Image credit: shutterstock.com | victoriaKh
So much in life is a matter of timing. A good joke can be ruined with a mis-timed punchline, helpful feedback can be rejected if delivered at the wrong moment, and a top-quality steak can go from delicious to inedible in a matter of seconds.
The same is true when it comes to your health. If you’re trying to lose weight and maintain a healthy lifestyle, studies have shown it’s just as important to watch when you eat as what you’re eating.
Here are three tips I’ve found helpful:
1. Crunch the time when you eat
Plenty of studies have shown that going for longer periods of time without eating is beneficial. Think about when you’re awake in any given day – if you’re up from 6am-11pm, you could set yourself 8am-6pm as your eating hours.
2. Don’t eat late
Your body deals with calories better earlier in the day, so try not to eat after 8pm. Dr Jonathan Johnston (Reader in Chronobiology and Integrative Physiology at the University of Surrey) notes that “one of the worst times to load up with sugar and fat is late at night, when blood levels of these substances are already high”.
If you really have to eat late at night, for example if you’ve been working late, then try to make your meal as healthy as possible. Check out this excellent article for more information about when you should eat.
3. Take a test
Here’s a great resource from the BBC to figure out when you should eat your main meal.
What’s next?
What might you need to do to eat more earlier in the day and less later on? Making these changes might not be simple for you – it could involve changes to your routine, for example, but don’t let that put you off!
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