Tag: Intermittent Fasting

Breakfast and Weight Loss

We’ve all heard breakfast being called the “most important meal of the day.”  You may have also heard advice like this regarding weight loss:  “Eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner.”

Here are a couple of theories I’ve heard about the role of breakfast in fat loss and fitness:

*Your body is “starving” after going at least eight hours without eating (while you were asleep).

*You are more likely to burn the calories you eat in the morning since you have a full day’s worth of activities ahead of you.

I no longer believe either of these, especially the first one.  After studying intermittent fasting I now understand that the human body is not “starving” when you wake.  Postponing your first meal, in fact will probably result in more fat being used for fuel (vs. carbohydrates).

I’ve also learn that eating most of your carbs at night can be effective for weight loss as long as you maintain an overall negative calorie balance.

Eating breakfast may be helpful in one way: it may help you comply with a low calorie diet.  One study, for example, surveyed subjects in the National Weight Control Registry who had successfully maintained a significant weight loss.  Most of these subjects (78%) reported eating breakfast every day.1

But I haven’t seen any research that demonstrates a metabolic advantage to eating breakfast.  It seems the only benefit to eating breakfast is the way it may affect your eating habits for the rest of the day (behavioral advantage).  Many who skip breakfast tend to overcompensate later in the day with high calorie food choices.

Once again we see fat loss comes down to maintaining and overall negative calorie balance (using more calories than you consume) for an extended period of time–compliance.  The time of the day you eat these calories doesn’t seem to matter.

I personally like skipping breakfast and eating my calories later in the day (like the Renegade Diet prescribes).   You have to experiment and see what works for you for the long term.  You may want to check out Visual Impact Cardio if you want a more detailed plan for cardio and several options for how to plan your diet.

Reference:

1. Obes Res. 2002 Feb;10(2):78-82. Long-term weight loss and breakfast in subjects in the National Weight Control Registry.

 

Carbs at Night

I used to believe in avoiding carbohydrates after a certain time (like 6:00 p.m.) or for the last meal of the day.  But my mind is changing as I learn about (and practice) intermittent fasting. 

 

A recent study suggests eating carbs at night may not be a bad idea if it is done properly.  78 police officers with unhealthy body mass indexes (BMI) were put on low-calorie diets.  One group ate most of their carbohydrates at dinner (the experimental group), the other group (the control group) presumably spread their carb intake over all meals.

Those who ate most of their carbohydrates at dinner ended up with greater fat loss (as evidenced by weight loss, abdominal circumference, and BMI reduction.) and reported lower hunger scores.  This group also showed greater hormonal improvements.1

Here are a few of my thoughts about eating carbohydrates at night in light of this study:

A negative calorie balance is still the key to weight loss, regardless of when you eat certain foods.  I think the reason late-night eating hurts so many of us is we’ve already had plenty of calories throughout the day, then we add even more while sitting on the couch watching TV.  But in this study the subjects were eating less calories than they used, resulting in weight loss.

The experimental group had lower hunger scores.  I’m thinking the difference in results comes down to compliance.  Maybe those who ate carbs at night simply had an easier time following the diet and thus had more positive overall results.

For argument’s sake, lets assume compliance was the key.  It would still make this approach to dieting a valid one–all things being equal, a diet that’s easier to comply with is a better diet.  I’m personally having a much easier time eating this way compared to other strategies (low carbohydrate, etc).

Finally, let’s consider the strategy for clarification:

1. A negative calorie balance

2. Most of the daily carbohydrates eaten at dinner

It’s fine if you want to try this strategy–but be sure both components are in place.  Don’t kid yourself by eating too many calories and too many carbs all day, followed up with a night of shoveling down the pasta.  That’s not what these subject did.

Reference:

1.Obesity (Silver Spring). 2011 Oct;19(10):2006-14. doi: 10.1038/oby.2011.48. Epub 2011 Apr 7. Greater Weight Loss and Hormonal Changes After 6 Months Diet With Carbohydrates Eaten Mostly at Dinner.