Why can't we eat dinner too late for weight loss

Having dinner after dinner significantly affects weight loss outcomes, mainly due to interference with the circadian rhythm, decreased metabolic efficiency, increased risk of fat accumulation, poor sleep quality, and induction of insulin resistance. Controlling dinner time helps optimize energy expenditure and fat metabolism.

1. Interference with the biological clock:

The human circadian rhythm regulates the secretion of digestive enzymes and gastrointestinal peristalsis, and eating late at dinner can disrupt this physiological pattern. Research has shown that eating after 19:00 can delay melatonin secretion, causing food digestion time to extend to the sleep stage, forcing organs to continue working during rest periods. This circadian rhythm disorder may cause a 5% -10% decrease in basal metabolic rate.

2. Reduce metabolic efficiency:

The activity of parasympathetic nervous system decreases at night, and the digestive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract is weakened by more than 30% compared to the day. Food stays in the digestive tract for a longer period of time, leading to a decrease in nutrient absorption rate. At the same time, calories that are not consumed in a timely manner are more likely to be converted into fat storage. Experimental data shows that eating the same meal at 18:00 and 21:00 resulted in a 23% increase in fat synthesis in the latter.

3. Increase fat accumulation:

A decrease in nighttime activity leads to a low energy consumption period, during which the intake of carbohydrates tends to be converted into visceral fat. The sensitivity of abdominal adipocytes to insulin decreases at night, while the activity of lipoprotein lipase increases, promoting the deposition of large amounts of triglycerides. Clinical observations have found that the waist circumference growth rate of diners after 22:00 is 1.8 times that of normal eaters.

4. Impact on sleep quality:

The continuous operation of the digestive system stimulates the cerebral cortex to maintain an excited state, and the shortened duration of deep sleep directly affects the secretion of growth hormone. This hormone can promote fat breakdown during the peak secretion at night. When the secretion is insufficient, the body turns to breaking down muscle protein for energy, leading to an increase in body fat percentage. Sleep monitoring shows that those who eat 3 hours before bedtime experience a 40 minute decrease in slow wave sleep.

3. Inducing insulin resistance:

Pancreatic beta cells have decreased secretion function at night, and delayed feeding forces excessive insulin secretion to cope with blood sugar fluctuations. Long term exposure to this can reduce cell receptor sensitivity and lead to insulin resistance. This group of people may have normal fasting blood sugar, but their postprandial blood sugar remains consistently high, making them more susceptible to developing central obesity.

It is recommended to advance dinner time to 18-19 pm, choose low glycemic index foods such as quinoa and chicken breast, and take a 30 minute walk to promote digestion. If it is necessary to delay eating, you can consume 200 grams of sugar free yogurt with cucumber to supplement protein and dietary fiber. Long term night shift workers should establish a fixed meal schedule to avoid consuming staple foods during the metabolic trough period from 23:00 to 3am. Pay attention to recording the changes in fasting weight in the morning. If it exceeds the baseline value of 0.5 kilograms for three consecutive days, adjust the dinner time and structure.