When do you quit eating at night?

Reread the plan fruit is added before 6 months out unless he's changed it in the last year and a half. You can add fruit at 4 months with Dr Lahmann's plan. I couldn't have got the veggies in at 3 mo or the fruit at 4 mo eating his three meals a day and was struggling to get in enough calories and protein at 3 month check up. He told me to add a protein shake at night so he isn't a total stickler to the three meals a day if you aren't getting in what you need.

I can say I stuck 98% to his plan and I'm glad I did, I got the results I wanted. You got this!

I always have a "half snack" right before bed (a combination of carbs and protein) to keep from waking up shaky in the morning since I have mild hypoglycemia (the regular kind, not RH).

Lora

Thanks, Beyl689, for starting this thread - it's been super informative :)  I will ask my NUT next week.  So many plans and options out there!  I am always shocked when people are on soft food after two days, and equally shocked when people are on liquids after a month.  I find it so odd that with millions of WLSs done per year, there are no overall guidelines!  (oh and don't get me started on the poor people who are forced to drink OptiFast for a month prior to surgery - I was on a 1,000 calorie a day liquid diet for two weeks but I had choices for protein drinks!).

Even if there were some sort of overall guidelines about meal plans, many surgeons and dieticians would choose not to follow them.  Just like there are overall guidelines about vitamins, established by the ASMBS, yet some doctors and dieticians still choose to tell patients to take Flintstones and the like, ignoring the established guidelines.

I was one of those on Optifast for a month. It was actually not that bad for me because 1) Optifast does not taste bad, I liked it. 2) I got to have 5 Optifast products a day ( shakes, bars or soups...could do one bar and/ or one soup a day as long as total was 5 ) 3) I was allowed to eat one high protein low carb ( low fat ) meal per day. I felt lucky that my doc allowed me actual food, even if it was only once a day. It went a long way to calm my " ack! I can't eat any solid food!!" freak-outs.  I usually had 4 shakes and a bar per day. I'd have my bar cut up into little squares and had some SF jello with it. I got to "eat" twice a day up until 2 days before surgery. ( last two days were all liquids, then clear liquids the day before surgery. ) 

A lot of people don't like that some surgeons make patients buy the Optifast, and maybe it's not the ideal situation for a lot of people, but it worked out fine for me. ( the IRS "funded" it...haha. ) 

I found that I wa****ting my calorie goal at dinner, and then was hungry again in the evening. It drove me a little nuts. So I stopped eating first thing in the morning, and started my "eating day" at 10 or 11 am. Not eating in the morning, when I am more busy, doesn't bother me, and I don't have low blood sugar issues. 

I'm a lot more content with starting to eat a little later, and having enough calories left to eat an hour or so before bed.

In all, I usually eat three meals, and two or three snacks, depending on how large the meals were.

If you are keeping a food diary - look at your totals and see if you need more protein, calories, ounces of fluid etc.  If you have met your requirements then don't eat.  Often eating in the evening is a habit - but not necessary.  It is a choice.  If you don't need food and you have met  your daily requirements - then drink a big glass of water and go to bed.

Several that have replied are several years out - keep that in mind as the first 12-18 months have different needs than those of us many years post RNY.

I don't eat solid food within about 90 minutes of going to bed or lying down because it makes me nauseated.  If I need protein - I may have some cheese, greek yogurt, protein shake, etc.  If I need more calories I have a tablespoon of nut butter.  I don't eat simple carbs (bread, cracker, sugar/flour anything) because it causes a blood sugar spike and then a reactive hypoglycemia reaction.

For me -"snack" did not equal nutrition.  I've come to redefine my eating habits and look at food as fuel to nourish my body - not for fun or enjoyment only.  For ME a snack was often a calorie DENSE, Nutrition POOR choice.  I felt I didn't have to "count" it because I'd done good throughout the day.  Example:  I may need 200 calories to meet my daily total.  I could eat chocolate, cookies, ice cream, chips - calorie DENSE but nutrition POOR or chose 2 T. nut butter and have some good fat and protein and I almost always have room in the pouch for 2 Tablespoons of nut butter (almond, cashew or peanut).

Best wishes, Penny

This has definitely been informative! Great point (that a few people made) about the changing dietary needs as you get further out from RNY. I am not having any simple carbs in my diet, lead with protein, and am currently able to avoid eating from 8 pm until 9 am. If that changes I now know that there are others who experience low blood pressure and there is a possible solution. The beauty of this site :) None of us are alone :)

I  have my snack at 8-9 ish, nuts, yougart, cheese stick, :) night time meds at 10 with water.

I'm glad that I asked this question also!! I was always under the impression that I should go to bed on an empty stomach and it was so hard because I tend to eat dinner at about 7:30 and by 9 I'm starving!!