WITH less than 12 weeks to go until the summer holidays officially begin, you might be starting to think about weight loss.
And as you well know, your and the foods you eat between now and then will have a big impact.
But experts say to get real results, you need to do more than just
Thankfully, this doesn’t have to mean resorting to extreme measures.
In fact, you can by simply eating the right foods for dinner – and it could wonders for your simultaneously!
You won’t wake up a dress size smaller in just one night, but Kelly Mulhall, nutritionist and founder of The Natural Balance, tells Sun Health: “Having a nutritious dinner supports the body while we sleep.
“In time, these fat-burning foods, paired with a , can help you shift unwanted flab.”;
Research has repeatedly shown how important sleep is to
At the end of a study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, participants who slept 5.5 hours lost 55 per cent less body fat than those who got 8.5 hours.
Those in the 8.5-hour group also burnt twice as many calories per day, and the tired participants felt hungrier thanks to higher levels of the ‘hunger hormone', ghrelin.
Kelly says: “If weight loss is your goal, sleep needs to be a priority.
“You’ll find it difficult to or eat in a calorie deficit if you’re tired, and it will increase levels of the stress hormone , which will make you crave sugar, slow your metabolism, and mean you store fat.”;
FOODS TO BLAST FAT OVERNIGHT
1. WHOLE FOODS
IF you’re having grains, make sure they’re the wholegrain variety like brown rice, quinoa or wholemeal bread.
In a study published in the World Journal of , participants were given either a diet filled with or one rich in refined grains, such as white bread and white rice.
After eight weeks, those in the wholegrain group had a significantly reduced body weight.
This is likely because wholegrains contain more , which increases fullness, as well as , which decrease fat mass, scientists say.
Kelly adds: “Similar to , refined carbohydrates provide with no nutritional value.”;
2. STEAK OUT?
A at dinner could help you to burn unwanted fat.
A study in the journal Obesity Science & Practice found that four weekly servings of lean beef over four months aided weight loss more than a high-protein diet containing little to no red meat.
Beef is packed with protein, which helps keep you full by suppressing the release of ghrelin, according to research in the Journal of Obesity & Metabolic Syndrome.
Spinach contains magnesium, which helps to promote sleep
Kelly MulhallNutritionist and founder of The Natural Balance
Kelly says: “ are made up of amino acids. Getting these before bed means our body has what it needs to build and repair.
“If you’re hoping to build muscle, include aprotein at dinner.”;
Vegetarian? Kelly suggests adding tofu and legumes instead.
3. SOMETHING FISHY
“THE omega-3 fatty acids in , sardines and salmon help maintain cell health, reduce inflammation, and regulate hunger hormones,”; says Kelly.
A study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism found that three grams of fish oil per day for 12 weeks increased the metabolic rate in healthy adults by an average of 5.3 per cent.
Essentially, they burnt more calories at rest.
Separate research in Plos One discovered that when older women took three grams of fish oil every day for three months, their metabolic rates increased by around 14 per cent.
4. FIBRE POWER
THESE tiny but mighty foods are filled with .
“They , meaning you don’t need to snack,”; Kelly says – but you should eat them alongside protein.
Research published in the journal Obesity Science and Practice found that focusing on protein and fibre together is vital for long-term weight loss success.
Another study in Frontiers revealed that after 16 weeks, participants who ate a fibre-rich diet lost more weight than those who didn’t.
Fibre includes foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils, wholegrain carbohydrates and avocados.
To focus your diet on fibre, have porridge oats or wholegrain cereal for and snack on seeds, nuts and fruit between meals.
Make sure to include vegetables at both lunch and dinner. Potatoes with the skin on is a fiborous dinner, or you could try a curry with various vegetables and an added can of chickpeas or lentils with brown rice.
5. GO GREEN
A SIDE of steamed spinach could be the secret to better sleep – and a slimmer waistline.
Research in the journal Appetite found that spinach extract taken with dinner could increase levels of the fullness hormone, GLP-1, helping to reduce post-dinner munchies.
Another study found five grams of spinach extract taken daily over several months resulted in 43 per cent greater weight loss than a placebo.
Kelly says: “Spinach contains magnesium, which helps to promote sleep, so while not a direct weight loss aid, it ensures you feel motivated tomorrow.”;
6. SPICE UP YOUR LIFE
LIVEN up your meals and support overnight fat burning by sprinkling in some herbs and .
“They not only make our food taste great, but also contain powerful polyphenols and antioxidants that can reduce appetite, promote blood sugar balance and reduce cravings,”; says Kelly.
Specifically, basil, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, garlic, ginger, nigella seeds and turmeric have an impact on body weight, BMI, and hip and waist circumference.
That’s according to research in the Journal of Functional Foods, which saw participants take one to three grams every day for four to 16 weeks.
SHOULD I REALLY STOP EATING AFTER 6PM?
THE ‘’ rule has been debated for years.
While the calories you consume at 6pm are the same as those at 9pm, you should ideally finish dinner by 8pm to give your body time to digest while awake, Kelly says.
Overnight fasts of around 14 hours have been shown to reduce hunger and boost mood and energy in research by King's College London.
Plus, eating late could cause a sugar spike just as your body is naturally trying to wind down.
“Your body might ‘wake itself up again’, then you may go to bed later, sleep can be disrupted, you feel unrested, and the cycle continues,”; Kelly says.
Research published in the journal Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics found that those who had their last glucose spike of the day before 5.40pm lost three times as much weight as those at 8.40pm.
