How bad is it to go "x" amount of hours without eating at night?

[617ricky]

Right now I'm trying to put weight on, I'm pretty lean.. I supplement my diet with 3 protein shakes that bring in an additional ~1000 cals and 120g protein, and I figure I'm taking in anywhere from 3000-4000 cals total daily.

Now I have my last shake right before bed, but I still don't end up falling asleep for another hour, hour-and-a-half.. And then I sleep a solid 8 hours.. So by the time I'm getting up for breakfast, I haven't eaten anything for upwards of 10 hrs sometimes..

How bad is this when I'm in a position where I'm trying to put weight on and my metabolism is really fast? Even tho I've gained 15 or so pounds in the past few months, I haven't gotten any fatter - no matter what I eat.. Which is definitely a good thing IMO, but I wanna try and maximize my weight-gaining potential..

 

[xxsuprman22xx]

15 lbs of muscle in months? Seems like your not doing anything wrong imo.

 

[617ricky]

Well I think it seems a little misleading.. Before this I was probably at the minimum weight for my frame.. I was in a mode where I just wasn't eating much, and when I get like that, I'm just not very hungry - 1 decent meal a day w/ some snacks here and there would be it.

But getting back into a lifting/eating mode, I'm hungry all the time - so I'm probably eating twice the calories, plus the shakes.. The 1st 10 pounds was really quick - like a month.. And now the past month and a half, it's been a slow 5 pounds or so.. Where I'm at now, I can't see myself putting on more than a few pounds a month..

 

[xxsuprman22xx]

if you aren't putting any fat on and are adding 3-4 lbs of muscle a month you are still in great shape. this is a marathon not a sprint.

 

[RONJON]

if you aren't putting any fat on and are adding 3-4 lbs of muscle a month you are still in great shape. this is a marathon not a sprint.

very good point here^

 

[jrmuscle]

bump the rest good job bro but

if your just trying to be sure about the night time meal get some melatonin to relax you within 45 mins youll be out after your shale or take your shake then melatonin when you start feeling sleepy take in some slow digesting protein you might see better results but from what you say i dont think theres much more advice i can offer someone whos gaining better than me lol good job and keep it up brah

 

[Big Bapper]

Good post

if you aren't putting any fat on and are adding 3-4 lbs of muscle a month you are still in great shape. this is a marathon not a sprint.

You could try eating a meal that is harder to digest like whole eggs that way your body will have a steady supply of amino's for longer.

Some people get up in the middle of the night and have a shake. You will find most people get up at least once to pee. So you could take advantage of this and have your shake or sallow a few amino's.

On think you have to ask yourself is how catabolic sleep is, you are lying down in a rested state. I don't think you will loose that much muscle.

Regards falling asleep I think you are thinking to much about getting enough food in and its keeping you up. If you feel yourself falling asleep before your last meal don't fight it just go to bed and sleep. Honest bro if you are eating, sleeping and training you cant go far wrong.

 

[EasyEJL]

3 protein shakes that bring in an additional ~1000 cals and 120g protein

.....

Now I have my last shake right before bed, but I still don't end up falling asleep for another hour, hour-and-a-half..

so if each shake has 40g protein, and 333ish calories, you've got 200+ cals per shake between fat + carbs? sounds like the falling asleep quickly problem is either too much cals bedtime, or too much in carbs. if you eat 1/2 cup to cup of cottage cheese instead (or a casein only shake), the protein will stay in system thru the nite, but you wont be taking in as much cals/carbs.

the body doesn't go that catabolic overnight, and actually it tends to free up fatty acids and use them rather than hit muscle. so dont worry about it so much. eat train sleep and repeat

 

[rocco-x]

if your just trying to be sure about the night time meal get some melatonin to relax you within 45 mins youll be out after your shale or take your shake then melatonin when you start feeling sleepy take in some slow digesting protein you might see better results but from what you say i dont think theres much more advice i can offer someone whos gaining better than me lol good job and keep it up brah

melatonin def works.i used to have a slow digesting protein drink before i went to bed and actually made an extra one and set my alarm in the middle of the night to drink it n go right back to sleep.i'm a light sleeper anyway so it was pretty easy,except for wifey,lol.but as the other guys stated you seem to be doing pretty good.15lbs in a few mnths is great!remember,yur putting on muscle weight not fat.imo i'd rather gain 4-5lbs of quality muscle per month over a 12mnth period than gain25lbs of fat,water,and muscle in a 6mnth period any day.pace yourself.

 

[pesty4077]

Here is a suggestion, 2 scoops of casin before bed. Immediately upon rising 2 scoops of whey, 2 scoops of waximaise. 1 to 1 1/2 hours later eat a meal with egg whites and oatmeal or whole wheat bread with a little natural peanut butter. The reason for the whey and waximaise, it will get into your system fast when your body is empty from the night.

 

[617ricky]

Appreciate the replies. So basically what most of you are saying, is that it's OK to go 8, maybe 10 hrs w/o eating during the night - as long as you get something back in your system immediately when you get up and maintain it thru the whole day with ample cals/protein?

 

[xxsuprman22xx]

Appreciate the replies. So basically what most of you are saying, is that it's OK to go 8, maybe 10 hrs w/o eating during the night - as long as you get something back in your system immediately when you get up and maintain it thru the whole day with ample cals/protein?

bingo

 

[EasyEJL]

even getting something in you immediately is overrated.

 

[youknoww]

even getting something in you immediately is overrated.

I definitely agree with this...I used to wake up w/some waximaize and protein and then 45 minutes later have breakfast...did that for about 6 months...now i just wake up and eat my breakfast...has not affected my gains at all...actually gaining better doin this and savin my protein for pwo

 

[xxsuprman22xx]

i've recently been taking a preworkout shake and a post workout shake and i have to tell you that i have definitly noticed a difference form just using post workout. i think there was a thread on this a bit ago, thats what got it into my head

 

[EasyEJL]

I definitely agree with this...I used to wake up w/some waximaize and protein and then 45 minutes later have breakfast...did that for about 6 months...now i just wake up and eat my breakfast...has not affected my gains at all...actually gaining better doin this and savin my protein for pwo

I generally have my last meal by 8pm, am asleep by 11, wake up at 630 get the morning started + the kids off to school, come home, start working out around 8am, finish by 9 and if i'm lucky eat by 9:30-10 i have no issues gaining. gains are all about caloric surplus + caloric deficit and quality of gains is determined by quality of food.

Look into Intermittent Fasting for some really interesting reading.

 

[Big Bapper]

Appreciate the replies. So basically what most of you are saying, is that it's OK to go 8, maybe 10 hrs w/o eating during the night - as long as you get something back in your system immediately when you get up and maintain it thru the whole day with ample cals/protein?

Get some simple sugars with breakfast these will fill you out and wont get stored as fat. I use oats that are 30% sugars cook and mix 2 scoops of synthepure. Now thats what I call Anabolic....

 

[6.8SPC]

Get some simple sugars with breakfast these will fill you out and wont get stored as fat. I use oats that are 30% sugars cook and mix 2 scoops of synthepure. Now thats what I call Anabolic....

I have noticed this as well. For breakfast I throw about 2 tablespoons of brown sugar on my oatmeal and have a tall glass of OJ. I have a fast metabolism (endomorphs don't try this at home), but the fast carbs mixed with slower carbs and the protein/fat in eggs fill me out in the morning very quickly, especially if I cut carbs earlier the night before.

 

[617ricky]

sometimes i wake up in the middle of the night and am RAVENOUS.

Funny you mention that. Usually when I wake up after an 8 hr sleep, I'm not THAT hungry. I mean, I still eat within a half-hour and all - BUT, sometimes if I happen to wake up after maybe only 4-5 hrs of sleeping, I'll feel starving, stomach growling and everything. I just go back to sleep of course, but I bet if I purposely woke myself up at that time, I could definitely eat more.

 

[bigfatandugly]

You could try eating a meal that is harder to digest like whole eggs that way your body will have a steady supply of amino's for longer.

Some people get up in the middle of the night and have a shake. You will find most people get up at least once to pee. So you could take advantage of this and have your shake or sallow a few amino's.

On think you have to ask yourself is how catabolic sleep is, you are lying down in a rested state. I don't think you will loose that much muscle.

Regards falling asleep I think you are thinking to much about getting enough food in and its keeping you up. If you feel yourself falling asleep before your last meal don't fight it just go to bed and sleep. Honest bro if you are eating, sleeping and training you cant go far wrong.

good point.

you have to also take into account if you're not hungry and forcing calories into your body that it does not want while in a resting state what the body will do with those calories- it will store them as fat, be it a carb, a fat or a protein.

BFU