The 12-hour eating window. I knew it before I knew I knew it! ;)

Find your window and stay in it

Clients of mine know I'm not a fan of counting calories.  Of course there are those occasions when it may be necessary (used as a teaching tool for estimations, acute need for weight loss, personal preference) but in general...I'm not a fan.  I don't believe it's necessary.  Our society makes things so much more complicated than they actually are and confuse us with mixed messages.  If you're eating healthfully and mindfully, counting calories is not a necessity in order to lose weight.  In addition to eating healthy, real food, and eating mindfully, I tell clients to watch portion sizes (see previous post on portion distortion) and eat in a 12-hour window.  I found for me the 12-hour window helped with not only digestion but weight maintenance and caloric restriction.  

Well, recently in my 'recreational reading' the other day, which is never truly recreational because I'm always thirsty for knowledge, I came across an article in my daily emails from The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (of which I am a member) that discussed this exact theory!  It was an article in the New York Times about a study that was published in 2012 on mice.  In this study, two groups of mice were given the same diet but one of group mice at whenever they wanted (varied hours) and the second group was restricted to a 12-hour window.  In short, the 12-hour window group of mice gained little weight and had no metabolic problems while the 'eat whenever' group became chubby and developed symptoms of diabetes. And this was while consuming the same type of diet.  They furthered the study by allowing the time restricted group to cheat on the weekends.  The results showed that those mice remained sleek and healthy even with cheating on the weekends!  The study also reflected that eating a time restricted diet can not only prevent but reverse obesity and obesity related symptoms.  That's amazing!  If you think about it the concept makes sense, which is why I've been eating this way for years.  Our bodies, and meal times, are directly effect by circadian rhythm. Simplicity and nature at its best.

This has taught me even more to listen to my intuition.  I have known for years that my body responds to an 'eating window' with optimal health.  It's so encouraging and exciting to now find studies that confirm this.

The message here....listen to your intuition....and find your 12-hour window and keep your meals in that.  Let your body rest, heal, and repair the other 12 hours.

XO  Joy