Today’s post explores the idea of eating three meals a day as a way of maintaining a healthy weight or losing excess weight.

The response to my previous article on snacking was wonderful. You shared many comments on how you manage your weight as well as challenges you face.

Sharing your stories helps us all learn that there is more than one way to accomplish your goal. Most of the women who left feedback, agreed that unfocused snacking leads to trouble when you are trying to manage your weight.

In my experience as a health coach, there is a certain pattern that almost always leads to weight problems. Notice I said “almost” not always, because we are unique beings and what happens for most does not happen for all. I’d like to explain why night eaters are more prone to weight gain.

Why Breakfast Is Important for Weight Loss After 60

Morning is the best time to eat a substantial meal (fruit, eggs, vegetables, steel cuts oats, for example) to give you energy for the day and to give your body time to burn it off.

A night eater is too likely to wake up not feeling hungry in the morning. They may skip breakfast, only to find themselves with low energy all morning and then overeating through the afternoon and evening.

It’s easy to tell ourselves things like ‘I’m not very hungry this morning, so I’ll save my calories for later.’ This pattern of thinking and acting can easily lead to weight gain.

Night Eating Is Tough on Your Body

The way we burn energy is through the use of the calories we consume. If you are a night eater, you don’t give your body much time to use the energy you consume because you go to sleep.

Your body hangs onto much of that late-night food, and something else happens – you won’t feel hungry in the morning.

There are digestive issues that can arise from night eating too. Among them are acid reflux from lying down before food is digested and poor quality sleep from going to bed with a full stomach.

You may also be depriving your body of the internal repair work it is designed to do while you are sleeping. It can’t be repairing if it is busy digesting.

Eat Breakfast Like a King and Lose More Weight After 60

There’s an adage that says “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen and dinner like a pauper.” There is much truth to this. Eating heartily in the morning and light at night can make all the difference in giving you energy throughout the day maintaining a healthy weight.

If you work evenings, you may need to alter your eating schedule. You might want to eat your hearty breakfast (or dinner) in the early evening and have a light meal in the middle of your shift and something very light in the morning before you go to bed.

My Six Weeks to Diet Freedom program is designed to build structure around eating with a focus on your personal goals and lifestyle. It will help you create an action plan and learn how to create a positive mindset in choosing healthy foods. It will also cover why stress has an impact on weight loss.

The next series begins on September 20th.

What are your eating routines? Do you have a substantial breakfast? What gives you energy to get through the day? Are you trying to lose weight after 60? Share in the comments. I’d love to hear more.