ATLANTA -- Is there something about the moon and stars that
cause waistlines to expand?
You've probably heard people say that eating late at night is
the worst thing you can do if you want to stay slim and trim
because calories consumed close to bedtime are quickly converted
into body fat.
Well, that's not necessarily the case, according to registered
dietitian Jo-Ann Heslin, co-author of "The Calorie Counter"
(Pocket Books, $7.99 paperback). "You can eat all the calories you
need for an entire day between midnight and 6 a.m., if you wish. As
long as you don't eat anymore during the rest of the day, you won't
gain weight," she said.
According to nutrition researchers, it's how much food you put
your hands on, not the position of the hands on the clock that
affects body weight.
A study of middle-aged men and women in Pennsylvania and
Copenhagen, Denmark, reported in the International Journal of
Obesity, found that night eating was not associated with weight
gain, except in already obese women who had eaten their allotment
of calories earlier in the day.
Heslin said, "The warning against late-night eating does have
value if the calories eaten watching TV or coping with stress are
on top of the calories you've already eaten during the day."
Marsha Hudnall, dietitian and director of Green Mountain at Fox
Run, a healthy living retreat for women in Vermont, says most of
her clients struggle with overeating at night because they don't
eat enough during the day.
"They get into the starve all day, then binge at night cycle.
If you're listening to cues, then you eat when hungry and stop when
satisfied so you're less likely to overeat regardless of the time
of day," she said.
What Argentines do
The fact that night eating doesn't have to mean overeating is
comforting nutrition news for folks who work late and can't eat
dinner until way after 8 p.m.
Or maybe you just like living la vida loca as in Latin cultures
where the evening meal is often served closer to 10.
On a recent trip to Argentina to attend the Masters of Food &
Wine at the Park Hyatt-Buenos Aires, I was struck by the fact our
dinners were scheduled for 9 p.m. or later, but locals were fit and
fabulous. Was it the tango?
Sure, after-dinner dancing burns more calories than heading off
to bed.
But I think it was more about the rhythm of the day and total
intake of food.
It starts with a light breakfast, lots of walking during the
day, a late lunch (often the largest meal of the day), maybe a late
afternoon short siesta (research shows that getting enough sleep
helps your metabolism burn more efficiently) and then dinner with
relatively small portions after 9 p.m.
After-dinner activities, whether dancing or city strolling, add
physical activity before it's time to say "buenas noches."
So, here's to those who order seafood or salads from the 24-hour
menu at Pied du Cochon restaurant at the Intercontinental Hotel
Buckhead, and those who find themselves craving scrambled eggs in
an all-night diner.
Is it time for dinner? It all depends on how you read the clock.
Carolyn O'Neil is a registered dietitian and co-author of "The
Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous!" E-mail:
carolyn@carolynoneil.com. This article appeared in The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution.
c.2009 Cox Newspapers