Okay, okay, somehow I wandered back into the philosophical chit chat rather than the practical applications of this Getting Healthy Thing. After looking at some Big Picture questions, let me get back to sharing a small doable step that has helped me on the quest toward my healthy weight range.
When I heard this one, it blew my mind. Are you ready? Don’t eat breakfast. I know, right? That just went against everything we’ve ever been taught from growing up til now. I’ll clarify. Since the word “breakfast” literally means “to break a fast” we understand it to mean the period of not eating after dinner and while you sleep. So it could be said that the first meal you eat after waking would be your “break-fast,” no matter what time it is, right? Timing is the key.
Apparently, studies show giving your body breaks between eating allows it more time to rest from the energy-consuming tasks of the digestive functions. Digesting food requires lots of energy and attention from your cells. When it doesn’t have to do all the work of digesting, your body can do other things it needs to do, like rest and repair which also require a great deal of energy. This allows the body to work on clean-up at a cellular level and has been shown to have positive effects in reducing chronic disease and in promoting longevity—as well as aid in weight management.
If the goal is to practice increasing the time between your meals, the easiest place to start is between dinner and breakfast. If you finish dinner at 7PM, try to delay breakfast for 12-16 hours, eating your first meal the next day around 8-10 AM. If you need to eat earlier in the morning because of work commitments, the key is to eat dinner earlier the night before. I found that this was a tough small step to make, but once I did, it finally got me to the next spot in my health journey and I found I just felt better. I’d love to hear your tips and tricks for getting this one accomplished, or what you find your biggest struggle is in doing so.
