Can Eating Too Much Oatmeal Make You Gain Weight?

I think it is safe to say that our society has a general fear of weight gain. This often leads to a lot of fear mongering with certain foods. Some people say a food should be totally avoided, while others might claim it is a “superfood!” While it might seem confusing, you can feel confident that a healthy diet can include all foods when eaten in appropriate amounts.

You may gain weight if you eat too much oatmeal. Weight gain happens because of excess total calories- (eating more than your body is burning). So can oatmeal cause weight gain? Sure… but so can any food when eaten in excess. Does this mean you shouldn’t eat oatmeal? Absolutely not!

Read on for more information about the benefits of oatmeal, if oatmeal can be helpful for weight loss, what to eat with oatmeal, and more!

Is Oatmeal Good for Weight Loss Diets?

Dieting for the purpose of weight loss is typically unsustainable because it usually means eating in a very restrictive way and cutting out certain foods or food groups. While going on a diet can sometimes result in quick weight loss, it usually doesn’t last. In fact, many people that go on diets gain even more weight back than they initially lose!

Instead of trying out a restrictive diet for weight loss, here are some more helpful tips:

Eat regularly throughout the day, starting with breakfast.
Eat a balance of carbohydrates, protein, and fat with each meal and snack.

Include lots of fiber through fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
Listen to and respond to your body’s hunger and fullness cues and practice mindful eating.
Eat foods that you enjoy!

Focus on what you can add to your diet rather than what you need to remove.
Make sure you are fueling your body

While oatmeal can be a great addition to a healthy diet, it should still be balanced appropriately with other foods that provide other necessary nutrients. Oatmeal doesn’t have enough protein and fat to keep your blood sugars balanced, so try pairing it with other foods!

Benefits of Eating Oats

If you enjoy oatmeal, it can be a great food to include in your diet. Oatmeal is a carbohydrate-rich whole grain food, which provides your entire body with energy. It is a great breakfast food because it gives your body lots of energy to start your day off strong!

It is also high in fiber which helps keep you feeling full and satisfied, keeps your digestion regulated, and decreases cholesterol levels in the body.

You might be worried about a blood sugar spike while eating oatmeal. Since it is mostly carbohydrates, you will get that spike, but it can be controlled with appropriate portion sizes and also by including additional protein and fat with your oatmeal. If you have diabetes, pre-diabetes, insulin resistance, or other issues with blood sugar, you might have to make an adjustment to your total carbohydrate intake in your meals and snacks so talk with your doctor for their recommendations specific to you!

Oats are also a good way for people to meet their carbohydrate needs if they cannot eat gluten. While oats themselves are gluten-free, I still recommend buying a gluten-free brand of oats if you have Celiac Disease or are very sensitive to gluten. Oats can sometimes have some gluten contamination if they don’t specifically say, “gluten-free.”

What is a Serving Size of Oatmeal

These are the nutrition facts for a serving of oatmeal, which is generally ½ cup dry oats according to the USDA:

Calories: 140

Fat: 2.5 g
Sodium: 0 mg
Carbohydrates: 28 g

Fiber: 4 g
Sugars: 0 g
Protein: 5 g

Some people with high calorie needs and high carbohydrate needs might need more than ½ cup dry oatmeal (which is about 1 cup cooked), but this can be a good place to start!

Can I Eat Oats at Night?

When you are focused on fueling your body appropriately, you will want to give your body the nutrients it needs when it needs them. I usually recommend eating more of your carbohydrates during the day when you need that energy.

Eating oatmeal right before bed might be fine if you are eating enough protein and fat with it, but eating plain oatmeal right before bed can lead to a blood sugar spike that is unnecessary.

If you have a day where you still need a lot of energy after dinner and into the evening, then oatmeal might be a good option! Maybe you have a long study session ahead of you or a late night workout… Those are both situations where higher carbohydrates in the afternoon and evening would be necessary.

How Should I Eat My Oatmeal to Lose Weight?

Regardless of your goals (weight loss, maintenance, building muscle, etc.) you should be pairing your oatmeal with some protein and fat for a balanced meal! The only time you might not need to worry about adding things to your oatmeal is if you are eating it right before exercise- at that point you need to focus on carbs since protein and fat can slow down digestion and make you feel sluggish during your workout.

Here are some fun ways you can use oatmeal in combination with other foods to make balanced meals:

Overnight oats with milk, chia seeds, peanut butter, and strawberries

Hot oatmeal with protein powder mixed in and chocolate chips added
Blended oats added to protein pancakes
Oats added to a smoothie with fruit and greek yogurt

Homemade protein balls with oats, honey, flax seeds, peanut butter
Hot oatmeal made with milk with crunchy peanut butter and blackberries
Oatmeal with brown sugar and a protein drink

Oatmeal with blueberries and a side of scrambled or hard boiled eggs
Oatmeal with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit
Baked oats made with protein powder and topped with fruit and peanut butter

There are lots of options available, so choose something that sounds good to you! Sometimes it can be fun to browse Pinterest or other recipe boards for more ideas of things you can do with oats!

How Often Should You Eat Oatmeal?

There is no hard and fast rule for how often you should eat oatmeal. However, it is recommended to make half of your grains whole each day and oatmeal can be a great way to include more whole grains in your diet!

Obviously, even healthy foods can be not so great when eaten excessively, so eating oatmeal multiple times every day might not be the best option… but most people don’t have trouble with eating too much oatmeal! You can feel confident that eating oatmeal for breakfast every day is not going to be overdoing it.

Is Oatmeal a Good Breakfast When Trying to Lose Weight?

Oatmeal is a great breakfast option, regardless of your weight goals. Not only is it a healthy option, full of fiber and whole grains, but it is also a pretty cheap and easy breakfast!

Personally, I like using quick oats that I can cook in the microwave in just a couple of minutes. There are other options as well like steel-cut oats, but some of them might take a little bit more time to make.

Summary

Oatmeal can be a delicious addition to a healthy diet and can be an especially good way to start off the day. Eating too much of anything can cause weight gain if calories exceed what your body needs, but most people don’t have issues with eating too much oatmeal. Just remember to pair your oatmeal with a good source of protein and fat to keep things nice and balanced and keep you feeling satisfied!

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