wake up feeling more energetic. But YMMV. Why don't you experiment and pay attention to how you *feel* throughout the day with different meal compositions and timing? Like try 3 roughly equal meals for a few days, then spend a few days each having a bigger breakfast, then lunch, then dinner. Try eating dinner earlier, then later. See what feels best and go with it.

[pacificbliss]

For me I will snack too much pre-dinner and have unsettled sleep if I eat too much too late. Dinner tends to be about 40% of my calories but we generally eat before 7:00.

[Linda on the move]

I think it depends on your body. I used to eat that way, but I gradually changed to having slightly bigger breakfast and lunch and a slightly smaller dinner because I find it easier to stay within my points that way. (I do WW)

If I don't eat enough during the day, I'm famished at night and over eat.

But I've found that it's the total amount and kind of food that I eat, not what time I eat it that matters. It's just that I can get the amounts and kinds more the way I need them to be by eating more during the day.

If what you are doing is working for you, then there's no reason to change. If it isn't working, then try something a little different.