For Optimum Health and Weight Loss, Shut Down Your Kitchen at 8 PM

No Eating Past 8 P.M., And You Reap Lost Weight and Control Blood Sugars

Are you shutting down your kitchen at night? Well, you should. According to most health experts, for optimum weight loss, better blood glucose readings, and diabetes management, you should not eat anything three hours prior to going to bed.

Those involved in natural health also admonish that the body goes through certain cycles and the one following eight pm is where the body uses what it has been given throughout the night. The body will have to work harder to deal with late-night food. This is where much weight gain occurs.

These days, I finish eating by 6 pm. Now my husband works late, and often does not get home until almost eight pm. So for my health, during the week, I have to eat earlier before he arrives home.

I am a strong advocate for eating together at the dinner table. But if you are particularly concerned about your health, concessions have to be made.

My body cannot handle eating at eight pm or later. Then there is the mess in the kitchen to clean up. So I find if I eat earlier, I eat less because I am not so exhausted. Then I have time to clean up the kitchen before he arrives home. I simply sip on some water while he eats and I talk with him. Sometimes the kids eat with me, sometimes with him. We are trying to find our groove on this one.

On the weekends, we all eat dinner by six. This is harder on him, because he is used to eating later. So we are still working on this.

So my kitchen is closed at eight for business. No snacks, period, for anyone. Water is allowed, of course. In the beginning, my kids would ask for food, but now only occasionally. They are fed a great breakfast, lunch and dinner, and snacks during the day. I am of the firm belief that this snacking late at night--usually junk--has contributed to the childhood obesity epidemic in this country, as well as the onset of Type 2 Diabetes in so many.

Popular influences will push you otherwise. Have you ever noticed at night that most ads revolve around restaurants and pizza delivery and "fourth meal" and candy bars? Another reason to take a walk, read a book, read your Bible, play a game, work a puzzle, do laundry....