it’s about time

Eat well-rounded meals. If you do not eat enough during the day, you could easily be tempted to fill the void by eating too much at night.

Meal plan. Having an idea of what you are going to eat for the week will help you avoid opening the refrigerator multiple times a day in search of one meal.

Time-restricted feeding, or TRF, is a diet centered not around what you eat but when you are eating it. For example, the average person’s day consists of breakfast, lunch and dinner—but what about those in-between times? The chocolate candies hidden in our desks and our midnight snacks can add up to a lot of calories over time. The TRF diet is a way to prevent this from happening and help us achieve an overall healthier lifestyle.

TRF is simple. Essentially, it’s up to the dieter to choose which hours out of the day he or she prefers to eat. Typically, this window of eating opportunity can range anywhere from six to 10 hours—or from 10am to 4pm. Any time after this would be your “fasting period.” During the fasting period, you would refrain from calorie intake—no snacking, no problem.

One study demonstrated the pros of the TRF diet in males. When the participants ate only during a 10-hour period, their calorie intake decreased by 20 percent versus the days where they were free to eat at any hour. Weight loss was reported after a time of consuming less calories.

We know what you’re thinking. What if I get hungry before bed? If you follow these tips for eating at the right time, the urge to snack at bedtime will eventually pass.

Keep a food diary. Write down what food you eat and your mood before you eat it. This is a strategy that works well for identifying what triggers your negative eating patterns.

Stray away from snacks. Stay on the outskirts of the grocery store. The middle aisles are typically reserved for snack and processed food.

Eat the right food. You can feel full by eating food low in calories. Try oatmeal for breakfast, fish and Greek yogurt for lunch, and a protein and vegetables for dinner. If you must snack on something during your non-fasting period, munch on some popcorn.