Salmon salad on a plate

What should you eat in the evening to lose weight?

Evenings can be some of the toughest times when you’re trying to lose weight. Work and social factors mean people often eat their largest meal before bed, and eating dessert after an evening meal is common. Plus, snacking in front of the TV and other forms of distracted eating are more likely in the evenings. 

Here, we explain what to eat before bed to support your weight loss journey so you can stay on track and empowered. And for more support, see if you’re eligible for our weight management service. It’s helped over 700,000 people so far.

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Key Takeaways

  • Eating the right foods in the evening can support your weight loss journey.
  • Skipping your evening meal might seem tempting, but it can often lead to overeating later, making it harder to stay on track.
  • Enjoying a balanced, nutritious evening meal and choosing healthy snacks as much as possible can help you achieve sustainable weight loss.
  • Protein and fibre-rich meals before bed can help you stay full longer, reducing the temptation for late-night snacking.
  • Oviva can support you in adopting healthy, sustainable behaviours, eating a balanced diet and achieving a more active lifestyle.

What should you eat in the evenings to lose weight?

While these foods won’t directly cause weight loss, they are nourishing choices that can support a balanced diet and support sustainable weight loss. Eating them can form part of sustainable, healthy changes to your lifestyle, and this supports weight loss and long-term weight management. Many of these foods will also help you to stay full in the evenings.

1. Fish, eggs, tofu and lean meats

Lean protein sources, including fish, eggs, tofu, and chicken breast, are great for helping you stay full for longer. This can reduce your desire to snack in the evenings. Protein is not only essential for controlling blood glucose, but it also helps preserve muscle mass as you work toward your weight loss goals

Oily fish, like salmon and sardines, also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for heart health. Steamed, baked or grilled fish are healthier options than fried fish.

2. Salads and steamed vegetables

Whether eaten as a healthy snack, like vegetable sticks, or as part of a main evening meal, salads and steamed vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fibre. Specific examples of fibre-rich vegetables include carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, kale and Brussels sprouts.

As with lean proteins, foods high in fibre can help you stay sated, meaning you’ll feel full for longer. 

Aim to fill half your plate with vegetables during your main meals.

Woman cooking a meal from a recipe on her phone

3. Low-fat dairy products

Eaten in moderation, dairy is a good source of protein and calcium, which is essential for muscle and bone health. However, many dairy products are calorie-dense, so it’s best to try to eat them in small amounts and make healthy choices.

Try to opt for low-fat options when possible. Cheese, milk, and sugar-free or low-fat yoghurts can all be enjoyed as part of a balanced diet, but always be mindful of your portion sizes.

4. Beans, lentils and chickpeas

Adding pulses, including beans, lentils and chickpeas, to your salads, stews, and curries can be a great addition to increase your fibre intake and ensure your meals are rich in nutrients. Kidney beans are a great addition to a curry, while a lentil stew is a hearty, vegetarian meal.

These foods are low in fat, high in fibre and protein, and offer other vitamins and minerals.

5. Weight loss-friendly snacks

If you enjoy evening snacks, there’s no need to feel like you have to give them up completely. Instead, try switching to healthier options that still satisfy your cravings.

Nuts offer protein and fibre. If you prefer something sweet, what about a few dark chocolate-covered dates, dark chocolate rice crackers, or sliced apples dipped in peanut butter? For a salty hit, you could bake some wholewheat pitta until crispy and serve with hummus.

Healthy plate model: half plate vegetables; quarter lean protein; quarter starchy carbs

6. Starchy foods for meals

To balance your main meals, you should aim to fill half your plate with vegetables, a quarter with lean protein sources and a quarter with starchy foods

Examples of starchy foods you can eat as part of a balanced diet include potatoes, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta. If you’re opting for potatoes, keep the skin on for a boost of fibre and nutrients.

Skipping meals doesn't mean weight loss

Did you know that a 2021 study found that skipping your evening meal is a significant predictor of weight gain, overweight and obesity?

What should you avoid eating in the evening?

Did you know that a 2021 study found that skipping your evening meal is a significant predictor of weight gain, overweight and obesity? 

The first thing you want to avoid is not eating. Plus, it’s more likely to lead to snacking and overeating as your body yearns for the nutrients it needs. 

At Oviva, we don’t believe in strict rules about avoiding foods. Instead, it’s about adopting a balanced and sustainable approach to your diet

Instead of skipping your last meal of the day, eat a balanced evening meal with plenty of fibre and protein. If you decide to snack, opt for healthier alternatives as much as possible. 

Think about how you’re framing these choices in your mind, too – instead of “I need to stop eating biscuits because I have to lose weight”, you could remind yourself that “I’m choosing a healthy snack because my body deserves foods rich in nutrients”.

Try to control your portion sizes, including your snacks, and balance your overall diet in favour of whole foods rather than processed and ultra-processed foods as much as you can. 

It’s also important to be realistic. You won’t always want to reach for the best evening snack for weight loss. When you treat yourself, see if you can make sensible substitutions, like switching a large milk chocolate bar for a few squares of dark chocolate.

Should you eat in the evening if you want to lose weight?

You don’t need to avoid eating in the evenings to lose weight. Evidence has shown that skipping evening meals can lead to weight gain

Instead, a nutritious evening meal is better for weight loss because it prevents late-night overeating, supports metabolism, and stabilises blood glucose levels, reducing energy dips and hunger spikes. 

Skipping dinner can lead to intense hunger, increased cravings, and even muscle loss, as your body may break down muscle for energy. A balanced meal:

  • Keeps you satisfied
  • Promotes better sleep by preventing nighttime hunger
  • Supports a healthy relationship with food

Let’s look at some common diet myths of eating in the evenings:

People enjoying a meal and wine together

Diet myth 1: Foods eaten after 6 pm are not digested properly

This is untrue. Digestion begins in your mouth through chewing and continues as food travels through your body. Your stomach and intestines still work at night, including during sleep. 

There’s no need to avoid eating after 6 pm, but stopping eating a few hours before bed can be beneficial, especially if you suffer from acid reflux.

Diet myth 2: Eating in the evening causes weight gain

If you eat more calories than you need throughout the day, you’ll gain weight. It doesn’t matter what time of the day you consume calories, and it’s perfectly possible to lose weight while eating dinner. Likewise, you can skip dinner and still gain weight if you overeat.

Many people search for topics like what to eat before bed to lose weight or consider skipping meals entirely, but in reality, the number of calories you eat is the primary factor behind weight loss and weight gain. It’s best to balance these calories throughout the day to keep yourself feeling full, as this will reduce cravings and your tendency to reach for unhealthy snacks.

Some experts suggest bringing your evening meal forward and avoiding eating afterwards, resulting in an extended fasting period overnight. Evidence on fasting is mixed, but some people find it helpful. However, setting strict rules about when to eat won’t suit everyone.

The conclusion is that you can safely eat in the evening, even when you’re trying to lose weight. A balanced, healthy and sustainable approach to eating is the most important thing. 

Oviva can provide targeted and personalised support with this. We value sustainable lifestyle changes, which improve overall well-being and promote weight loss and long-term weight management. There are no “banned” foods and no need for calorie counting. 

Instead, we focus on helping you to form lasting habits that improve your health.

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What is the best time to eat your evening meal?

Everyone’s lifestyle and biological rhythm are different, so there’s no specific time to aim for when eating your evening meal. Instead, it’s essential to find the best time for you.

Circumstances are different for everyone. For example, if you suffer from heartburn, it’s better not to eat anything for three to four hours before bed. 

Do you find you get hungry late at night while watching TV? Try to find some healthy snacks you can eat at that time and try to make sensible substitutions if you feel tempted to go for less healthy options. A couple of squares of dark chocolate or low-fat yoghurt are going to be better than eating several biscuits or a large slice of cake.

Oviva’s coaches can work with you to develop a strategy that suits your needs.

What can you do about cravings in the evening?

For many people, dealing with cravings is especially difficult in the evenings. The temptation to eat crisps, chocolate and ice cream may suddenly become irresistible, especially if you’re used to eating while watching TV or relaxing after a long day. 

Other factors can also influence your tendency to snack in the evenings. For example, insulin levels play a significant role in the onset of hunger. After eating foods containing a lot of carbohydrates, your blood glucose levels rise sharply, only to fall rapidly again. This can leave you feeling like you need to eat something, and the temptation may be to reach for unhealthy snacks.

However, there are strategies to reduce your cravings in the evenings:

  • Make sure you have sufficient protein and vegetables with your main meals. This provides your body with essential nutrients and helps you stay full longer.
  • Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. Water and other sugar-free drinks can also have a small appetite suppression effect, which may be helpful.
  • Avoid alcohol, as this can increase your likelihood of overeating.
  • If you snack during specific activities, like watching TV, change your routine. Try reading a book or going for a walk when you are usually watching TV. 
  • When you eat snacks in the evenings, ensure you have healthy snacks available.  This will give you the best chance of making positive choices.
  • In situations when you’re going to reach for something less healthy, try to make sensible substitutions. Trade your usual chocolate bar for a couple of squares of dark chocolate. If you enjoy biscuits, have one or two with a cup of tea and try to opt for lower-calorie biscuits, such as those without a chocolate covering.
  • Practice mindful eating, especially with your evening meal. Take your time to enjoy the meal, eat slowly, chew more and avoid distracted eating in front of the TV. Pay attention to when your body starts to feel full and stop eating when you notice this sensation.
Person cooking healthy meal from a recipe app

Tailored nutrition advice with our weight loss programme

Are you prone to searching online for answers to questions about what to eat at night to lose belly fat or before bed to lose weight? With Oviva, you can ask these questions directly to your personal coach, who will be able to offer answers personalised to you and your health. 

If you have a BMI over 35 and at least one other weight-related health condition, Oviva offers an NHS-funded weight management programme, helping you to develop sustainable, healthy behaviours that you can build into healthy weight loss habits.

You’ll also have access to dietitians, psychologists, doctors, and prescription weight loss medication. The Oviva app allows you to access valuable lessons and track your progress.

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Written by Oviva’s team of experts, explore advice on nutrition, exercise, and motivation to guide you through the programme and maximise long term weight maintenance.