When You Eat Affects Weight Loss

The tried-and-tested method of "eat less, lose more" has always been the advice for proper weight management. However, experts are now saying when you eat affects weight loss as well.

Ruth Patterson, a professor at the University of California San Diego, tells CNN that it has only been recently that studies are done to check if there is a relationship between timing of eating and weight loss. One study states that avoiding consumption of food for 12 to 15 hours can help reduce weight gain and improve blood sugar level over time. Patterson says that as the test was applied on rodents, it is still uncertain if humans will get the same benefit.

Another study claims that consuming the bulk of the daily caloric needs of the body in the first half of the day provides a bigger chance of weight loss. WKBT News8000 reports that dieticians believe eating more in the morning allows individuals to be more active and burn more calories, whereas devouring a big meal in the evening or before bedtime turns calories into fat.

Gundersen Health System Registered Dietician Valerie Pampuch explains that as people mostly sleep or perform sedentary activities at night, any caloric intake is not used as fuel and are instead stored in the body as adipose tissue.

Furthermore, experts are also suggesting to supplement timing with portion control and frequency, as apparently, eating more often could increase weight loss. Prevention Magazine writes that according to a recent study published in "Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics", individuals who consumed six small meals in a day ate more nutritious foods and yielded lower BMI (Body Mass Index) than individuals who ate four times per day.

The study declares that increased meal frequency triggers several reactions in the body. When hormones are tapped to send signals to suppress appetite, this leads to reduced caloric intake, therefore delaying the gastric emptying and decreases the body's "hungry feeling". 

Some experts are not as fully-convinced believing that too many meals can elevate insulin levels,. However, Jen McDaniel, RD, representative of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, counters that proper spacing of meals like every 3 to 4 hours will actually keep blood sugar levels at bay. She also states that individuals who practice small, frequent feedings are less likely to overeat or make impulsive food choices.

Over all, although it seems when you eat affects weight loss, people should always consult an expert first before dabbling on any weight management method, as there is no one-size-fits-all plan.