Practical tips for time-restricted eating

Research has demonstrated the concept of consuming more calories earlier in the day while keeping dinners light and early might just be the key to better health. Why not give it a try and see how your body responds? Whether you choose to adopt this eating pattern regularly or periodically, if you eat like a king in the morning, your body might just thank you!

Here’s how you can incorporate this into your daily routine:

Hearty breakfast:

Start your day with a substantial breakfast. Think of nutrient-dense options like oatmeal with fruits and nuts, whole-grain toast with avocado, or a veggie-packed omelette.

Balanced lunch:

Follow up with a balanced lunch that includes whole grains, beans or fish, healthy fats, and lots of vegetables. A quinoa salad with grilled salmon or a bowl of lentil soup with a side of whole-grain bread are excellent choices.

Light dinner:

Keep dinner light and early. A simple meal of cooked and raw vegetables or healthy soup with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, fits the bill perfectly.

Flexible approaches are recommended

You don’t have to commit to this eating pattern year-round. Some people find it beneficial to follow this regimen for one month, once or twice a year. This approach is reminiscent of the traditional Ramadan fasting practiced by orthodox Muslims, where an abundant pre-dawn meal is followed by fasting throughout the day and a very light dinner after sunset. This extreme form of time-restricted eating involves a daily fast of about 23 hours.

But remember, even for the 16:8 diet the quality of food we consume is of paramount importance. In an ongoing experiment, volunteers randomized to the 16:8 diet who rushed into a fast food outlet to gorge themselves on hamburgers and French fries, just before the end of the eight-hour feeding period, experienced a huge increase in blood cholesterol levels.

Fasting and time-restricted eating are not substitutes for a healthy diet!