What time you eat can have an impact not only on your waistline, but on your overall health and wellbeing.
1. Don’t Forget To Eat Breakfast
Eat breakfast first thing in the morning – within an hour of waking up, says Jacqui Justice, clinical nurse specialist and director and nutrition at Women’s Healthy Hormones.
Drink water with breakfast, because both food and water ramp up your metabolism and stop your body from retaining calories. If your stomach feels a bit funny first thing in the morning, then just drink water. But remember, the sooner you eat, the sooner your body will start burning calories.
2. Don’t Go More Than Three Hours Between Meals
Or if you must, have a protein-packed snack three hours after your meal. If your body thinks its low on calories at any point during the day, it will slow your metabolism, increase your appetite and ruin your diet, says Dr Susan Kleiner, sports nutritionist and health scientist. Even a snack will keep your blood sugar balanced, your metabolism going and your energy up, according to Justice.
3. Don’t Eat After Sunset
Eating after 7.30pm is a no-no, as your metabolism starts to slow down around 4pm, says Justice. Your body doesn’t burn calories as efficiently later at night, so there’s less chance you’ll burn off your dinner before you go to bed if that dinner was huge. Eating before bed will raise your blood sugar and keep you awake, says dietician Tracy Lockwood. She also recommends not lying down immediately after a big dinner to avoid acid reflux.
There’s no set formula for healthy eating that applies to everyone, but follow these rules and you’ll be three steps closer to achieving your weight loss goals!
