Common diet trick is a MYTH and has no impact on weight loss, scientists say
IF you've tried to lose weight, you might have tried the old 'eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper,' diet.
The idea is you eat the bulk of your food earlier in the day, which some have linked with lower obesity rates and shedding excess pounds.
But a new study has revealed that eating like this is no way to blast fat.
Scottish researchers have discovered that what time you eat actually has no impact on weight loss.
They found the metabolism burns just as many calories in the evening as it does in the morning.
The only benefit of eating more food in the morning is that you are left less hungry later in the day, which could mean you snack less, researchers said.
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This research, published in Cell, controlled the diets of 16 men and 14 women over a four week period to see how their weight was impacted depending on what time of day they ate the most calories.
Each person was given the same healthy diet but half were made to eat the majority of their calories at breakfast time, and the other half at dinner.
After two weeks everyone swapped, so the people who ate the majority of their calories in the morning now ate them later in the day, and vice versa.
The researchers, from the University of Aberdeen, discovered the time of day people ate the most calories had no impact on the amount of weight lost.
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Each person in the study lost the same amount of weight during each of the four weeks, suggesting their metabolism burned just as much energy in the morning as the evening.
Lead author of the study, Professor Alexandra Johnstone, added that participants felt their appetites were "better controlled" on the days they ate a bigger breakfast and they "felt satiated throughout the rest of the day".
"This could be quite useful in the real-world environment," she explained.
How to lose weight fast
According to the NHS, to get the best possible start on its weight loss plan, there are 12 steps you should follow:
1. Do not skip breakfast
2. Eat regular meals
3. Eat plenty of fruit and veg
4. Get more active
5. Drink plenty of water
6. Eat high fibre foods
7. Read food labels
8. Use a smaller plate
9. Do not ban foods
10. Do not stock junk food
11. Cut down on alcohol
12. Plan your meals
However Prof Johnstone, added when it comes to "timing and dieting" there is "not likely going to be one diet that fits all".
“Figuring this out is going to be the future of diet studies, but it’s something that’s very difficult to measure," she explained
Weight loss is different for everyone, but the only method which works across the board is being in a calorie deficit.
A calorie deficit occurs when you’re consuming fewer calories than you use up in a day.
Everything you eat and drink brings calories into your body as it’s digested and absorbed.
Your body uses the calories to maintain your organs, healthy tissue, breathing, heartbeat, and every movement you make.
If you are worried about your weight its worth speaking to your GP about how you can shift some weight in a healthy way.
Meanwhile, scientists may have discovered how to turn off our fatty foods cravings - offering hope of new treatments for obesity and binge eating.
By 'switching off' a neuron which connects the brain to the gut, experts have managed to stop mice from craving fatty foods.
That's because it is the gut that drives our desire for foods high in fat -- and not necessarily the taste itself -- researchers have found.
Last week, a leading expert revealed the foods you should swerve at breakfast - and his own go-to meal.
Dr Michael Mosley revealed slimmers should start the day with eggs, as he does himself.
However, processed meats should be eaten "sparingly" and "in small quantities", Dr Michael said.
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But the worst choice for someone trying to lose weight is cereal, Dr Michael warned.
These are "laden in sugar", he said.