Although dietary restriction often results in initial weight loss, the majority of obese dieters fail to maintain their reduced weight. Diet-induced weight loss results in compensatory increase of hunger, craving that encourage weight regain (yo-yo effect).

From this stand point, starving yourself it’s ineffective with lot of bad side effects. So forget about all those new fancy diets, can’t even remember them all, that fitness industry is trying to impose. You will put all the weight back on as soon as you stop the diet. What you want is something sustainable.

The chrono diet is something that, on a long run, can solve the problem. It’s actually a lifestyle! Before we get into the details about chrono diet, it is from significant importance to understand circadian rhythm.

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Circadian rhythm

Circadian rhythm (circa, meaning “around” and dian derivative of diam, meaning “day”) is powerful  24h rhythm, biological clock,  that helps to determine lot of processes in our body. These include your timed preferences for eating and drinking, when you want to be awake or asleep, it regulates your mood and emotions, your core body temperature, the amount of urine you produce, your metabolic rate and release of numerous hormones.

The circadian rhythm appears to operate as a critical interface between nutrition and homeostasis, calling for more attention on the beneficial effects of chrono diet. The master or “central” clock is located in the hypothalamus, within a paired structure so-called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN contains 15–20,000 neurons, which have the remarkable feature of oscillating with a 24 hr based rhythm.

In other words, our body is programmed to take and digest different types of food in certain periods of the day according to release of different hormones and enzymes. Feeding behavior is a principal factor that plays a role in the organism’s nutritional status.

Chrono diet refers to food administration in coordination with the body’s daily rhythms. This concept reflects the basic idea that, in addition to the amount and content of food, the time of ingestion is also critical for the well-being of an organism.

Breakfast

You should be looking forward to this, because breakfast is the biggest meal where anything goes. This means carbs, fat and protein – but no sugar. The part with sugar is very important, and this includes sweeteners like honey and fruit. Unlike what most people are used to having for breakfast, you will want to avoid wheat and corn, and stick with oats. If you are eating processed meat (which are absolutely allowed) make sure you buy locally and without additives.

Lunch

Now it’s time for lunch, and you’re probably quite hungry. Your lunch should mostly be made up of protein – whichever kind you prefer. Beef, pork, lamb and veal are all allowed and you can have plenty – just without any bread. Actually, it should be without any carbs at all.

If you can’t push through without the carbs, combine them with plenty of vegetables. Make sure that you have a side of fresh salad with every single lunch, or make it the main course and up the protein by adding chicken, chickpeas and other protein-rich foods.

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Snack

It’s time for a little snack, but make sure you don’t go overboard. This is the time of the day when you are allowed sugar, so a small piece of dark chocolate or some dried fruit will be a great way to make it until dinner. You should try to incorporate some slimming superfoods into this, especially the ones that have tons of benefits – but with some sugar included.

Dinner

You can forget all about the big roast, baked goods and any carbs at all – dinner is simply there to fill your stomach so you don’t go to sleep hungry. If you are including some protein, it should be light and lean – like chicken or fish. Eat a lot of green vegetables, and if you are not targeting weight loss, then you can have a piece of cheese. This is your smallest meal, so act accordingly.

Remember that a chrono diet is not a quick fix. It is a lifestyle and a diet that you commit to for life. It might be hard at the beginning, but once you get used to it, you will notice that this is the natural rhythm that your body has and you will feel full of energy and not hungry at all.

Now when you decide to change your lifestyle it’s time to start with training. Book your personal trainer and start exercising!

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