Ok.  Is eating close to bedtime going to make a person gain weight or not?  I keep hearing conflicting information.  On one side people tell me that everything you eat that is undigested when you hit the sack gets converted into fat and on the other hand people tell me that although you might have more trouble sleeping with a full tummy, it's your overall calorie count that matters and not when you eat.  Anybody have personal experience or a good article (cited preferably) regarding this?

I have heard both sides to that story as well. The most rational that I read recently (I'll need to find the article) is that you do digest while you sleep. You obviously do not burn the calories as fast as you would if you went running. But those calories are burned quick and you will usually eat something after that. If you sleep for 8 hours, you body has plenty of time to digest what you ate, and has plenty of time to use those calories. During the day it is not as normal to go 8 hours between meals. Though on the other hand...you might be like me and sleep very little because of a little brown dog named Hershey that wakes you up at 6am EVERY DAY!

I have to say that I am a pretty big late night snacker. I mean all the time. I always get the muchies before I go to bed and always have. No problem here on this end. As MDvegan said, it comes down to calories...how many you put in, and how many you use up....

I myself run or hike almost every day. That is were I use up all those extra calories.

I think it depends on your metabolism.

I have a slow metabolism - I'm usually not hungry enough to even eat dinner.  I'm overweight.

My sister has a fast metabolism - she eats a snack just before going to bed and has another one on her side table in case she wakes up hungry during the night.  She's thin.

I usually do not eat past 6pm. I will also walk or hike or bike a couple miles after dinner. 

This is probably one of those things that is different for everyone. I know that ultimately calories in vs calories out is the key, but I try to have my last meal by 6pm. I have started eating an apple sometime around 8:30pm. The dog likes it too!

 

I agree that it depends on metabolism. I snack at noght, if I don't I wake up hungry. I am and always have been thin. My theory is that eating before bed helps slow my body down just enough to actually sleep better. As far as studies go, there are versions to satiate every viewpoint. 

I wont eat after 5 pm I know im a wierdo!

But from what ive been told from working in the health industry is that you dont burn that many calories when you sleep beacuse your not moving around so if you eat something like cake or anyother bad for you late night snacks it only takes 30 min to digest but its staying in your body for 8 hrs turning into fat beacuse your not burning it off.