If you are trying to lose weight it is not only about ‘what you eat’ but also about ‘when you eat’. The intervals at which you take your meals are also very significant. The time when we eat meals has a big impact on weight-loss success, because our metabolism keeps changing throughout the day. This is due to circadian rhythm or body clock. What is Circadian Rhythm? The circadian rhythm is a 24-hour biological cycle that regulates the sleep–wake cycle. In simple words it is our brain’s natural sleep-wake schedule. The body clock of most of the living beings comprises of physiological changes that follow a 24-hour cycle in response to light and dark. Our body clock gets synchronized with the surrounding environment & the timings of day and night.
This circadian rhythm or harmony is important for our long-term health and any disruption in this harmony due to changes in working shifts, travelling to different time zones etc. may lead to serious health issues. Eating pattern & Circadian Rhythm The body clock starts with the sun & everyone is expected to eat during the day and fast during the night. The daytime is the time of action & movement & hence the metabolism is very high. It is needless to say that this is the time to eat most of your calories. Not eating in sync with circadian rhythm can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes and being overweight. According to a research the people who eat most of their calories before 4 p.m. tend to lose more weight than people who eat most of their calories after that. When & what to eat to lose weight (as per circadian rhythm)
- At least 12-14 hours of gap between last meal of the day and the first of the next day.
- First meal of the day i.e. breakfast within 1 hour of waking up maximum by 9.00 p.m. Not doing so can slow down the metabolism as the metabolism is the highest in the morning.
- Second meal of the day i.e. Lunch should be consumed between 12 pm to 2 pm as the digestive power is the strongest this time. At this time, the body is able to digest the highly nutritious meal and absorb all the nutrients properly.
- Third & last meal of the day i.e. Dinner to be consumed maximum by 8 pm. The metabolism starts weakening after 4.00 p.m. hence only lighter meals should be consumed. There should also be a gap of 2 hours between bedtime and dinner to aid better digestion. The liver carries out the detoxification activity during sleep. Eating late or just before bedtime will lead to dis-functioning of liver.
- Gap between 2 meals shall be 4-5 hours. Two healthy snacking options to be included between two large meals to keep the metabolism going.
By Dr. Anubha Gupta
Very true 👍👍