A MIDNIGHT FEAST

Does it matter what time you have your meals? Is the late-night snack bad for your health? We take a look at how your body reacts to meal timings

Does it matter what time you have your meals? Is the late-night snack bad for your health? We take a look at how your body reacts to meal timings
How do we lose excess weight without restricting meals or drastically altering our lifestyle? For years, the mantra for a healthy life and weight loss has been to reduce intake of food as the day progresses, with dinner becoming the lightest meal of all. However, a new study conducted in the US refutes the timing theory of eating meals as inconclusive, and suggests instead the more logical explanation, that it’s your overall calorie intake for the day that matters; if you consume more calories than you expend, you will have a hard time losing weight, no matter what time you eat.

Culturally, dinner is a significant meal in many societies, including India. (Not the meal that you quickly wolf down in front of the TV but what you eat, sitting on a dining table.) Family meals are linked to conversation, hence a stronger communication. Research proves there’s a strong correlation between family dinners, healthier food habits and general psychological well being. Do these benefits count for less than the weight loss rule of no-carbs-small-meal, light dinner at night? “Have a full dinner, just have it at least three hours before you sleep,” says nutritionist Shikha Sharma, a firm believer in light dinners and low carbs for weight loss. “Western research sometimes lacks wisdom. The weighing scale will show the difference between heavy or light dinners within a week,” insists Sharma.

However, there are those who say there is no substantial scientific data available that proves light meals at night assist in weight loss. “If I work in a call centre and I’m sleeping during the day and eating at night, my diet has to be appropriate to my timings and that’s fine,” says Dr Prema Ramachandran of the Nutrition Foundation of India. She suggests controlling the amount and quality of food you eat for efficient results, and caring less about the time. “Your body will adjust. These are all diet fads. If I put 50 litres in my car, I can run it for 500 km. Similarly with food, the energy balance has to be right and proportionate to activity,” says Dr Ramachandran.

The global average of people sticking to diets over a period of time hovers at a dismal 30 per cent. The more drastic the diet, the tougher it is to keep it going. The logic behind early and light dinners is that we don’t need a heavy meal if we’re going to sleep. However, feeling hungry in the middle of the night could disrupt sleep and make you binge the next morning. Find your own balance and remember the basics don’t change; you have to watch what you eat and get some exercise. Losing weight and keeping it off requires commitment to a lifestyle change that includes giving up high calorific food so the body burns fat to make up the energy deficit. With entertainment heavily geared towards food and drink, this is a challenge for most of us. “You can exercise all you like, if you don’t control what you eat, the weight loss can’t happen,” says Ajay Khullar, Assistant Manager, Fitness Plaza in Gurgaon. You have to find what works best for you and summon the willpower to see it through.