The doctor calls out some popular but problematic pieces of dietary advice.
About 3 in 4 US adults are overweight or obese and many of us are thinking about healthy, sustainable ways to lose weight.
But according to one expert, there are a number of small solutions that can ruin your final game.
“When advocates call breakfast a myth and tell you to save all your calories for dinner, that advice is making you fat, making you sick, and driving your insulin resistance to dangerous levels,” says internist Dr. Anette Bosworth in a YouTube video.
Bosworth took breakfast captains who cut carbs and tried fasting but failed to see their efforts reflected on the scale.
According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a quarter of Americans skip breakfast.
“Fasting works as one of the most advanced tools that can reverse insulin resistance, but many people are doing it wrong,” he explained.
A precursor to diabetes, insulin resistance occurs when cells cannot use glucose properly for energy or storage. Because of this, glucose builds up in the blood and the pancreas, the main source of insulin, goes into action to combat the rise in blood sugar levels.
Bosworth said for many, skipping breakfast means “saving” calories for dinner and indulging in a high-fat or keto diet before bed.
“If the experts tell you that a calorie is equal to a calorie no matter what, they’re lying to you,” he said, adding that throwing back a handful of nuts or some other type of keto snack around 9 p.m. is hell for your life.
The reason for this decrease in food intake, he explains, is the relationship between melatonin and insulin.
Melatonin tells your body it’s time to rest and repair cells – and it suppresses insulin activity.
“Your blood sugar rises a little more than it should, and it stays higher for longer than it would if you ate that food in the morning,” she said.
If you eat a steak at 9 am, your insulin is ready to process and divert protein and glucose stores to keep you going for the rest of the day. But at 9 p.m., the body is forced to create insulin resistance with that same meal.
Bosworth says that when it comes to late-night eating, “one bite is worth 10.”
To combat the problem, rather than bloating after sunset, the doctor recommends that you pre-load your calorie intake at the beginning of your day. That means eating your largest meal when you wake up, as insulin sensitivity and metabolic activity are highest in the morning and afternoon.
“Stop saving your calories for the evening. Eat a high-fat, high-protein breakfast. Fill yourself up. Satiate yourself. Then when the sun goes down, you’ll feel completely full,” he added.
Bosworth isn’t the only expert who says not eating can be a bad idea.
“Short-term strategies such as fasting or skipping meals can shock the metabolism into slowing the rate of digestion,” Dr. Sue Decotiis, a weight loss specialist in New York, previously told The Post.
Eating too fast, on the other hand, can also interfere with your weight loss goals.
“Several studies, including reviews and clinical trials, have shown that fast eaters tend to have higher blood sugar levels after eating and may produce less hormones that tell us we’re full,” Dr. Yesika Garcia, a board-certified endocrinologist at Manhattan Medical Offices, told The Post.
“This can lead to overeating, weight gain and insulin resistance over time,” he added, “all of which are key factors in metabolic syndrome and diabetes.”
