How Meal Times Affect Weight Loss

What About Intermittent Fasting?

Intermittent fasting, a significant part of the ketogenic diet, has been the answer for many individuals, and a number of popular protocols have been circulating around the internet. The shorter protocols, such as sixteen hours fasting to eight hours eating, are easier to incorporate. However, the benefits grow as the time between meals increases. We know human growth hormone is released when there is little to no insulin in the blood. However, during a fast, blood serum levels of human growth hormone can go much higher. According to a published clinical study by The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, those levels can spike by five hundred percent. Phagocytes also receive a boost. Around the nineteen-hour fasting mark, phagocyte levels reach two to three hundred percent, and individuals who hold out for forty-eight hours will see those numbers rise to 330 percent. Tally all of these benefits together, and it becomes clear some ancient traditions should not be left in the past.

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Eating Before/After Exercise

Research into eating before and after exercise has shown mixed results, and scientists believe each individual could respond differently to exercise depending on whether they ate before the workout. Currently, the majority of research into eating before a workout suggests this is not necessary for workouts of less than one hour. In fact, multiple studies have shown eating before a workout of sixty minutes or less did not improve exercise performance, and exercising on an empty stomach actually caused participants to use more of their body fat for energy during the workout. However, this did not result in a greater overall body fat loss compared to individuals who ate prior to their workout. For workouts of at least one hour, research shows eating before exercise is beneficial and may improve exercise performance.

While studies on the benefits of eating before a workout show varied results, there is much more consensus on the importance of eating after exercise. Studies indicate eating after a workout is beneficial for exercise recovery. In terms of weight loss, a small study conducted in Belgium indicated individuals who exercised without eating in the morning and then ate a high-fat, high-calorie meal after their workout were able to maintain their weight. This was in contrast to a second group of subjects who ate the exact same meal before their workouts and subsequently gained weight.

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