As usual with fasting, the scientific studies seem to be conflicted or inconclusive.
I was listening to this podcast with Steve Hendricks, author of The Oldest Cure In The World, where he talked about studies that show it’s better to eat in the morning than the evening because your body is much more efficient at utilizing the nutrients; eating too late in the evening will basically undo all your hard fasting work during the day.
I thought about that for a few days because I was sure I had read the opposite a few months ago and finally remembered it was in this article by Martin Berkhan:
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>Also connected to this saying, is the belief that you should reduce carbs in the evening as they will be less likely to be stored as fat. While this might sound good on paper, there’s nothing to support it and a lot that shows it to be wrong.
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>The strongest argument against this are the numerous studies available on body composition and health after and during Ramadan fasting. This meal pattern of regular nightly feasts has a neutral or positive effect on body fat percentage and other health parameters. This is quite an extreme and telling example. People literally gorge on carbs and treats in the middle of the night to no ill effect. And yet, in the bizarre world of bodybuilding and fitness, people worry whether it’s OK to eat 50 grams of carbs in their last meal.
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>If the scientific data on Ramadan fasting aren’t enough, there are plenty of other studies showing no effect on weight loss or weight gain from eating later in the day.
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>In one study comparing two meal patterns, which involved one group eating more calories earlier in the day and one group eating most calories later in the day, more favorable results were found in the group eating large evening meals. While those who ate more in the AM lost more weight, the extra weight was in the form of muscle mass. The late evening eaters conserved muscle mass better, which resulted in a larger drop in body fat percentage.
I should add that Steve Hendricks isn’t the first person I’ve heard say you should restrict your eating to the first half of the day, he’s just the first person I’ve heard give an explanation.
I just wanted to pick your brains on the topic. This place is always a great source of info for me.
Just do whatever works for you. If not eating in the evening makes things more difficult or miserable, then eat in the evening. Habits that are sustainable are habits that are successful. Trying to min max everything at the expense of quality of life is why people fall off the wagon and go back to unhealthy habits.
If you eat in the morning, your fast ends. All day you are burning food energy / stored sugar. People often bonk several hours after eating, needing a snack to continue exercise.
Eating dinner means all day you are fasted. Burning body fat. Body fat is long term energy. No bonking. Once you are fat adapted and you can readily burn body fat for energy, I believe it’s better to eat dinner. Fasted I have tons of energy. Like to exercise. And feel great. Fed I’m less energetic and more likely to be sedentary.
IMO (and I’ve been doing OMAD for 4 years) eating dinner is much preferred.
I’ve always heard it’s best to eat in the morning over the night with everything else being the same. In the Ramadan study what are they comparing it to? I have a feeling they’re not comparing it to fasting and eating in the morning but rather comparing it to not fasting. I’ve never heard it’s better to eat in the evening vs the morning for your eating window. For most people though it’s more practical and easier to have an evening eating window compared to a morning one imo if time of day you eat matters, it matter less than if you’re doing that over fasting.
I really think it depends on the person. For instance, I have “dawn phenomenon” where my blood sugars rise when I wake up in the morning. This means that if I end my last meal earlier in the day, I stay extended fasting for a longer period of time, since my blood sugar spikes in the morning whether I eat food or not.