The right timing is everything – even when eating. We put the most common weight loss rules to the test and tell you which ones are correct and which ones you can safely forget.
1st Weight Loss Rule: No More Carbohydrates After 6 P.M
If you do without bread, pasta and pizza in the evening, you will lose weight faster – diet myth or truth? The thesis of the low-carb advocates behind this is: When carbohydrates are consumed, the release of insulin in the body increases because the sugar has to be transported from the blood into the cells. The hormone also inhibits fat burning, which is why people who want to lose weight are recommended to keep their insulin levels low for several hours.
If this thesis were correct, the whole thing should work just as well if you do without carbohydrates in the morning or at noon because the insulin level doesn’t look at the clock. The real reason why evening abstinence still works for so many is that the slimmer unconsciously reduce their calories at dinner. Because if you replace pasta or pizza with turkey or cauliflower, you naturally take in fewer calories.
2nd Weight Loss Rule: 5 Meals A Day Is Better Than 3
Experts have been arguing whether this weight loss rule makes sense for a long time. If you want to lose weight, some say that you should eat five meals to prevent blood sugar fluctuations and food cravings. On the other hand, the other camp argues that frequent snacking increases calorie intake, thus keeping insulin levels high and limiting fat burning.
Also Read: The Ten Best Foods To Lose Weight
3rd Weight Loss Rule: If You Eat Slowly, You Will Lose Weight Faster
In this case, the researchers agree: this slim rule is correct! Whether the feeling of satiety sets in after precisely 20 minutes, as is always said, is irrelevant. Those who eat more slowly perceive the smell and taste of food longer. This leads to a more pronounced feeling of satiety and thus to a lower energy intake.
4th Weight Loss Rule: If You Don’t Eat Breakfast, You Won’t Lose Weight
Eat like a king in the morning, like a king at lunchtime, and like a pauper at night. What is it about the golden weight loss rule that our grandparents already knew? Here, too, the opinions of researchers have differed for years: Some say that the appetite and the risk of food cravings increase significantly during the day if the body does not get enough energy in the morning. Others claim that people who eat a large breakfast consume more calories throughout the day than those who skip breakfast.
So in the morning, you should listen to your gut feeling. If you’re not hungry, but eat a balanced diet later – great! Anyone who notices that without breakfast, they’ll be cramming everything in for the rest of the day should eat some fruit in the morning or treat themselves to a few spoonfuls of muesli.
5th Weight Loss Rule: Exercising On An Empty Stomach Speed Up Weight Loss
After 8 hours of sleep, many slip into their sports shoes and skip breakfast. Because if you run on an empty stomach, you burn more fat, as the saying goes. No, The body also needs energy at night and uses glycogen stores. If you start a run on an empty stomach, the remaining glycogen is burned – until the body is forced to tap into more fat for energy.
But there’s a catch; many people feel weak and unsteady on their feet when they start without breakfast. Consequence: You reduce the training intensity – and burn fewer calories in the end. The most important thing is the negative calorie balance when it comes to losing weight. So you may well fare better with a light breakfast and high-intensity interval training than with a lazy run on an empty stomach.
Also Read: Keep The Weight In Balance