But a study by the Dunn Diet Center in Cambridge showed just the opposite.
The volunteers put their whole body on a calorimeter, which measures the calories burned and stored.
They ate a large lunch and a small dinner during the first trial period, and during the second trial period, a small lunch and a large dinner.
The results showed that the big meal late at night did not lead the body to store more fat.
It does not matter when you eat, but the total amount of calories consumed in a 24 hour period.
A night calorie is no different from a day calorie as a calorie is a calorie, regardless of when you eat. What causes weight gain is the consumption of more calories than you burn.
It is true that people who "starve" during the day, eat too much at night. Still others eat a full meal in the evening, even though they have eaten normally during the day. And there are those who choose for dinner what is most fattening, from pizzas to sweets.
What do those who lose weight or maintain a stable weight do?
They eat as much as they should during the day and as much as they need at night, because neither bulimia catches them from lack of food all day, nor do they need to go to bed on an empty stomach. They thus better regulate their appetite and overall food intake.
Therefore, in simple words, what determines whether you will lose weight or maintain your weight, is not what time of day you eat but what and how much you eat and how much is your physical activity throughout the day.
Source: myworld.gr