Weight loss: The ideal gap between two meals to lose weight

For weight loss, what we all tend to ignore amidst researching on quality and quantity of food, is the time gap that one should ideally leave between two consecutive meals. The duration between meals can affect weight loss in an individual to a great extent, experts have said.

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Nutritionist Adelle Davis popularized the mantra in the 1960s, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” This is because fueling up the body at the right time of the day provides it with sufficient calories for energy.

How, when and what goes into your body decides the health of your body. Body needs a constant supply of fuel in the form of food and this supply should be adequate and in a proper pattern so that the body doesn't have to wait or start its own way of dealing in case the pattern is broken. Therefore every individual should have a routine for meals.

Studies have shown that diet has an amazing benefit during growing age. A proper diet can also defeat genetics in terms of vitality and longevity, studies have said.

"Evidence is accumulating that eating in a 6-hour period and fasting for 18 hours can trigger a metabolic switch from glucose-based to ketone-based energy, with increased stress resistance, increased longevity, and a decreased incidence of diseases, including cancer and obesity," a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says.

Circadian rhythm regulates an individual's sleep-wake cycle and it is repeated every 24 hours. The circadian clock of every individual differs. The pattern of sleep and waking hours determine how the internal processes function in a body. Therefore one should make a customized meal timetable as per their circadian cycle.

Should you eat your meal immediately after waking up? You may. You may not. Ideally the gap between breakfast and dinner should be 12 hours. Therefore, even if you are waking up at 6 am in the morning, make sure the breakfast is taken only after you complete 12 hours of fasting from last night's dinner. Now you know why it has been said that early to bed and early to rise makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise.

The first meal of the day should, of course, be nutrient rich.

Our digestive system takes approximately 4 hours to digest the food that we eat. Ideally, one should have lunch atleast 4 hours after having breakfast. However, care should be taken that one doesn't increase the duration between breakfast and lunch as this may result in acidity.

Likewise, the ideal gap between dinner and lunch should also be 4 hours. However, this should not be stretched as it will impact the breakfast timing for the next day. Usually, health experts recommend keeping the dinner light and simple; while this is useful for every individual, it is more beneficial for those aiming to lose weight.

Not every human body can adjust to the time gaps mentioned above. Hunger management is an essential part of weight loss. Do not push yourself into starvation when you feel hungry between two consecutive meals. In such cases, one can eat healthy snacks. Nuts and fruits are considered to be healthy snacks for those considering to lose weight.