Must see for weight loss! 5 Reasons Doctors Overthrow the Rule of Not Eating After Midday

I heard that "not eating after noon" can lead to a monthly weight loss of ten pounds? There are always people in their social circle posting their check-in records of resolutely not eating after 6pm, accompanied by motivational texts, as if this is the ultimate answer to weight loss. But when you open a medical journal, you will find that fasting for more than 16 hours may be quietly harming your metabolic system - don't rush to empty your dinner plate, first see what professional research says.

1. fluctuations in blood sugar levels may trigger retaliatory binge eating

1. Disruption of insulin levels

Stopping eating after 3 pm means experiencing a fasting period of up to 18 hours, and the body may misjudge entering a "famine mode". The insulin secreted by the pancreas drops sharply like a roller coaster, which actually increases the probability of fat accumulation. Clinical observations have shown that this dietary pattern may result in a 23% increase in peak blood sugar levels after breakfast the next day compared to a normal diet.

2. Hunger hormone continues to soar

After fasting for 12 hours, the stomach secretes a large amount of hunger hormone, which makes the brain abnormally sensitive to high calorie foods. Neuroimaging studies have confirmed that people who have been practicing "skipping lunch" for a long time have twice as much activity in their brain reward centers when they see fried foods as ordinary people.

2. Muscle loss is more significant than fat loss

1. Protein synthesis is blocked

Muscle fibers require a continuous supply of amino acids, and a lack of dinner time can lead to a lack of raw materials during the nighttime repair period. Sports science experiments have shown that under the same calorie deficit, participants who skip dinner experience 1.8 times more muscle loss than those on a normal diet.

2. Decreased basal metabolic rate

For every kilogram of muscle lost, daily basal metabolism decreases by approximately 50 calories. This means that even if one strictly adheres to the principle of "skipping lunch", the body's ability to burn calories may decrease by 5% -7% after three months, leading to a predisposition to obesity.

3. The digestive system may suffer a double blow

1. Gastric acid erosion of the stomach wall

Gastric acid continues to secrete on an empty stomach, and a lack of food at night may cause mucosal damage. According to outpatient data from the gastroenterology department, the incidence of superficial gastritis is 40% higher among people who skip dinner for a long time than those who eat regularly.

2. Imbalance of gut microbiota

The gut microbiota requires dietary fiber nourishment every 8-10 hours. A study by the British Journal of Nutrition found that after implementing the "no lunch" policy for 8 weeks, the average number of beneficial bacteria in the gut of participants decreased by 29%.

4. Nutritional gap may weaken immunity

1. Insufficient intake of trace elements

Modern people usually consume 70% of vitamin C and 50% of calcium through dinner. Nutritional analysis shows that skipping dinner may result in daily intake of micronutrients such as folate, magnesium, and zinc below 60% of the recommended values.

2. Essential fatty acid deficiency

High quality fats such as deep-sea fish and nuts are often consumed at dinner, and long-term deficiency may affect cell membrane repair. Blood tests have found that people who persist in "skipping lunch" for three months generally have omega-3 fatty acid levels below the health threshold.

5. Sleep quality and mood may be affected

1. Insufficient synthesis of melatonin

The tryptophan provided by dinner is a key ingredient for synthesizing sleep hormones. Sleep monitoring showed that participants who skipped dinner had an average sleep onset time extended by 35 minutes and a 20% reduction in deep sleep duration.

2. Continuous high levels of stress hormones

Continuous hunger stimulates cortisol secretion, which not only promotes abdominal fat accumulation but also triggers anxiety. psychological scale evaluations have found that 65% of individuals who strictly adhere to the policy of not eating after noon experience increased emotional fluctuations.

Healthy weight loss requires scientifically matching the calories of three meals, rather than abruptly cutting off energy supply. Try adjusting dinner to a high protein light meal, paired with moderate amounts of slow carbon and dietary fiber, which can maintain metabolic vitality and avoid nighttime hunger. Remember, making the body feel safe is the prerequisite for lasting weight loss.