Best Time to eat: Meal Timing for Digestive Ease and Weight Loss

Ever wondered about changing your eating time schedule for weight loss? If it even works or not? Yes, it does, just to clear the fog around. And it works wonderfully well. Eating schedule not only tames the rising weight but it also brings peace, focus, and that pretty smile back on the face. Let’s clock in and win.

How does eating time impact weight?

There’s a link between meal timing, metabolism, and our overall well-being. It’s not something the modern world has invented but an evolutionary one. The main link lies between circadian rhythm and our metabolism. 

Our body has a natural clock called circadian rhythm. It makes our body function according to the sun (or daylight). Our bodies undergo mental, physical, and behavioural changes as per light and dark. A few examples include:

• Sleep-wake cycle
• Body temperature
• Blood pressure
• Digestion and metabolism

For example, when it is dusk, the human brain floods the body with melatonin, a hormone that induces sleep and reduces digestion.

Taking meals at consistent timing with adequate intervals will adapt metabolism and the nervous system to reinforce predictability. This will encourage better working of all systems according to the time scheme.

Now, when we eat too late, at night, our bodies are not well adapted to release digestive enzymes and juices with the efficiency and effectiveness it does in the daytime. The reason? It is meant to go into sleep mode at night. So, what is the best eating time schedule for weight loss?

The Best Eating Schedule to Lose Weight Fast

Primarily, there is not one but two things of prime concern when it comes to diet and timing:

• How much to eat
• And when to eat

As far as it is about how much to eat, the right amount depends on your goal and it should be done based on your BMI.

BMI estimates your body fat according to your height and weight. 

If you want to lose weight, eat fewer calories than you burn. You can easily calculate this online using any website. 

Now, it comes down to eating good food. For weight loss, try to aim for

• High fibre intake
• High natural protein intake
• Avoid bad fat (LDL – trans and saturated)
• Eat lots of vegetables and green leafy vegetables. Consume them steamed, make soup, or as juice. 
• Avoid high-sugar beverages 
• Practice portion control 
• Drink a lot of water, as staying hydrated is vital for absorption during weight loss. 

And finally, what is the right time?

The best time to have breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of our day because, firstly, it sets the tone of the day, and secondly, it breaks our long fast. Studies suggest that you should always take it. Also, you must fuel your body with the right food. ^[1]

As far as the timing is concerned, try to eat within 1 hour of waking up is important for balancing sugar levels and hormonal balances. 

The thing to take away from here is to have a nutritious breakfast.

The best time to eat lunch for weight loss

Vedic wisdom has always emphasized eating lunch early. And studies today prove it well. A study on 420 students over a 20-week period found that those eating lunch late had more weight at the end. ^[2]

What to do? Try to have your lunch at around 1 p.m. This is around mid-day and at this point, our metabolism stays relatively higher. Have a big meal, but don’t ever eat. Your lunch must be comparatively heavier than your breakfast. Again, try to aim for a nutritious meal. ^[3]

The best time to eat dinner for weight loss

As long as it is about dinner, you must have a light one. We have known this through Vedic wisdom that nights are for light meals. Why? Because when the sun sets down, our bodies release melatonin. This puts a break in digestion and slides us toward sleep. 

Now, what time do you stop eating at night to lose weight? Have your dinner at least 3 to 4 hours before jumping on your bed. Don’t go for late-night snacking. It will only add to your weight. If you want to go the ancient way, try having dinner by 6 p.m. because you must embrace your soft bed by 10 p.m. ^[4]

However, you can take bed time herbal teas to facilitate the cleansing of  your gut while sleeping at night. 

According to Ayurveda, the best time to lose weight is winters- because the metabolism or agni bal is at the peak.

The Bottom Line

When it comes to weight loss, the timing of your food and its quantity play a big role in this. Our bodies are guided by the circadian rhythm, which impacts our metabolism. This means that if we eat more when our metabolism stays at its lowest, we will surely add kilos under our skin. 

Regarding the best eating time schedule for weight loss, the wisdom lies in taking most of your calories during the daytime. Don’t skip your breakfast and have a nutritious one. When it comes to lunch, take it comparatively heavier than your breakfast, but don’t overeat. And dinner must be done in the evening, at least 3-4 hours before you sleep. 

So, this was our masterclass on best meal timings to induce weight loss. It is all about discipline, diet, and daytime. Remember these 3 Ds. 

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