Weight gain and obesity is in the news all the time. If you are like most people, you are looking to lose at least ten pounds and maybe more to attain your optimal weight.
Trying to find an easy diet plan, exercise plan, and stress management plan to help you get rid of those unwanted pounds? I might have an easy solution for you.
What time you eat could be the key to losing weight. Changing that one behavior might help you jump-start your weight loss until you can start incorporating other basics like a whole foods diet and exercise.
Eating a late dinner or late-night snacks can create an inability to lose weight or weigh gain. If you have a busy schedule you might not be getting home until late, say 8 or 9 or 10 p.m. at night. If that is the case then you might not be eating dinner until very late at night.
I’m sure after an extremely long day you are ready to have a great night’s sleep to get rested and restored for the next day. However when you eat late, you have the potential to create weight gain and have less quality sleep than if you eat dinner in the earlier evening around a traditional dinner time before 8 p.m.
From a nutrient perspective food is fuel, so when we eat we need to consider when to eat release fuel into our systems. When we eat shortly before we go to sleep we are creating a situation where all the fuel and nutrients in food get released when we no longer need energy and food.
It is always better to eat during the day when we need energy for our daily activities. Sleeping is the time we need the least amount of energy so eating and having our food release energy when we sleep is counterproductive to a good night’s sleep and causes the body to store those calories.
Storing calories from late night snacks results in weight gain especially if you are eating late on a consistent basis. A study conducted by Northwestern University also noted that people who tended to eat late tended to eat higher amounts of calories and more fast food than people who ate before 8 p.m.
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The best diet is to NOT be on any kind of diet except something that is balanced and nutritious. The best diet is to NOT eat 3 times a day, but to eat 5-6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism and blood sugar at optimal levels. And if losing weight is a big priority, weight training is a major fat burner up to 24 hours after a workout. Whereas, aerobic activity only burns calories while you are doing the activity itself. Weight training or any kind of resistance training packs a powerful fat burning punch for nearly 24 hours.
December 25, 2012 - 5:37pmThis Comment
This advice may hold true for those of you that keep regular hours, but I'm a night person, an insomniac, and I'm also hypoglycemic. I need to eat about 1-3 hours before bedtime, or I'll roll out of bed and pass out from low blood sugar. I usually eat a small bowl of baby carrots and broccoli and sometimes a few thin slices of deli-style turkey. There was a time, up until 4 weeks ago, that I was eating a container of Ben & Jerry's ice cream a few times a week. I was going through a lot of stress and depression. In fact, I've been battling stress and depression all my life, but didn't really start battling my weight until I started having children, and it has become worse after I turned 40. Yes, I'm overweight, and my weight has fluctuated within a 40 pound gain and loss. It's difficult to battle depression, anxiety, insomnia, as well as a myriad of other health issues, much less worry about gaining a pound because had a small snack before bedtime.
May 21, 2012 - 12:06amThe best diet out there is have any kind of meal you want to have daily but have your meals 3 times a day. The main goal to keep up is from 8 PM at night don't eat anything anymore. Not even water absolutely nothing. After awhile you will see you are starting to lose weight. This is the best diet to be with.
Melissa
May 18, 2012 - 9:39pmPretty sure you can have water if you want. It's got no calories.
November 27, 2012 - 7:08pm