Eat after 6 or not - that’s the question that every girl who was eager to get rid of extra pounds probably asked herself. The vast majority of all modern diets sets a tight time frame for the last meal, and often just the mark at 6 pm is considered the point of no return. Countless positive reviews about this method of losing weight make it quite tempting and make you postpone everything edible until the morning, as soon as the hands on the clock show 18:00. However, is such a diet really effective and is it possible to lose weight with its help?
What happens in the body
Of course, you can lose weight if you do not eat after 6. But first you need to figure out what physiological processes this principle of weight loss is based on. The fact is that even after so many years of evolution, man still remains subordinate to nature and those biorhythms that it sets to the body every day. As with most animals and birds, the first half of a day in humans is the peak of physical and mental activity. Specifically, for weight loss, this means that the food that enters the body during the day will be processed into energy that ensures human activity.
At night, the body is in a calmer state, recovering during sleep. At the same time, the intensity of all internal processes, including those that occur in the digestive system and promote metabolism, is significantly reduced.
If you disrupt the coordinated work of the body and have a tight dinner before bedtime, you can not only incur serious digestive problems, but also get extra pounds. Digestion of late meals in a horizontal position, which a person takes during sleep, is much more difficult, and this threatens to slow down the metabolism (metabolism) and, as a result, the deposition of unwanted subcutaneous fats.
Thus, for the optimal functioning of the digestive system, the last thorough meal should be carried out no later than 3-4 hours before bedtime.
Destroying the myth
The question arises, where exactly did the number 6 come from and why is it that everyone who is losing weight is so afraid of it. In fact, the axiom of "not to eat after 18:00" is nothing more than a dietary myth generated by stars of show business, celebrity and actresses, for whom maintaining a perfect physical shape is a primary and vital task for building a successful career.
The strict diet and sleep regimen for such women is determined by the need to be on their feet in the early morning, because the shooting day begins with the first rays of the sun. In order to regularly get enough sleep under these working conditions, you need to go to bed early enough - at 21:00 or at 22:00, maximum. As we have already found out, for the normal functioning of the stomach, the last thorough meal is allowed 3-4 hours before bedtime, which with this regimen will occur around 18:00. Hence the general belief that if you do not eat after 6, you can lose weight and maintain the desired shape.
It's not too late for dinner
So, if your day ends when the hands on the clock show 22:00, then you can safely use the stellar principle of "I don’t eat after 6" and watch how the extra pounds disappear. But what about those who work at night, "owls" or people who, for no particular reason, do not like to go to bed early?
In fact, everything is very simple, it is only necessary to determine correctly when to appoint the last meal. To do this, count 3-4 hours from the moment when you plan to go to bed. For example, if you usually go to bed around 12 o’clock in the morning, then you should have a solid dinner no later than 20:00. If under this regime you decide to follow the "do not eat after 18:00" rule, then your body will literally starve until breakfast, which will adversely affect both metabolism and sleep quality, and, accordingly, the general condition. In this case, the answer to the question "is it possible to eat after 6" will be a solid "yes."
What can I eat after 18:00
It turns out that eating in the evening is not only possible, but also necessary! Then the following question arises: what can you eat after 6? In fact, the range of "permissive" products is quite wide. You only need to monitor the amount of sugar and carbohydrates contained in the food that you decide to eat.
The ideal option for a light weight loss dinner would be a combination of protein and vegetables: for example, boiled / baked chicken breast + Greek salad or low-fat fish + steamed vegetables.
In addition, for an evening snack, you can choose something to taste from the following dishes and products:
- Cottage cheese (not more than 5-6%), kefir and other nonfat dairy products.
- Omelet (2 protein + 1 yolk).
- Vegetables (bell pepper, cucumbers, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, garden herbs, celery, lettuce).
- Citrus fruits (tangerines, oranges, lemon, grapefruit).
The list of those foods that you can eat after 6 may be small, but it’s quite realistic to choose something you like from it and enjoy eating every day.
What should be discarded
To find out what you can eat after 6 pm is only half the battle. It is much more important to find out that eating at a late dinner is strictly prohibited if the goal is to lose weight. The list of dishes and products here, of course, is much more extensive:
- Carbohydrate products containing large quantities of starch (baked goods, sweets).
- Fatty foods fried in large quantities of oil (cutlets, french fries, etc.).
- Cereals, legumes and their derivatives (cereals, granola, cereal).
- Sweet fruits (grapes, bananas).
- Coffee, strong tea, alcohol (stimulate appetite).
Not a diet, but a way of life
So, if you do not eat after 6, you can lose weight, but this is not enough to achieve the desired result. When embarking on a path to weight loss, it is important to remember that no short-term hard diets can go without harm to health. It is necessary to approach everything wisely:
- correctly calculate daily calories;
- choose a physical activity to your liking;
- abandon frankly unhealthy foods and habits.
It is best to consult with a professional nutritionist and nutrition programmer who will select the best weight loss system for you.