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When you eat is as important as what you eat, especially if you are trying to lose weight. While skipping meals or going to bed hungry because you decided to eat dinner at two in the afternoon is an unhealthy no-no, there are times of the day that are better for eating dinner and times that may prevent you from digesting your food properly.
Many experts say if you’re eating high-calorie meals like fast food at 5pm — even if you don’t have another bite to eat until dinner — you aren’t necessarily going to lose weight any faster that if you enjoy a grilled chicken salad with healthy fats like avocado and nuts at 7pm. With that said, consuming any large meal before bed is going to weigh you down. Bad timing can prevent your digestive system from effectively doing its job and waking up in the middle of the night with acid reflux is nobody’s idea of a restful sleep.
To play it safe, here are the worst (and best) times to eat dinner.
The Worst Time To Eat Dinner
First, some good news: there is no hard rule about a specific time you should and should not eat dinner. Since our schedules and eating patterns are different, the best time for one person may not be the best time for another. Generally speaking though, many experts say dinner should be eaten at least three hours before going to sleep. This time frame, in addition to ensuring dinner is the lightest meal of your day (breakfast should contain more fat, calories, and protein since you need to sustain that energy for hours) will help you lose weight and keep it off.
This rule may change slightly if you prefer to eat five small meals instead of three more substantial ones. Cut yourself some slack: a lighter meal eaten one hour before bed will likely be just fine for your body and digestive system.
The Best Time Of Day To Eat Dinner
If there's a time of day that's not so great for dinner if you're trying to lose weight, then, presumably, there's a perfect time for dinner. A diet company called Forza Supplements posed that very question to 1,000 participants, all of whom are considered "healthy eaters." And the magic time in which most eat dinner every night is ... 6:14. According to some experts, eating your last major meal around this time gives you body an opportunity to digest your food, but it isn't so early that you wind up craving chips an hour later (hopefully).
Of course, there are exceptions to every rule — your work and sleep schedule and meal plan has everything to do with the dinner time that's best for you. For the best weight loss results, take expert info and studies into consideration, but don't neglect your personal needs. Your body can do a pretty great job at deciding what it needs to run at an optimal level.
