Generally, it is not recommended to skip one or more meals, as this can sometimes disrupt our feelings of hunger or cause a lack of energy.
However, it seems that not eating in the evening may be favorable for better weight management and other aspects of health.
For your body to fully adapt, I recommend optimally organizing all the other meals throughout the day.
How to practice nighttime fasting and what are its benefits? I review the topic and guide you to maintain a good dietary balance.
NB: depending on your health condition or if in doubt, it is preferable to ask your doctor for advice.
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What would the benefits be?
Un impact sur la perte de poids et la composition corporelle
In the short and medium term, intermittent fasting by having the last meal of the day fairly early and eating a meal in the morning around 8-9 AM produces equally good results for weight loss, and may be better in the long term, compared with a conventional low-calorie diet.
En analysant différentes études, je constate que cela aide à diminuer le tour de taille et les graisses. Deux raison peuvent certainement expliquer ces résultats minceur :
- a slight reduction in daily calorie intake
- a hormonal improvement related to the circadian cycle and insulin regulation
This study found that, at equal calories, not eating in the evening would be more effective at better using fat as an energy source (mobilizing fat) and storing fewer carbohydrates than skipping breakfast.
Not eating in the evening could even reduce risk factors associated with overweight and obesity.
Positive effects on metabolic health
Other positive effects are associated with it, such as the improvement of insulin sensitivity and fasting blood glucose, according to this study conducted on prediabetic men.
For the body, this daytime eating also offers better cellular health by better resisting oxidative stress and providing valuable anti-inflammatory effects.
Overall, it also optimizes the protection of the cardiovascular system: skipping dinner enables a better lipid profile, a regulation of blood pressure and heart rate.
An improvement in sleep quality
Your circadian cycle or 24-hour biological clock orchestrates many bodily functions such as:
- the sleep
- the thermoregulation (body temperature)
- the hormone release
- the metabolism
By avoiding eating in the evening, your melatonin production would be more effective, thereby promoting sleep onset. We observe
une réduction des réveils nocturnes et une amélioration du sommeil profond, si crucial pour la récupération physique et mentale.
Eating late forces your body to focus on digestion and can therefore disrupt the natural lowering of body temperature that occurs at night.
The liver function usually eliminates toxins between 1 AM and 3 AM, and can be disrupted by evening meals.
Following this nutritional approach may also provide benefits for cognitive and physical performance. Getting good sleep gives you more energy and helps you be more productive.
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My tips for fasting in the evening
Find your eating rhythm
Skipping breakfast may seem easier from the perspective of your appetite, your social, family or professional life.
Overall, it has been observed that irregular and late-night meals tend to encourage overeating and poorer quality of foods consumed.
L’heure à laquelle vous mangez importe donc. Voici ce que je vous invite à faire afin de faciliter cette cadence alimentaire :
- if you have little or no breakfast: try to add a substantial morning meal, rich in protein, fiber, and healthy fats
- then, for a week, paying attention to how you feel, note the number of \”pleasurable\” dinners that are not essential
- the following week, try a day without dinner or several, depending on your needs
Eat enough during the day
By not eating in the evening, you can fast on average 12 to 16 hours. The eating window from 8 AM to 12 PM is therefore essential to provide the body with everything it needs to function well.
Afin d’éviter les carences nutritionnelles, mieux vaut bien répartir les aliments le matin et le midi, et ajouter une collation avant 18 heures.
Les éléments essentiels auxquels je vous conseille de faire attention :
- the vegetables
- the omega-3s
- the essential amino acids
Favor whole foods for maximum vitamins and minerals rather than ultra-processed or ready-made foods, which are often too high in sugars and less nutritious.
Feeding periods should also not \”compensate\” for fasting periods, that is to say it is not beneficial to overload the body with calories during the day. This could negate the benefits of skipping an evening meal.
A typical day without dinner
To help you get familiar with the principle, Im sharing some balanced menu ideas for skipping dinner.
Breakfast
Savory version
- Vegetable omelette
- 1 slice of rye bread with 1/2 avocado
- 1 cup of unsweetened tea
Sweet version
- Bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds, fruit, and nuts
- 1 verre d’eau citronnée aux feuilles de menthe fraîche
Lunch
- Red lentil curry with cauliflower and bell peppers
- Chicken strips and grilled vegetables
- Slices of fresh mango
Snack at 5:30 PM
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- Vegetable sticks and chickpea hummus
- 4-5 almonds
- 1 cup of unsweetened herbal tea
Keep in mind that quantities and calories aren’t the focus of the 16:8 schedule as long as the quality of the food is good and you pay attention to your satiety.
Certain precautions should still be taken into account. If you have a compulsive relationship with food, specific exercise routines, or issues managing stress and mood, I recommend listening to your needs and not forcing this approach.
Sources and scientific studies
Daniela Jakubowicz, Maayan Barnea, Julio Wainstein, Oren Froy – High caloric intake at breakfast vs. dinner differentially influences weight loss of overweight and obese women – Obesity, 2013
Elizabeth F Sutton, Robbie Beyl, Kate S Early, William T Cefalu, Eric Ravussin, Courtney M Peterson – Early Time-Restricted Feeding Improves Insulin Sensitivity, Blood Pressure, and Oxidative Stress Even without Weight Loss in Men with Prediabetes, 2018
Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans, Nutr. Review, 2015
Carlien van der Merwe, Mirjam Münch, Rozanne Kruger – Chronotype Differences in Body Composition, Dietary Intake and Eating Behavior Outcomes: A Scoping Systematic Review – Adv. Nutr, 2022
