When you are Intermittent fasting, is it better to skip breakfast or dinner to get the best results?
My wife and I have been experimenting with intermittent fasting for over 12 years, and 90% of the time, we skip breakfast to reduce our eating window. For example, if we are doing an 18:6 fasting strategy where you fast for 18 hours and then take in all your calories within a six-hour eating window, we typically drink black coffee and mineral water all morning and then break a fast around 2 PM. However, we are thinking about changing our strategy based on some new research.
About two years ago, I looked at all the latest research about intermittent fasting and whether it’s better to skip breakfast or dinner and concluded based on the research that it didn’t really matter. Both methods worked, and I recommended that you should do whatever fits better into your lifestyle and schedule. However, a new research study on protein timing just came out and is about the importance of eating protein earlier in the day.
The study points out that when you eat protein earlier in the day, sticking to your normal circadian rhythm, you can potentially maintain better muscle mass and strength compared to people who eat protein later in the day.
Therefore, I’m thinking about trying a 30-day experiment where I eat breakfast and lunch while skipping dinner. I plan on keeping records of my progress and see if eating protein earlier in the day produces better results in the gym. If you want to join me on this 30-day challenge, leave a comment and let me know how it is going for you.
Mike Cola – Health Coach
