Professor Franklin Joseph said timing was everything
A weight loss doctor has revealed the one timing tweak that could dramatically boost your fat-burning – and it has nothing to do with what’s on your plate. New research suggests that when you eat may be just as crucial as what you eat, with studies showing that late-night meals can slow your metabolism, increase hunger hormones and make it harder to shed fat – especially during the darker, colder months when many of us naturally eat later.
Professor Franklin Joseph, medical director of Dr Frank’s Weight Loss Clinic, said that simply finishing your evening meal before 7pm can have a major effect on how efficiently your body burns fat overnight.
“Most people focus on calories and exercise, but when you eat is just as important,” he explained. “Our metabolism follows a 24-hour rhythm – eating too late keeps insulin and blood sugar elevated when your body should be winding down, which switches off fat-burning.”
The body’s internal clock – or circadian rhythm – controls hormones that regulate hunger, energy use and fat storage. Studies show that eating earlier in the evening, when the metabolism is naturally more active, can enhance fat oxidation and reduce overnight glucose levels.
“When you eat late, you’re effectively asking your body to digest a meal when it’s preparing for rest,” Prof Joseph said. “That means more energy is stored instead of burned.”
He added that people tend to eat later in the colder months, when darker evenings and comfort food cravings kick in – a habit that can quietly stall weight loss progress.
“As the nights draw in, many of us start eating dinner an hour or two later without realising,” he said. “Add in heavier, carb-rich comfort meals, and you’ve got the perfect storm for slower metabolism and fat gain.”
What time to stop eating for weight loss
A 2022 study from Harvard Medical School found that participants who ate the same meal four hours later burned significantly less fat and had higher hunger hormones compared to when they ate earlier. Another trial published in Obesity reported that restricting eating to a 10-hour window, ending by early evening, improved blood sugar control and increased fat-burning overnight.
“Finishing dinner by 7pm – or at least three hours before bed – gives your body time to digest, lower insulin, and transition into a natural fasting state,” Prof Joseph said. “That’s when fat-burning switches on.”
How to apply it
He recommended keeping evening meals lighter and focusing on lean protein, vegetables and fibre-rich carbs earlier in the night.
“You don’t need to starve yourself,” he added. “Just shift your last bite forward a little. Your sleep improves, digestion improves, and over time fat loss becomes easier without changing a single ingredient.”
Prof Joseph said it was a small lifestyle tweak with big metabolic rewards. “Think of it as aligning your fork with your body clock,” he said. “Eat with the sun, not against it – your metabolism will thank you.”