There are many different ways to lose weight, but the most reliable strategies are often the simplest.
In fact, many nutritionists believe reorganising your eating day alone can lead to big results on the scale.
Registered dietitian Jennifer Pallian says that many of the habits she recommends for easier weight loss begin early in the day.
“Morning is your body’s metabolic sweet spot,” Jennifer told GB News. “One of the biggest game-changers is simply eating breakfast earlier, ideally before 9 am.
Getting morning habits right will set you up for easier weight loss
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“When people load up on food earlier in the day instead of at night, they tend ot have less belly fat.”
The aim, according to the dietitian, is to get the most of your daily calories between breakfast and lunch.
“One long-term study even found that people who rate most of their calories at lunch or earlier lost more weight than those who ate the same amount later in the day,” she said.
“The difference wasn’t about what they ate but when.”
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Skipping breakfast may also lead to increased food intake later in the day - a pattern linked to a higher risk of obesity and fatty liver disease.
But timing is only part of the equation; what you eat in the morning may matter just as much.
“Protein-rich breakfasts appear to have a greater impact,” Jennifer said.
“In studies on young women who usually skip breakfast, adding a breakfast, especially one high in protein, cut down on food cravings and boosted dopamine activity, which is tied to the brain’s reward system," Jennifer explained.
“Basically, the higher the protein at breakfast, the more likely it is to help curb cravings throughout the day."
Another way to achieve this, according to growing evidence, is to drink water before meals.
Eating early and hydrating in the morning support weight loss
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“A glass of water 30 minutes before breakfast can lead to eating fewer calories at that meal, about 12 per cent less, in fact,” Jennifer explained.
“That might not seem like a lot in one sitting, but it adds up if you do it daily.
“All of this works way better when you’ve had a good night’s sleep. Just one bad night - cutting sleep from eight to just four hours of sleep, for example, can bump hunger and lead to eating over 500 extra calories the next day.
“So, while eating early and hydration help in the morning, the groundwork is really laid the night before.”
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