Eating in alignment with your circadian rhythms means that you’re taking advantage of this natural period of higher metabolic activity.
Current studies on meal timing show that early fasting in particular can help lower blood sugar (glucose) levels, manage weight, and improve body composition. Some research indicates that frontloading your calorie intake 2for the day before 3 p.m. is linked consuming fewer calories daily and eating a higher-quality diet, whereas eating a higher percentage of your daily calories after 8 p.m. is associated with having a higher body mass index (BMI) and body fat.
So there’s pretty well-established (and growing) evidence behind eating earlier in the day. What’s still emerging though is comparing intermittent fasting eating window times. What the data currently show is that early time-restricted feeding may reduce fasted blood sugar levels and insulin sensitivity—meaning your cells are more responsive to the hormone that helps the body better utilize glucose. And late time-restricted feeding may increase blood sugar levels.
But in terms of fasting, intermittent fasting in general is considered a beneficial therapeutic approach to managing type 2 diabetes3.
