Reboot your body clock
New science from the University of California at San Diego uncovers a sneaky body-clock glitch that makes fat burning impossible—and the easy meal-timing fix that melts stubborn pounds fast and forever
From the moment our alarm goes off in the morning until we hit the sheets at night, a system of internal body clocks keeps us feeling alert and energized—or calm and relaxed—at the right points during the day. These clocks, which are found in the brain and metabolic tissue like the intestines, liver and pancreas, are responsible for keeping bodily functions including hormone production, fat burning and detoxification on a healthy schedule. And while scientists used to believe these clocks were set by the natural rhythms of the daily light-dark cycle, breaking research has revealed that this isn’t the full story.
The finding: Our body clocks actually take timing cues from bacteria in the gut. Studies at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel revealed that beneficial microbes release signaling molecules that “talk” to our body clocks. These messages help keep essential physiological functions synced up with the natural light-dark cycle. But many common practices— like eating a high-sugar diet or grazing on mini meals throughout the day— have been shown in studies to allow bad bacteria to take root in the gut. Unfortunately, these troublemaking bacteria also send signaling messages to our internal clocks—except these signals override the natural rhythms created by the daily light-dark cycle, impairing the body’s ability to cue up metabolic processes at the right times.
That pulls us into a weight-gain trap. As gut specialist Gerard Mullin, M.D., an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine,
explains, “These alterations drive fat accumulation and change the way your body processes sugar.” Over time, these body-clock disruptions impair key metabolic functions, including insulin production, digestion and detoxification, which can cause a host of other health problems to set in. In fact, NIH researchers have found that out-of-sync clocks are closely linked to type 2 diabetes.
Fortunately, there’s an easy way to promote the growth of the beneficial bacteria that reset body clocks. The key: keeping meal times confined to an 8-hour window. “By restricting your meal times, you are reducing the number of harmful bacteria in your gut simply by not feeding them,” asserts weight-loss expert Vincent Pedre, M.D. This starves and weakens the population of bad bacteria. Even better: Beneficial bugs (the ones that cue body clocks in a way that keeps fat burning humming) actually thrive during the non-eating window, helping kick-start metabolism and increase energy. And this bacteria makeover can happen quickly, adds Dr. Pedre: “Studies have shown that changes in the microbiome begin within three days of a dietary change.”
Once clocks are set on the right time, fat falls off fast. Researchers at the University of California at
San Diego found that study subjects who consumed all their meals in an 8-hour window lost 77 percent more weight than those who ate at any time of the day. “We did not change the diet and we did not reduce their calories,” asserts Satchin Panda, Ph.D., a circadian expert at the university and author of The Circadian Code (Rodale, 2018). “Timing made the magic.” Follow-up studies showed that participants saw results even when they indulged during their eating window. “We didn’t give them any instructions on what to eat or how much to eat,” Panda says. “When we gathered the data, what we found was astonishing: All the participants lost an average of 4 percent of their total weight in just four months. They ate whatever they wanted, and they all lost weight.” And the women FIRST spoke to saw greater results: Some lost as many as 9 pounds every week— without giving up their favorite foods.
The benefits go beyond weight loss. “Our study participants reported that they slept better at night and felt more energetic and less hungry during the day,” says Panda. In other studies, time-restricted eating has been shown to reduce sick days by 56 percent and boost brainpower by 69 percent. “Because time-restricted eating reduces systematic inflammation, you’ll experience fewer symptoms of allergies, asthma, arthritis and joint pain,” says Dr. Pedre. “You will feel improved energy, stamina and mental clarity—and you’ll see a leaner, fitter frame.” Read on for the how-to that will get you slim and energized for life!