This Is The Worst Time To Eat Dinner If You’re Trying To Lose Weight

First, some good news: there is no hard rule about a specific time you should and should not eat dinner. Since our schedules and eating patterns are different, the best time for one person may not be the best time for another. Generally speaking though, many experts say dinner should be eaten at least three hours before going to sleep. This time frame, in addition to ensuring dinner is the lightest meal of your day (breakfast should contain more fat, calories, and protein since you need to sustain that energy for hours) will help you lose weight and keep it off. 

This rule may change slightly if you prefer to eat five small meals instead of three more substantial ones. Cut yourself some slack: a lighter meal eaten one hour before bed will likely be just fine for your body and digestive system. 

If there's a time of day that's not so great for dinner if you're trying to lose weight, then, presumably, there's a perfect time for dinner. A diet company called Forza Supplements posed that very question to 1,000 participants, all of whom are considered "healthy eaters." And the magic time in which most eat dinner every night is ... 6:14. According to some experts, eating your last major meal around this time gives you body an opportunity to digest your food, but it isn't so early that you wind up craving chips an hour later (hopefully). 

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule — your work and sleep schedule and meal plan has everything to do with the dinner time that's best for you. For the best weight loss results, take expert info and studies into consideration, but don't neglect your personal needs. Your body can do a pretty great job at deciding what it needs to run at an optimal level.