This Is The Best Time To Eat If You Want To Burn More Calories

You tend to burn more calories late afternoon or early evening

If a recent study is to be believed, afternoon is the time when more calories are burned than any other time of the day. Researchers have found that 10% more calories are burned in late afternoon or early evening. Published in journal of Current Biology, the study found that 10% more calories are burned at rest in late afternoon and early evening as compared to early morning hours. The study helped in explaining why irregular eating and sleeping schedules can cause weight gain in people. Findings of the study also showed that resting energy is expenditure is lowest at the circadian phase in the late biological night and highest about 12 hours later in biological afternoon or evening.

Thus, apart from what to eat, attention needs to be paid to what time you are eating and the rest which impacts how much energy you burn or store as fat.

Also read: Change Your Breakfast, Dinner Timings To Reduce Fat

A few studies done previously have talked about how eating your meals at specific time of the day can help you lose weight. Timing of meal can affect body-weight regulation, management of obesity related diseases, sleep cycle and even metabolic regulation.

It has been found that interfering with sleep and body's internal clock can make you eat at wrong times and cause weight gain. Late night owls are more likely to eat their meals at wrong time, and this can lead to an increase in weight.

Timing of meal can influence your weight loss goals
Photo Credit: iStock

Also read: Can Timing Of Meals Help With Weight Loss?

The ideal time to eat meals is the one which suits your lifestyle. Under usual circumstances, you should make the effort to eat your breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. Try keeping a gap of at least 4 hours between your breakfast and lunch. Dinner should ideally be consumed 2 to 3 hours before your bedtime.

For those who are struggling to lose weight, changing time of meals according to the aforementioned plan can be helpful. Agrees Delhi-based nutritionist Pooja Malhotra who also says that breakfast should be eaten within 30 minutes of waking up. She tells DoctorNDTV that your breakfast should be a wholesome and balanced meal including all food groups.

Also read: Which Is The Best Time To Eat Your Meals?

In case a person has a schedule which doesn't allow eating breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up, they can have a fruit along with some nuts and milk, and then have a wholesome breakfast within the next hour.

(Pooja Malhotra is a nutritionist based in Delhi)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.