Are You Sabotaging Your Diet? The Surprising Truth About Eating at All Hours!
24/7 gas stations, all-night supermarkets, the candy display at the hardware store…
You’re probably well aware that food—often highly processed, sugary and salty food—is available at any hour of the day or night. In fact, it’s not only available, but it’s actively marketed with tempting photographs, bright lights, and tempting two-for-one offers.
Here’s the thing though: Your body wasn’t designed to be eating non-stop. In fact, quite the opposite. Because we evolved to eat when the sun was up, and sleep during the night, your body will naturally do better if you give your digestive system a rest.
Here’s why:
When we fast, our bodies enter a state of "autophagy." This is a natural process where the body breaks down and recycles damaged cells. This process is regulated by our circadian rhythm, and fasting can help reset this rhythm, leading to better overall health.
Additionally, research has shown that eating during the daytime and fasting at night can help regulate our circadian rhythm. This is because disrupting our natural patterns of eating at day, and resting at night, can lead to metabolic dysfunction and other health problems.
There are two basic ‘states’ that we’d like you to wrap your head around when it comes to fasting:
FED STATE: This begins when you eat your first meal and ends when you eat your last. During this time, your body digests food and absorbs nutrients. Elevated glucose levels trigger insulin release.
FASTED STATE: This occurs when you have completely digested and absorbed your last meal/snack. Insulin levels are low.
There are several benefits to reducing the length of your fed state, including:
Your body switches to burning fat for fuel
Production of ketones supercharges the brain, giving you great mental clarity
Your body has more time with low insulin so it can stay in fat-burning mode
Muscle tissue is preserved, your body burns fat
Your appetite stabilizes due to lower hunger hormone levels
Your ovaries may benefit from a rebalancing of hormones
Dopamine levels get rebooted, lowering anxiety
Cholesterol production goes down in the liver
Sugar stored in tissues is released
The gut's inner mucosal lining gets time for rest and repair
Top 5 Action Steps
Start by moving your breakfast back an hour—or your dinner up an hour—every few days until you've decreased your fed state window to 12 hours, or even less.
Try to limit eating 3 hours before bedtime. We can eventually move to a 10 - 8 hour fed state.
Choose foods that are low in carbohydrates: Eating foods that are low in carbohydrates can help regulate insulin levels, and decrease the amount of time you spend in a fed state.
Exercise regularly to help increase insulin sensitivity, which can help regulate blood sugar levels by allowing your muscles to take up glucose without the need of insulin.
Aim for 7-8 hours of sleep per night. A Lack of sleep can disrupt hormones that regulate hunger and satiety, leading to overeating and weight gain.
It's important to remember that every person's body is different, so what works for one person may not work for another.
If you’re thinking of exploring fasting, be sure to discuss this with your doctor and, ideally, your Whole Health Partners dietitian to make sure it’s a good fit for you.
What would you like help with?
Weight Loss and Weight Maintenance
Blood Glucose Management, Diabetes, Insulin Resistance, Hypertension, High Cholesterol, Thyroid Disease, Hormonal Health
Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), Perimenopause/Menopause
