Generally, it is discouraged to skip one or more meals as it may sometimes interfere with our hunger cues or lead to a lack of energy.
However, it appears that not eating in the evening could be beneficial for better weight management and other health aspects.
For complete adherence by your body, I advise having an optimal organization of all the other meals throughout the day.
How to practice nighttime fasting and what are its benefits? I take stock and guide you to maintain a good dietary balance.
Note: according to your health condition or in case of doubt, it is preferable to seek your doctor’s advice.
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What would be the benefits?
Impact on weight loss and body composition
In the short and medium term, intermittent fasting by having the last meal of the day fairly early and a meal in the morning around 8-9 am, achieves just as good results on weight loss, if not better in the long term, compared to a classic low-calorie diet.
By analyzing various studies, I find that this helps to decrease waist circumference and fat. Two reasons likely explain these slimming results:
- a slight reduction in calories consumed per day
- a hormonal improvement linked to the circadian cycle and regulated insulin
This study highlighted that with equal calories, not eating in the evening would be more effective for better utilizing fat as an energy source (mobilizing stored energy) and less storing carbohydrates than skipping breakfast.
Not eating in the evening could even reduce risk factors associated with overweight and obesity.
Positive impacts on metabolic health
Other positive effects are associated, such as improving insulin sensitivity and fasting blood sugar levels, according to this study conducted on pre-diabetic men.
For the body, this daytime eating also offers better cellular health by being more resistant to oxidative stress and providing precious anti-inflammatory effects.
Overall, it also optimizes the protection of the cardiovascular system: skipping dinner allows for a better lipid profile, blood pressure regulation, and heart rate regulation.
Improvement in sleep quality
Your circadian cycle or 24-hour biological clock orchestrates numerous bodily functions such as:
- sleep
- thermoregulation (body temperature)
- hormone release
- metabolism
By avoiding eating in the evening, your melatonin production tends to be more effective, thus promoting falling asleep. It is noted
a reduction in nighttime awakenings and an improvement in deep sleep, which is crucial for both physical and mental recovery.
Eating late requires your body to focus on digestion and can therefore interfere with the natural body temperature drop needed for the night.
The liver function is typically expected to eliminate toxins between 1 and 3 am, and can be disrupted by evening meals.
Certain benefits on cognitive and physical performance are also possible by following this nutritional method. Sleeping well gives you more energy and allows for greater productivity.
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My tips for evening fasting
Find your eating rhythm
Skipping breakfast might seem simpler in terms of appetite, social, family, or professional life.
Overall, it has been observed that irregular and nocturnal meal times tend to promote indulgences and lower quality of consumed foods.
The time at which you eat matters therefore. Here’s what I invite you to do to facilitate this eating pace:
- if you do not eat breakfast or eat little breakfast: try to introduce a morning meal that is hearty, rich in proteins, fibers, and composed of healthy fats
- then, over a week, by paying attention to your feelings, note the number of “pleasant” but non-essential dinners
- the following week, engage in the activity of one day without dinner or several, depending on your needs
Eat enough during the day
By not eating in the evening, one achieves to 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.
To avoid nutritional deficiencies, it is better to distribute foods well in the morning and at noon, and add a snack before 6 PM.
The essential elements to which I advise you to pay attention:
- vegetables
- omega-3s
- essential amino acids
Favor whole foods for maximum vitamins and minerals rather than ultra-processed and already cooked foods, which are often too rich in sugars and nutritionally less interesting.
The eating periods should not also “compensate” for the fasting periods, meaning it is not beneficial to overload the body with calories during the day. This could negate the benefits of skipping a meal in the evening.
A typical day without dinner
To familiarize yourself with the principle, I share with you balanced menu ideas without eating in the evening.
Breakfast
Savory version
- Omelet with small vegetables
- 1 slice of rye bread with half an avocado
- 1 unsweetened tea
Sweet version
- Bowl of oats with chia seeds, fruits, and nuts
- 1 glass of lemon water with fresh mint leaves
Lunch
- Red lentil curry with cauliflower and peppers
- Chicken strips and grilled vegetables
- Slices of fresh mango
Snack at 5:30 PM
- 1 boiled egg
- Raw vegetable sticks and chickpea hummus
- 4-5 almonds
- 1 unsweetened infusion
Keep in mind that quantities and calories are not the focus of this 16:8 rhythm as long as the quality of the foods is high and you listen to your satiety.
Some precautions still need to be considered. If you have a compulsive relationship with food, specific sports habits, or issues managing stress and mood, I advise you to stay in tune with your needs and not force this approach on yourself.
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
