When is the Best Time of Day to Eat for Fat Loss?

Monday, May 20, 2013
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http://www.dreamstime.com/royalty-free-stock-photo-woman-eating-image17170025Did you know the time of day you eat could have more of an effect on body fat than what you eat?

The body’s metabolism is generally lower in the evening after sundown than earlier in the day.  Therefore, you should try to eat your meals early on in the day.

The most reliable studies indicate that better weight loss can be achieved when meals are eaten early on in the day, before 8 p.m.  A recent study comparing late and early eaters showed that those who ate the same amount of calories later in the evening gained weight while the group eating before 8 p.m. did not.  In fact, the latter group even managed to lose a few pounds. Simply by eating earlier at night, you can shed a couple of pounds a month.

Although your metabolism slows down after 7 p.m., many people often eat at bedtime. Worse yet are the people who skimp at breakfast or lunch and make up for it at dinner time.  And if the over-indulgence at dinner wasn’t enough, some have a fattening late-night snack to boot.  Often the dessert or snacks alone are higher in fat and calories than a full-course meal.  Whether it’s an after-dinner drink, chips, cookies or the like, these can have catastrophic effects on your fat loss regime. On average, a typical evening snack can add up to 500 extra calories per day or provide a weight gain of as much as 50 pounds per year!

Also, allow at least a couple of hours between each meal and before going to bed. This will eliminate the need for having to digest food, which may disrupt natural sleeping patterns. If you must eat before bedtime, do so lightly.

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