Eating according to time frames, reducing the number of meals a day and consuming more calories at the beginning of the day are three effective weight loss strategies, according to a newly published study.
Scientists at Bond University, Australia, compiled and reanalyzed data from 29 previous clinical trials of these three dietary interventions. All trials compared these three approaches to a control group that received standard care or nutritional counseling.
Scientists found that all three interventions helped participants lose a significant amount of weight, just by changing meal times, not the nutritional composition of the diet.
Eat according to time frame
Experts say there has been growing scientific interest recently in “timed eating strategies” – often called intermittent fasting – in which people change the “timing” rather than the “composition” of their diets. diet to lose weight.
Eat according to a time frame that limits the time you eat during the day, for example eat within 8 hours, the remaining 16 hours to fast.
Nutrition experts say this gives the digestive system a break, so the body can focus on other functions. It can also lead to ketosis, in which the liver produces ketones for energy from fat cells, instead of relying on sugar in the diet for fuel.
According to research, reducing the number of meals per day seems to be the most effective of the three measures. Illustration photo: Pexels
Reduce number of meals
Reducing the number of meals per day, or skipping meals, can have the same effect as eating at regular intervals, giving the body a longer period of fasting.
Eat more calories early in the day
Choosing to eat more calories early in the day can be an effective weight loss strategy because that is when the digestive system is most efficient at processing food, especially sugar, and using it as fuel instead. because of reserves.