The time you're eating affects how much weight you can lose, here's why

If you've started on a weight loss program, you want it to be as efficient as possible. But many short-term solutions harm our bodies or lead to unsustainable losses.

That's why the best exercises for weight loss are so popular, as these workout staples help burn fat but also improve your overall health, build muscle, and can be done from anywhere. 

But there are also plenty of changes you can make to your diet, like eating healthily or cooking meals from scratch. Interestingly, a new study has found that changing when you eat could also play a key role. 

The research, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, enrolled over 3,000 people in a weight loss program. The team discovered that those who ate their meals later dropped less weight across the study period. 

But these late-eaters also had higher levels of triglycerides, a form of fat, and increased insulin resistance. Importantly, this group didn't eat different foods or more of them; they only ate at a different time. 

By the end of the study, late eaters lost 80g less per week than the other participants. The authors also demonstrated that eating one hour later resulted in 49g less weight loss per week. 

As we all have different schedules, the team split the participants into early eaters and late eaters based on the average mid-point between breakfast and dinner, which was 14:54. If a person's midpoint was beyond this time, they were classed as a late-eater. 

We don't have much flexibility on when to eat breakfast, as it's primarily dictated by our work schedule. But, if you're after a way to make your weight loss program more effective, you can shift dinner time a few hours earlier. 

One of the biggest challenges is setting up a regular routine in the first place, but it has enormous benefits. Alongside changing when you eat, sticking to a consistent exercise schedule can help you achieve your weight loss goals too. 

Over the past few years, most of us have worked out at home, especially during pandemic-related lockdowns. Whether you've returned to the gym or prefer at-home exercise, it's worth investing in the best exercise machines for weight loss. 

This cardio-focused equipment is an excellent addition to any home gym setup. The list includes staples like a treadmill, exercise bike, and a water rowing machine to raise your heart rate and start torching fat and dropping pounds.