Best Time Breakfast And Dinner To Lose Stomach Fat

Illustration of eating to reduce belly fat (Freepic)

JAKARTA - After a holiday period full of delicious and sweet foods, many people are starting to experience weight gains. If you're trying to get rid of belly fat, setting meal times can be an effective strategy, even more important than just reducing calories.

A recent study from Spain revealed that meal times, particularly breakfast and dinner, played a major role in fat burning, especially in the stomach. The study was published in the journal Nature Medicine and led by a team of scientists from the University of Granada and the University of Navarra.

The study examined the effect of the intermittent fasting method or intermittent fasting on 197 participants aged 30 to 60 years for 12 weeks. Participants are divided into several groups, one of which is the morning fasting group which only eats between 09.00 to 17.00.

As a result, the morning fasting group experienced the most significant decrease in belly fat, especially in subcutaneous fat, which is fat just below the stomach skin.

Eating for a limited time, especially completing meals before 5 p.m., can be a practical and effective strategy for managing weight and reducing belly fat after excessive periods like Christmas," said Prof. Jonatan Ruiz, lecturer at the Faculty of Sports at the University of Granada, quoted from The Sun page.

Disordered eating times, such as late-night meals, can disrupt the rhythm of the body's sirkadian, internal biological clocks that regulate metabolism. This can increase the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

According to the researchers, the method of eating with a limited time window, or time-restricted eating, is very effective for supporting healthy metabolism. In fact, the morning fasting group in this study showed increased levels of fasting blood sugar and night sugar levels, which contributed to preventing diabetes.

"The morning seasoning shows the best results in increasing blood sugar control and lowering the risk of metabolic disorders," said Dr. Idoia Labayen, one of the main researchers.

In addition to eating between 9 am to 5 pm, there are several other fasting intermittent methods that are also widely used:

- 16/8 = 16 hours of fasting, 8 hours of eating

- 5:2 = Eat normal 5 days, eat very little (500600 calories) for 2 days

- Fasting 24 hours = Not eating for a full day, usually once a week

- Fasting between meals = Fasting every two days

However, not everyone is suitable for intermittent fasting. You are not advised to do it if you are pregnant, have type 1 diabetes or have a history of eating disorders.

Despite the many benefits, this approach also received important notes from other studies. Research from China found that limiting meal times to too tight, such as just eating in 8 hours a day, could be associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease.

"We are surprised to find that people who do time-restricted eating are actually more at risk of dying from heart disease." said Dr. Victor Zhong of Shanghai Jiao Tong University.