Eating for Fat Loss: Start Later, End Earlier?

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]o, we’re not really talking about fasting, although research is beginning to show it also may have health benefits when properly administered and supervised; we’re talking about time-restricted dieting: limiting your intake of food to a smaller window each day. That means if you currently eat breakfast at 6:00 a.m. and your last snack / dessert at 10:00 p.m., you’re probably (like so many others) not practicing time-restricted dieting.

Here’s why time-restricted dieting is important, particularly if you struggle to lose weight: According to a study published in the Journal of Nutritional Sciences, adjusting the timing of your first and last meals of the day can increase your ability to lose body fat. The 10-week study divided participants into two groups, with one group eating their first meal 90 minutes later than usual and their last meal 90 minutes earlier than usual; and the second group (the control group) maintaining their regular eating schedule. All study participants were allowed to eat whatever they wanted – even the group designated to eat within the restricted time frame.

People who adjusted their mealtimes to eat within a smaller window every day lost twice as much body fat as people who ate on their regular schedule. What’s more, time-restricted dieters also ate less than the control group, with the majority noting decreased eating opportunities or a reduction in nighttime snacking (the latter of which has been implicated in weight gain in a variety of studies).

So, start a little later, end a little earlier – the key to a leaner you? Perhaps. If you can’t seem to achieve the weight / fat loss you need to maximize your health and wellness, talk to your doctor about the best way to go about it. Time-restricting dieting may be an effective tool to help get your body where you want it to be.