To optimize your metabolism and maintain hormonal balance, prioritize an earlier, moderate nocturnal fast (eating dinner early and having breakfast around 8:00 a.m., for a 14-hour fast) rather than skipping breakfast and concentrating your meals later in the day.

noli's read

The concept of concentrating meals earlier in the day to align with our biological rhythms is well-founded. A 2023 meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) confirms that eating early promotes better metabolic balance and improved glucose management compared to late-day eating. Furthermore, an observational study from the University of California, Davis, shows that skipping breakfast can disrupt the rhythm of our stress response hormone (cortisol) in women, negatively influencing appetite. A large community study from King’s College London (2023) also validates that a 14-hour nocturnal fast improves energy, well-being, and sleep. However, asserting that a 12 to 14-hour fast is sufficient to trigger autophagy (our cells' regeneration and cleanup mechanism) is an exaggeration. Research suggests that this cellular recycling does not significantly activate until after more prolonged fasting, typically exceeding 18 or 24 hours. Finally, the idea that skipping meals systematically disrupts female hormones lacks nuance, as sensitivity to energy restriction varies greatly depending on an individual's level of physical activity, as explained by Dr. Stacy Sims.

the sources

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5. 5Sievert K et al. 2019