Here’s the catch: Time-restricted eating can be difficult! Especially if you’re just embarking on a new eating window, sticking to your plan (whichever works best for your body) may come with challenges. That’s where nutrition scientist Courtney Peterson, Ph.D., comes in: Peterson is an internationally recognized researcher in the field of intermittent fasting, and on this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, she dives into the ins and outs of meal timing, including some tips to make the venture easier (and way more enjoyable). Point being? Don’t skip breakfast. Rather than timing your eating window from, say, 12 to 8 p.m., perhaps shift it up a couple of hours and make it 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or whatever allocation works best for you). “Our metabolism is optimized to metabolize food in that mid- to late-morning period,” Peterson notes, so it may help to give your body sustenance in the a.m. After all, “flexible restraint” has been shown to be successful when it comes to weight management: In one 2019 study, participants who reported dieting more strictly during weekends had a significantly higher chance of regaining the weight they had previously lost over a year’s time, compared to those who reported less strict dieting on the weekends and holiday periods. In another study2, flexible restraint was associated with better weight maintenance, while rigid restraint was associated with less weight loss. Time-restricted eating has benefits way beyond weight management, but if you find it difficult to stick to the schedule 24/7, try to give yourself grace on the weekends. “Five days a week is sufficient for people to see benefits in the long term,” assures Peterson. If an early morning workout doesn’t fit into your schedule, don’t fret: According to Peterson, other data suggests that “our best sports performance4, muscular strength, and coordination is in the afternoon.” The science is nuanced! As always, do what’s best for your own body.
