Meal Times and Such page

[ludo]

Due to my work schedule (12pm - 9pm) it is incredibly ... interesting .. to maintain any sort of normal schedule compared to what most folks maintain. I wake up around 7am each morning but am not hungry until closer to 10am. I do try to eat something right after waking up but the idea of a meal that early literally repulses me. Then, I head into work at noon and usually have a snack (carrots, typically) around 1pm. My "lunch" is at 5pm and then I am home around 9:30 and eat around 10pm.

I have heard (here and elsewhere) that it is not a good idea to eat so late. What would you recommend as an alternative? Given that I will be up until midnight, having my main meal at 5pm and then staying up 7 more hours does not seem like a good idea. I could be wrong, though.

[Hedonist]

Eating late is controversial. There are many countries where dinner is late in the evening. They seem to do fine. Decide what works for you.

Here's a Paleo Hacks thread.

Google and you will find answers all over the place. Google "eating before bedtime primal" for lots.

[Lewis]

I have heard (here and elsewhere) that it is not a good idea to eat so late.

Better not too close to when you go to sleep. That'll be what was meant here. If you were eating around 10 and then going to bed at 10:30 it probably wouldn't be ideal. As for what's said elsewhere, that's probably bearing in mind the possible effects in terms of phenomena like acid reflux on people who are overweight who load up with food and and then lie down soon after.

What would you recommend as an alternative? Given that I will be up until midnight, having my main meal at 5pm and then staying up 7 more hours does not seem like a good idea. I could be wrong, though.

I should experiment with a bit more or less at different times and see how you feel.

Is your bedroom dark enough, too? That plays into all this—see Lights Out..

[ludo]

So that looks pretty bad. I am not sure of a good solution, however. I will need to explore this further.

[jfreaksho]

My wife and I used to work 2-10pm shifts, but we tended to have lunch as our biggest meal of the day, then carry our dinners and eat them around 5ish. Late-night snacking (and beer) did not help our waistlines, though this was all pre-primal. We were going to bed almost immediately after getting home. If we stayed up, even for just a little bit, the temptation was there to have snacks.

[Sue]

If your eating schedule becomes a problem, i.e. Can't sleep, not losing weight then change it. Otherwise leave it as is.

[Solldara]

Why are you trying to eat something when you just get up if the idea repulses you ?

My best advice - ignore all the advice

If you feel hungry eat - if you don't - don't eat - its really that simple.

Eating just before lying down is a problem for many people - hence the advice not to eat late at night as this is when most people are going to go to bed. If you are a shift worker let your body dictate what it wants for a couple of weeks, just make sure that you have food you can eat available if hunger strikes - ie take some tinned corn beef or fish to work - if you have fridge facilities take a pack up etc.

If weight loss is your goal - I'd forget about that as well for a couple of weeks and just concentrate on eating good food - then you can always tweak what you're eating dependent upon the results you've had.