Ask the Trainer: Can Eating After 7pm Make Me Gain Weight?

My doctor told me that eating after 7pm can lead to weight gain. Is this really true?

I was wondering when this question would come up. This is actually a very common myth that has been perpetuated by consumers and professionals alike for a very long time. Truth be told, there is no strong connection between eating at night and weight gain. Obviously, if your calorie intake exceeds your calorie expenditure, then you will certainly gain weight, but this is true no matter when those calories are consumed. So, could the calories taken in at night contribute to weight gain? Sure. But it still comes down to a calories in vs. calories out issue. The idea of avoiding calories at night stems from the fact that most of us are pretty inactive in the evening hours, and if we’re not active, then filling up our gas tanks seems counter-productive. This is understandable, and I do think that too many people consume far too many calories during the evening hours. However, should you be overly concerned with weight gain if you had to miss a meal during the day or had to eat sporadically because of a busy schedule? That answer is no!