Timing is everything: When to eat to lose weight
It’s not only important to be aware of what healthy foods you’re eating, but also when you’re eating them.
If you're looking to lose weight, trying to process all the "slim down" secrets out there can be confusing. Eat protein, but not too much protein. Eat grains, but only whole grains. You get the gist!
Yet it's not only important to be aware of what foods you're eating, but also when you're eating them. Fortunately, Jenny Sugar of Fitsugar.com is sharing the best times to eat each meal and snack to optimize your weight-loss results:
Breakfast: The only way to jumpstart your metabolism is put some food into your body, making breakfast the essential meal. You'll want to start your day with something healthy, like a Greek yogurt or some egg whites, no more than an hour after you wake up. Sugar recommends consuming about 25 percent of your daily calories at around 7 a.m.
Morning snack: Grab a snack that's 150 calories or less and munch on it two to three hours after your breakfast. "This will keep blood sugar levels stable to avoid the low-energy sluggishness that makes you reach for high-calorie treats," says Sugar, "and snacking also prevents the famished feeling that makes you inhale way more calories at your next meal than you would if you weren't plagued by hunger pains."
Lunch: Two to three hours following your morning snack, grab a hearty lunch, and make it your biggest meal of the day. According to Sugar, "Consuming more calories midday than at breakfast or dinner (about 40 percent of your total daily calories) ensures you have enough time to burn all those calories."
Afternoon snack: This is the same as your morning snack — two to three hours after lunch and only 150 calories, about 5 percent of your daily calorie intake. Fitnessmagazine.com has some great 150-cal snacks like pears dipped in cashew cream, watermelon, feta and cucumber skewers, or red pepper slices topped with refried beans and guacamole.
Dinner: You'll want to consume the last 25 percent of your daily calories about two to three hours after your afternoon snack. (Are you sensing a pattern yet?) But also be sure you're eating dinner at least two hours before you plan to go to bed. "Eating too close to bedtime can raise your body temperature and your insulin and blood sugar levels, cause heartburn or digestive issues, and prevent the release of melatonin — all of which can interfere with the fat-burning benefits associated with getting a restful night's sleep," says Sugar.
For the full article, check out Fitsugar.com.