3 Reasons You Should Eat Your Largest Meal at Night

 *Photo Credit: Arnold, muscleandfitness.com*

 

I know, I know – this goes against everything you’ve ever been told about dieting.

But, trust me…eating your largest meal at night will make dieting easier.

Here’s why:

 

1. It Gives You Something to Look Forward To

What sounds more appealing?

Having a small breakfast and lunch – and being a little hungry during the day – but getting to eat a large, satisfying meal with your family and friends later on at night?

OR

Eating a large breakfast (often by yourself because not many people are get together in the morning…they’re getting ready for work), and then eating less and less food – and getting hungrier and hungrier – throughout the rest of the day?

Personally, I like option one, and so do the majority of my clients.

There are a bunch of factors that go in to effective fat loss, but food regulation – or staying in a caloric deficit – is most important.

Most people (that I’ve worked with anyway) find it easier to regulate their food intake when they have something to look forward to later in the day.

The other way around (eating most of their food up front)?

That seems to be a heck of a lot harder.

 

2. It Allows You to Go to Bed Full

This is huge.

Going to bed hungry?

It’s one of the most miserable experiences on the face of the planet.

Not only because you can’t sleep (which is irritating, and – if repeated on a consistent basis – can wreak havoc on your health and overall performance).

But also because it makes you start thinking about food.

Which makes you even hungrier.

Which makes it harder for you to go to sleep.

Which makes you keep thinking about food.

Which…I think you get the point.

It’s a vicious cycle.

And eventually – after laying in bed for an hour listening to your stomach growl – you’re going to go grab some food.

Better to just avoid this by saving most of your calories for the late afternoon or evening.

 

3. It Helps You Defend Against Late Night Snacking

Lastly, eating a large meal at night reduces the urge to start munching on junk, and that’s extremely beneficial for your fat loss efforts.

Most people snack when they’re either hungry or bored.

Better to just eliminate hunger from the equation – at least at night when you’re not busy and have a better chance of getting bored – rather than deal with hunger and boredom simultaneously (that’s usually a losing battle).

 

Ok Cool.  But Do We Have To Eat Our Largest Meal at Night?

Nope.

You can eat your largest meal whenever you want.

I personally think eating most of your calories at night makes dieting easier, but that’s more for psychological reasons than anything else.

At the end of the day, the biggest determinant of fat loss is food quantity (you need to be burning more energy/food than you’re taking in on a daily basis).

Not food timing.