Tropical Weight Loss
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio Pexels Logo Photo: Andrea Piacquadio

What time should I eat to lose weight?

Researchers say a diet plan that restricts eating to between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. can help you lose weight.

What foods cause the most deaths?
What foods cause the most deaths?

From fugu to kidney beans, here are eight of the world's most dangerous foods. Fugu. Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish and the dish prepared...

Read More »
What are the side effects of using Hydroxycut gummies?
What are the side effects of using Hydroxycut gummies?

The agency pointed to 23 cases of liver-related problems associated with the use of Hydroxycut. These included jaundice, brown urine, fatigue,...

Read More »

Share on Pinterest Researchers eating in the morning and afternoon only can help with weight loss. Jeremy Pawlowski/Stocksy United Researchers say a diet plan that restricts eating to between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. can help you lose weight. They add that such a time-restricted diet plan can also help improve blood pressure and overall mood. Experts say it’s important to craft a diet plan that works for your schedule. Time-restricted eating is effective for weight loss, but it can also improve mood and blood pressure. That’s according to research published today in JAMA Internal Medicine that found that early time-restricted eating for a period of 8 hours between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. led to more effective weight loss, blood pressure control, and mood improvement in adults with obesity when compared with a group who ate in an eating window greater than 12 hours. “Early time-restricted eating (eTRE) was more effective for losing weight and lowering diastolic blood pressure than eating over a period of 12 or more hours at 14 weeks,” the study authors wrote. “The eTRE intervention may therefore be an effective treatment for both obesity and hypertension. It also improves mood by decreasing fatigue and feelings of depression-dejection and increasing vigor, and those who can stick with eTRE lose more body fat and trunk fat,” they added. The researchers found that the impact of early time-restricted eating on participants with obesity was the equivalent of decreasing calorie intake by 214 calories a day. Experts say this could make a significant difference in weight loss. “Over a 14-week period, an additional 214 calories/day amounts to 6 pounds (2.7kg) difference in weight loss. For many people, losing 5 percent of the weight is considered a significant health benefit and so, yes, this many calories can absolutely make a difference because in a year this would amount to losing roughly 10kg of weight (22 lb), which for some people would be close to a 10 percent weight loss,” Dana Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD, a senior dietitian at the RR-UCLA Medical Center in California, told Healthline. Time of day matters The study is the latest in a growing body of research examining the impact of time-restricted eating but focuses specifically on early time-restricted eating. “We tested a version of TRE called early TRE (eTRE), which involves stopping eating in the afternoon and fasting for the rest of the day. Because key circadian rhythms in metabolism — such as insulin sensitivity and the thermic effect of food—peak in the morning, eTRE may confer additional benefits relative to other forms of TRE,” the study authors wrote. The study participants who were tasked with following an early time-restricted eating plan were instructed to eat 500 calories less than their resting energy expenditure every day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. In the afternoon and evening, they were instructed to fast. They were asked to follow this program at least 6 days a week for 14 weeks. “What was interesting about this study is the timing of the restriction. Earlier restriction seems to have a greater benefit. This would make sense as insulin levels can remain lower for a longer period of time and thereby increase calorie burning,” Dr. Mir Ali, a bariatric surgeon and medical director of MemorialCare Surgical Weight Loss Center at Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, California, told Healthline. “Anyone trying to lose weight may benefit from intermittent fasting or time-restricted eating. The downsides to this way of eating are that a person may feel hungrier during the period where eating is not allowed and may have difficulty adhering to the plan,” Mir added. When it comes to the timing of eating, experts say it is important for those attempting time-restricted eating to find a suitable eating window that suits their needs and lifestyle. “For individuals who don’t like to go to bed feeling ‘hungry’, this can be a difficult way of eating. Alternatively; for some individuals, beginning to eat later in the day, shifting the time restriction for example to noon to 8 pm works better than 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. It really depends on the person. Also, if you are someone with a history of disordered eating habits, time restriction can be a trigger,” Hunnes said. Benefits besides weight loss The study participants who followed early time-restricted eating lost an additional 2.3kg compared with other participants. They also experienced a reduction in diastolic blood pressure. Time-restricted eating was also found to be more effective at improving mood disturbances among study participants. “What we eat, how we eat, affects our mood for many reasons,” Hunnes said. “Dopamine can be triggered from eating certain foods, The way we feel about ourselves can be affected by what we are eating. Inflammation (or anti-inflammation) from foods can affect our mood. The ups and downs of our blood-glucose levels can affect our mood. So, yes, the way we eat, what we eat, when we eat, like circadian rhythms, can affect our mood.”

What water makes your hair grow faster?
What water makes your hair grow faster?

Drinking at least two liters of water a day will help the strength of your hair, increasing growth. Dehydration immediately halts hair growth. As...

Read More »
How to lose weight without medication?
How to lose weight without medication?

Methods of weight loss that scientific research supports include the following: Trying intermittent fasting. ... Tracking your diet and exercise....

Read More »

What part of the breast hurts in early pregnancy?
What part of the breast hurts in early pregnancy?

For many women, the nipples are particularly sensitive in these early weeks. They can be so tender to the touch that it hurts to dry off after a...

Read More »
Does loose skin ever bounce back?
Does loose skin ever bounce back?

For small to moderate amounts of weight loss, your skin will likely retract on its own. Natural home remedies may help too. However, more...

Read More »
What 3 foods do cardiologists say to avoid?
What 3 foods do cardiologists say to avoid?

“Avoid any foods that have the words 'trans,' 'hydrogenated,' or 'partially hydrogenated' on the label [indicating bad fats], often found in...

Read More »
Which soup is best for weight loss at night?
Which soup is best for weight loss at night?

So, here are soups that you can enjoy for weight loss: Clear soups. You can boil the vegetables that you like to have but no underground...

Read More »