Do You Know When It's Time to Diet?

When you eat is almost as important as what you eat

 

Although your body isn’t an actual watch, it does have an internal clock that runs approximately every 24 hours. This “circadian rhythm” keeps your body functioning on a schedule. It helps your body adjust to environmental changes, sleep, and behaviors like eating.
It’s clear that what foods you eat can affect your body. But when you eat can also have an effect. The timing of your meals and snacks can affect:

• metabolic regulation
• body-weight regulation
• management of obesity-related diseases
• sleep cycle

Read on to learn about what science says about your circadian rhythm and eating habits, and how they impact each other.
The key habits to maintaining weight loss »

Timing

What time should I eat?

Trying to figure out the best time to eat can be confusing, and researchers are looking to see if there are answers. One study showed that late lunch eaters (after 3:00 p.m.) lose less weight than early-eaters. It also found no difference in weight loss for the timing of breakfast and dinner meals. Restricting when you eat to 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. can reduce overall calorie intake by 244, according to another study. This is most likely due to the fact that you eat fewer calories due to less time spent eating. A longer overnight fast can also help with increasing fat loss as your body has time to reach a state of ketosis, which indicates that the body is using fat for energy.

What about workouts?

To get maximum benefits from your strength-training workout, eat high-quality protein before your exercise as well as throughout the day. The recommended dosage per day is 0.8–1.2 grams per kilogram of body weight, and maybe even more for weight lifters.

What about breakfast?

Research shows mixed results as to whether breakfast intake contributes to weight loss. One study found that people who ate breakfast saw reduce dietary fat intake and impulsive snacking. Another study found that people who ate more calories at breakfast didn’t necessarily eat less during the day. Breakfast patterns have a smaller role in daily intake than post-breakfast meals.
After reviewing studies regarding breakfast’s impact on weight, the United States Department of Agriculture recommends that people eat a nutrient-rich breakfast to help manage weight and improve overall nutrient intake.

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Metabolism

How different types of body clocks affects your metabolism

Food timing

The connection between the body’s natural biorhythms and weight gain is more than just what you eat. Restricting what you eat to a certain time every day sets your body on a schedule. Research shows that trying to delay this window can take multiple days before your body adapts. This may explain why splitting up three meals into six can be an adjustment for someone going on a diet.
Regular meal times also play a long-term role in body weight. Your body generally gets hungry every three to five hours, but it’s also used to your regular schedule. Try to eat at the same time every day. You can keep healthy, high-satiety snacks like vegetables and cheese around to eat between meals to curb your appetite.
In some cases of meal timing, switching when you eat bigger meals can make a difference. One study saw that obese women who ate more for breakfast than dinner lost more weight and had an improved metabolism.

Sleep timing

Sleep loss disrupts your body’s internal clock and metabolism and can affect hormonal balance. Research suggests that this disruption can confuse your body’s signals for tiredness and hunger and increase your cravings for sugar and starchy foods.
One study found that mice who were exposed to light at night gained 50 percent more weight than mice who had truly dark nights.

What is sleep deprivation?

Sleep loss is getting less than six hours of sleep per day. Sleep habits can also change with the seasons, with people getting more deep sleep during the winter.

One 2009 study found that people who ate and slept out of their circadian rhythm had symptoms of metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome is the name for a combination of disorders that increase your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Why do we tend to snack at night?

We often think of diet as the quality of the food we eat, but it really also includes when you eat. Research suggests that messing with sleep and the body’s internal clock can cause you to eat at the wrong times and gain weight.
The “night owls” who got less sleep overall had:

• more fast food
• more soda
• fewer fruits and vegetables
• larger portions of food later in the day

Overall, they ate about the same amount of calories per day as people who slept normally, but calories consumed after 8:00 p.m. are more strongly associated with weight gain.

The 16/8 fast

Are there benefits to spreading out meals?

If you exercise regularly and want to maintain lean mass, you may be interested in intermittent fasting (IF). IF is different from eating on a regular schedule, as you restrict your energy intake to certain time periods of the day. This study saw a decrease in fat mass and weight for people who practiced 16-hour fasting with an eight-hour eating window along with resistance training.
Research shows that IF can:

• have similar effects as intensive exercise
• reduce resting heart rate
• reduce blood pressure
• help with weight loss
• decrease risk of coronary artery disease
• suppress appetite

One study also suggests that IF works as an alternative to calorie restriction for weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes. Another study in mice found that IF had more benefits than permanent calorie restriction.

How to fast

One popular method of IF is the 16/8 fast, meaning you fast for 16 hours every day and restrict eating to an eight-hour window. For example, if your last meal was at 11 p.m., you wouldn’t eat until 3 p.m. the next day. But this method of weight loss on its own may not be as effective without exercise.
You may need to fast for three to four weeks before you see measurable results.

Potential side effects

Fasting can lead to vitamin deficiency and muscle loss if you’re not careful about what you eat. But you can also address these concerns with proper nutrition and strength training.
In general, intermittent fasting may not be right for your lifestyle. You may also find it hard to not eat for a lengthy amount of time or to avoid eating during social situations.

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Takeaway

What’s the best way to time your meals?

Calorie restriction is believed to be the most effective method of weight loss, but when you eat may affect how your weight loss journey goes. The recommended route to managing your food intake is to have an eating schedule that suits your lifestyle. You may find a food journal helpful to avoiding mindless eating.

Tips

1. Try eating at the same time each day.
2. Eat breakfast in consideration of other meals.
3. Consider an earlier lunch and a smaller dinner.
4. Refrain from eating at night, or after 7 p.m.
5. Practice good sleep habits. Exposure to light at night may shift your body’s internal clock and lead to late night eating.
6. Eat within 45 minutes after exercise to help your body replenish glycogen and repair muscle.

Creating Your Weight Loss Plan

Diet Plan and Weight Loss Basics

 

Making the decision to revamp your diet and shed some pounds takes courage, dedication, time, and effort, but it’s completely possible. Choosing the right approach can mean the difference between short-term, fleeting results and lasting success.
Before embarking on any weight-loss plan, it’s wise to check in with your doctor. This is especially important if you struggle with any serious weight-related health problems. It’s also smart to surround yourself with other experts, friends, and family members who will support you. Besides boosting your confidence, they can empathize when you meet setbacks and offer fresh ideas on what might work.

Get Educated

Educate Yourself

The seemingly endless weight loss options can be overwhelming. Whether it’s from a magazine, a clinic at a hospital, a storefront at a mall, or a book your coworker lent you, make sure to research each weight-loss plan thoroughly. The Internet is a great source of diet reviews, but be wary of the reviews that always seem to promote one plan over the rest. Once you’ve narrowed your options ask yourself the following questions.

What Is Day-to-Day Life on this Plan Like?

Set yourself up for success by selecting a plan that is doable. For example, if you adore pasta and bread, you are setting yourself up for failure by choosing a low-carb diet. Juggling a full-time job and three kids might leave you with no time to attend weekly weigh-in sessions. Not to worry. There’s a plan out there for everyone.

How Many Daily Calories Can You Have, and Will that Change as You Lose Weight?

Some plans, including cleanses, ask followers to adhere to extremely strict calorie allotments. But too few calories can leave you physically drained and can exhaust your willpower. Not to mention the fact that your body will go into starvation mode, hanging on to the few calories you do put in.
Many people have found success with the 500 Rule. Slashing 500 calories a day leads to a loss of 1 pound per week (1 pound equals 3,500 calories). But for some people, especially those who are very active, slashing 500 calories can be too much and leave them without the energy they need. The ballpark figure doesn’t factor in gender, activity level, or muscle mass — all of which affect how many calories your body needs each day. Check in with your doctor or a nutritionist to get their input. These professionals may suggest a more tailored approach to calorie reduction.
According to the Weight-Control Information Network, a safe and attainable goal is 1 to 2 pounds per week. When you lose at this slower pace you’re more likely to keep the weight off.

What Types of Foods Will You Be Eating, and Are Any Foods “Off Limits”?

A sensible weight-loss plan will involve plenty of:

• vegetables
• fruits
• whole grains
• lean protein
• low-fat or fat-free dairy
• healthy fats
• occasional snacks

Take a look at a week’s worth of eating plans, and ask yourself, “Is this doable for me? Would I enjoy eating these foods, not just for a week or a month, but for the rest of my life?”
You should also be encouraged to drink plenty of water. Today, many experts say that you don’t necessarily need eight 8-ounce glasses a day. Instead, you should drink enough to produce urine that is pale in color. This pale color indicates a well-hydrated body.
If a plan labels a food or food group “off limits,” it will likely be too difficult to adhere to for an extended period of time. We can’t live on cabbage soup alone. It is good, however, to avoid foods that are widely accepted as being unhealthy, such as fried foods and high-fat processed meats. As soon as you resume eating those foods, the weight will come right back.
Look for a plan that allows some amount of flexibility. Hard and fast rules may lead to weight loss, but they are often the cause of post-diet weight gain. Perhaps a plan that allows you “cheat meals” or “free days” will be just the freedom needed to allow you to lose weight while still indulging in the occasional treat.

Does the Plan Involve Physical Activity?

Beware of too-good-to-be-true plans that promise weight loss without working up a sweat. Any solid plan will require increased physical activity. Besides torching calories, working out benefits your health in countless other ways. It boosts your mood and raises your high-density lipoprotein (“good”) cholesterol level. According to the National Institutes of Health, exercise reduces your risk of a host of chronic diseases including:

• heart disease
• osteoporosis
• type 2 diabetes
• certain types of cancer

According to the NIH, about 2.5 hours of exercise per week is a reasonable goal. Getting some amount of physical activity each day will help you create a lasting healthy habit. By combining cardiovascular exercise with strength training and flexibility training, you can get the most of your time spent working out. 

Is There a Cost Involved, and If So, What Is It?

Make sure you can afford the plan and look for hidden costs. Some programs may require you to purchase the company’s frozen meals, yet others will teach you to shop for groceries on your own. If a plan demands you purchase the company’s supplements, walk away. There are truly countless diet and weight-loss plans out there. Finding the right one for your particular goals and lifestyle can seem overwhelming. By knowing what to look for you can narrow down the field and hone in on those that offer lasting, healthy results.

The Foundations of Weight Loss

The Importance of Weight Loss and Exercise

Carrying around too much weight feels uncomfortable, and it can also damage your health. According the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity rates have skyrocketed in the United States in recent years. As of 2010, more than one-third of American adults were considered obese, defined as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher. Body mass is derived by dividing weight in pounds by height in inches squared, and then multiplying the result by 703 (weight (lb) / [height (in)] ² x 703). You can calculate your body mass by following these three steps:

1. Multiply your weight in pounds by 703.
2. Calculate your height in inches squared.
3. Divide the resulting number from step 1 by the resulting number in step 3.

Obesity can lead to a number of serious health problems, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and some types of cancer.

One method that can help a person lose weight is to limit the number of calories taken in through their diet. The other way is to burn extra calories with exercise.

Benefits

Benefits of Exercise vs. Diet

Combining exercise with a healthy diet is a more effective way to lose weight than depending on calorie restriction alone. Exercise can prevent or even reverse the effects of certain diseases. Exercise lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, which may prevent a heart attack.

In addition, if you exercise, you lower your risk of developing certain types of cancers such as colon and breast cancer. Exercise is also known to help contribute to a sense of confidence and well-being, thus possibly lowering rates of anxiety and depression.

Exercise is helpful for weight loss and maintaining weight loss.  Exercise can increase metabolism, or how many calories you burn in a day. It can also help you maintain and increase lean body mass, which also helps increase number of calories you burn each day.

Exercise

How Much Exercise Is Needed for Weight Loss?

To reap the health benefits of exercise, it is recommended that you to perform some form of aerobic exercise at least three times a week for a minimum of 20 minutes per session. However, more than 20 minutes is better if you want to actually lose weight. Incorporating just 15 minutes of moderate exercise — such as walking one mile — on a daily basis will burn up to 100 extra calories (assuming you don’t consume excess calories in your diet afterwards). Burning 700 calories a week can equals 10 lbs. of weight loss over the course of a year.

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Heart Rate

Calculating Your Target Heart Rate

To receive all of the health benefits of exercise, you’ll need to mix in some higher intensity exercises.  To get an idea of how hard you are working, you can check your heart rate. The basic formula for determining your target heart rate is to subtract your age from 220 and then calculate 60 to 80 percent of that number.

Talk to a trainer or your healthcare team to help you determine your best intensity for each workout. Those with special health concerns such as an injury, diabetes, or a heart condition should consult a physician before beginning any fitness program.

Types of Exercise

What Are Some Examples of the Different Types of Exercise?

The type of exercise you choose for weight loss doesn’t matter as much as whether or not you’re doing it. That’s why experts recommend you pick exercises you enjoy, so that you’ll stick to a regular routine.

Aerobic

No matter what exercise program you implement, it should include some form of aerobic or cardiovascular exercise. Aerobic exercises get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. Aerobic exercises may include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, and dancing. You can also work out on a fitness machine such as a treadmill, elliptical, or stair stepper.

Weight Training

A big advantage of working out with weights is that, in addition to shedding fat, you’ll build muscle. Muscle, in turn, burns calories. Talk about a healthy feedback loop! Experts recommend working all the major muscle groups three times per week. This includes:

• abs
• back
• biceps
• calves
• chest
• forearms
• hamstrings
• quads
• shoulders
• traps
• triceps

Yoga

Yoga is not as intense as other types of exercise, but it can help you lose weight in other ways, according to a recent study by researchers at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. The study found that people who practice yoga are more mindful about what they eat and, therefore, less likely to be obese.

Lifestyle

Incorporating Exercise Into Your Lifestyle

The total amount of exercise you engage in during a day matters more than whether or not you do it in a single session. That’s why small changes in your daily routine can make a big difference in your waistline.

Healthy lifestyle habits to consider include:

• walking or riding your bike to work or while running errands
• taking the stairs instead of the elevator
• parking farther away from destinations and walking the remaining distance

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Calories

Activities and the Amount of Calories They Burn

The average adult male who doesn’t exercise requires approximately 2,200 calories a day to maintain his average weight. A female needs about 1,800 calories to maintain her weight.

The following list contains common activities and the approximate amount of calories burned per hour:

Activities	Calories Burned
playing baseball, golf, or cleaning the house	240 to 300
brisk walking, biking, dancing, or gardening	370 to 460
playing football, jogging (at a nine-minute-mile pace), or swimming	580 to 730
skiing, racquetball, or running (at a seven-minute-mile pace)	740 to 920

Before You Start

Before You Start an Exercise Program

Talk to your doctor before you start a new exercise program, especially if you are planning on doing vigorous exercise.  This is especially important if you have:

• heart disease
• lung disease
• diabetes
• kidney disease
• arthritis

People who have been very inactive for the recent months, who are overweight, or have recently quit smoking should also talk to their doctors before staring a new exercise program.

When you are first starting a new exercise program, it’s important to pay attention to the signals your body is giving you. You should push yourself, so that your fitness level improves. However, pushing yourself too hard can cause you to injure yourself.  Stop exercising if you start to experience pain or shortness of breath. 

Happy People Never Forget This 6 Things

1. Focus on improving yourself

Don’t become fixated on other people’s successes. Never mind what that guy has or the accomplishments that girl has achieved. Just focus on your own progress and growth. It’s easy to become envious of other people when we only see the surface. When you scroll on social media, you’ll notice that people choose to present the happiest parts of their lives, which we compare to both our difficult periods and triumphs. Instead of focusing on other people, work on yourself.

When you focus on yourself, you put in the effort to make progress each day. There’s a sense of fulfillment as you work towards something. When you devote your energy to improving yourself, other people’s achievements and goals become less relevant.

2. Know that self-worth comes from within

People will often disapprove of your choices when you decide to do something that’s unpopular. It’s up to you to decide how much you let other people’s opinions affect you. You are in charge of how you feel about yourself. Happy people know that there’s always someone who won’t like them for whatever reason. But it doesn’t matter. What matters is this: are you doing what’s best for yourself and other people around you?

15 Small Habits Great Couples Do Every Day

1.They are present for each other

Forget the gadgets, the cellphones or the tablet. Happy couples are present for each other and are attentive to each other’s needs.

2. They go the extra mile for each other

There is no singular factor here, they know what it means to go the extra mile for the other person.a nd they are so happy to do that, whether it is in making your spouse that cup of tea or breakfast, or placing a gentle hand on his/her shoulder, there is something they do to show they are extra supportive.

Attitudes Of Truly Happy People That You Can Learn

 

Below are 16 signs that genuinely happy people can’t help but show. You might very well be happier than you think you are.

1.  Happy people celebrate others’ success

The concept of degrading others in order to elevate themselves is not in their repertoire. In fact, watching the people they care about succeed lightens their mood. Happy people like seeing other people happy.

2.  They use a variety of coping strategies when they’re stressed out

Whether it’s calling a friend, writing in a journal, going for a walk, hitting the gym or simply meditating, they have more than one tool in their stress-relief toolbox.

How To Love Yourself, You Need To Read This

Here are 10 reasons why you can forget to love yourself and how you can put yourself first once again.

1. You felt unloved growing up, but you’re trying not to let it define you now.

For some of us, it’s not easy to love ourselves when we’ve always struggled with our definition of ‘love’. You may have had mixed messages growing up and/or a lack of positive role models. Unfortunately, this may have led you to believe that you are useless and worthless. But you are definitely not any of the horrible words that you heard uttered. Don’t let the pain of your past stop you from believing that you deserve love. You are a worthy human being and your future is in your hands.

2. You’ve been hurt recently, but you’re trying to see the best in people.

It’s not easy to see the ‘positive’ in everyone when we’ve been hurt so many times. Our self-esteem takes a beating and we question whether we’ve done anything wrong, whether we are at fault or to blame. It’s hard to love yourself when the people who we care deeply about have been making us feel anything but. But don’t let a painful friendship or relationship make you lose faith in humanity. Don’t let these relationships poison your spirit.