The best eating schedule is the one that works for you

The internet is flooded with dietary advice and information that is believed to work best for our health and fitness, but does it work well for everyone? Well, eating healthy is good for our bodies, but it turns out it’s just as important for our focus. In fact, as per a study published in Population Health Management, it was observed that people who consistently make unhealthy food choices are two-thirds more likely to be less productive than those who actively choose healthy options. Thus, it was believed that to keep their energy up, many people emphasized focusing heavily on meal timing. But does it actually matter when you eat and how much you eat? Here’s all you need to know about meal frequency and why the best dietary routine is ultimately the one you can actually stick to.The small meals mythFor ages, health experts and fitness enthusiasts believed that eating smaller meals throughout the day was the ultimate way to eat. The theory was that your body could only absorb about 30 grams of protein at a single time and that eating frequently ensured a steady supply of nutrients. At the same time, nutritionists argued that eating five or six small meals a day would boost your metabolism and keep hunger at bay. The logic seemed sound: you are far less likely to overeat or feel starving when you know your next meal is always just around the corner. Many people adopted this habit—and still stick to it today—because it simply feels right for their lifestyle. However, the underlying science behind it has not entirely held up.What the science actually saysAs per a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, put this exact theory to the test. Researchers placed participants into two groups: both groups consumed the same number of calories and macronutrients, but one group ate three meals a day while the other ate six. Later, the groups swapped their eating patterns. The results showed absolutely no difference in nutritional benefits or participant appetite between the two schedules.Moreover, meal frequency had no impact on grehlin, the hunger hormone that increases appetite and food intake, or on leptin, the hormone that signals fullness and suppresses appetite. It also had zero effect on inflammation—a crucial finding, since chronic inflammation can contribute to serious health problems like heart disease, diabetes, and certain cancers.No single way to eatWhat this research proves is that eating five or six small meals a day isn’t necessarily optimal, but it also isn’t sub-optimal. The same rule applies to other popular trends. Someone else’s intermittent fasting routine isn’t inherently superior or inferior. A classic routine of three balanced meals a day isn’t necessarily better or worse, either. If you are trying to maintain a healthy weight, what actually matters is how much you eat. If you are trying to be healthy, what matters is what you eat. When or how often you eat takes a back seat to the quality and quantity of your food.When timing actually mattersWhile meal frequency may not change your metabolism, timing can still affect your body in other ways. Research shows that taking in most of your calories earlier in the day could be linked to lower odds of being overweight or obese. On the flip side, eating too close to bedtime can interfere with your sleep and increase the risk of weight gain and metabolic issues. If late-night eating disrupts your rest, it creates a compounding effect. A study published in Sleep found that reduced sleep leads to a significant increase in eating. Supporting this, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a lack of sleep causes increased activity in your brain’s reward centers specific to food, while also negatively affecting the hormones that signal when you are full. So, on the extreme ends of the scale, timing does play a role—mostly because of how it impacts your sleep. What’s the best routineAt the end of the day, what always matters most is whether your eating schedule actually works for you. The best eating schedule is just like the best exercise or morning routine that isn't the one that is currently trendy. The best schedule is the one you can consistently stick with. Even if a routine like intermittent fasting were proven to be the absolute "best" way to eat, that title is completely irrelevant if you cannot maintain it. An 80 percent solution followed consistently will always outperform a 100 percent solution that you cannot actually sustain.