Circadian Rhythm Influences Weight Loss, Studies Reveal
With summer just around the corner, it is understandable why many people are now depriving themselves with the pleasure that comes with eating so they can shed some pounds and achieve a figure worth flaunting on the beach. However, according to recent reports, weight loss is not only achieved by watching what one eats but also when he eats.
According to reports, studies prove more and more that the time of the day when a person eats is just as important as what he eats in the context of weight loss as supported by the principle of circadian rhythms. The National Institute of General Medical Sciences says that circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes happening within a 24-hour cycle and is stimulated by the lighting conditions of an organism's surrounding.
"Because of circadian rhythms, there are variations in certain hormone levels, enzyme levels and glucose transporters at different parts of the day, which differentially affect how calories, carbohydrates and fat are metabolized," says Tamara Duker Freuman, a nutritionist who has helped people lose weight through a meal-timing based plan she calls the "circadian-synced diet."
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It is believed that a person's circadian rhythm influences a person's metabolism, which explains why the body's ability to burn calories is higher at 8 a.m. and is lower at 8 p.m. Hence, those who wish to shed off some pounds are encouraged to eat more at daytime and less at nighttime to effectively lose weight.
However, it goes without saying that eating more than what one should ideally consume at any time of the day is a deterrent to one's quest to weight loss. Hence, apart from coming up with a diet plan based on the principles of circadian rhythm, it is a must for anybody who wishes to lose weight to monitor what he eats. With the many free weight loss and dieting apps — such as MyFitnessPal, Fooducate, and Pact — available for both iOS and Android users, it is much easier for one to monitor what goes into his mouth.
By observing the principle of circadian rhythm, using weight loss apps, regular exercise, discipline, and determination, weight loss can be achieved just in time for summer.
