Weight Loss: Seize the Best Exercise and Meal Times for Scientific and Efficient Fat Burning

According to the theory of "supercompensation," there are three situations during physical exercise: First, short-duration, low-intensity exercise provides minimal stimulation and does not require the use of internal organs, resulting in minimal or no bodily response. Therefore, the exercise effect is extremely poor, making it difficult to achieve the goal of improving health and strengthening the body.

Second, the effects of exercise vary depending on the interval between repetitive exercises.

(1) If the interval is too long, the next exercise will occur after "supercompensation," and the body's functions will remain at their original level.

I. Optimal Meal Times for Weight Loss
Regarding meal times, from ordinary households to government offices and schools, the general arrangement for three meals a day is as follows: breakfast 6:00–7:00, lunch 11:30–12:30, dinner 17:30–18:30. Medical experts have experimentally proven that if these meal times are advanced or delayed, missing the peak metabolic period, weight loss can be achieved. In his recently published book, *The Diet Schedule*, renowned American medical expert Ronald Cardi argues that "the timing of meals is more important for weight gain or loss than the quantity and quality of food consumed." This is because the body's metabolic rate varies throughout the 24 hours of the day. Generally, metabolism begins to peak around 6:00 AM, reaches its peak between 8:00 AM and 12:00 PM, and then gradually declines. Therefore, obese individuals who eat breakfast before 5:30 AM, lunch after 12:30 PM, and dinner at 6:30 PM not only avoid the peak metabolic time, thus aiding weight loss, but also create more reasonable intervals between meals compared to their usual eating schedules.

II. Optimal Exercise Time for Weight Loss Regarding exercise time, it's difficult to impose a uniform, rigid rule, or a standardized "model." It must be tailored to individual circumstances, including work, study, lifestyle habits, leisure time, and desired goals. For those trying to lose weight, both seasonality and daily timing must be considered, along with practical needs. The optimal exercise time for weight loss is best scheduled within the following three timeframes:

(I) Don't Forget Winter The key to weight loss is maintaining a balance between calorie intake and expenditure, ideally exceeding calorie expenditure in the initial stages. The only way to increase calorie expenditure is through consistent exercise or physical activity. Modern medical research shows that "weight gain is greatest in autumn (September to November)," but for weight loss purposes, winter is the golden season for exercise. The benefits of exercising in winter can be summarized in two aspects: First, it improves the body's cold resistance, enhances health, and strengthens the constitution. Second, it fosters resilience, encouraging the body to withstand frost and snow, cultivating a strong will and a spirit of perseverance. In addition to the above benefits, obese patients can also achieve the special effect of weight loss. This is because: 1. In winter, the weather is cold, the temperature is low, and there is a lot of wind and sand, resulting in reduced sweating and lower heat consumption; conversely, appetite is strong, and food intake increases. If exercise is not maintained, excess calories will be converted into fat, thus increasing obesity. 2. In winter, the days are short and the nights are long, increasing sleep time, which accelerates fat synthesis. From a medical perspective, the human body's metabolism is stronger in the morning than in the afternoon, and weakest at night. The metabolic level at night is more than 10% lower than during the day. A lower metabolic level means less heat consumption. Dr. Gatti of New York University has shown that nighttime is when the body secretes the most insulin, and the insulin content in the blood and body fluids is the highest. Under the action of sufficient insulin, the rate of fat synthesis in the body accelerates, and the proportion of sugar and protein converted into fat is also greater.

3. Some obese patients, in pursuit of "health and longevity," blindly supplement their diet without any specific need. Excessive supplementation can lead to overnutrition, which, without exercise, will inevitably increase obesity. Therefore, winter exercise is crucial for weight loss.

(II) The Morning is the Most Valuable Time. "The day's plan starts in the morning." This illustrates that the morning hours are the most precious. Morning exercise has three benefits: First, the air is fresh and clean, which is beneficial to health; second, it helps cultivate good living habits; and third, it helps the body quickly transition from a state of inhibition during sleep to an excited state, preparing for the day's study and work. In addition to these benefits, obese patients can also lose weight.

Under normal circumstances, there is a 12-hour interval between breakfast and dinner, which is half of the 24 hours in a day. From a biochemical perspective, different foods stay in the stomach for different durations. Water enters the bloodstream directly in just 2-3 minutes, dairy products in about 1.5 hours, mixed foods in about 4-5 hours, high-fat foods in about 6 hours, and animal fats like butter in about 12 hours. my country's diet is primarily based on a mixed polysaccharide diet. After 11-12 hours, these nutrients are already digested and absorbed by the body, leaving the body in a fasting state in the morning. When the body is fasting, the liver's glycogen reserves are also at a low point. Scientists have proven that when the body is fasting, 50% of the calories needed for physical activity are provided by fat oxidation. Even after fasting for 1-3 days, 85% of the calories needed for physical activity are still provided by fat oxidation. Therefore, the calories needed for morning exercise are also provided by the oxidation of accumulated fat in the body. Obesity is caused by excess weight and excessive fat accumulation, so it is crucial to seize this "golden time" for weight loss exercise.

(III) Before and After Meals are Good Opportunities

1. Exercising 30-45 minutes before meals is effective for weight loss. According to reports, a sergeant named Clarin in a U.S. Air Force unit liked to snack and was 18 kg overweight. He tried various methods to lose weight, all of which failed. Later, he persisted in running 30-45 minutes before meals. In just five weeks, he not only lost over 9 kilograms but also broke his bad habit of snacking.

Exercising 30-45 minutes before meals can help with weight loss because it reduces appetite and food intake. During physical exercise, the motor cortex and sympathetic nervous system are in a state of high excitement, while the food center is relatively inhibited, and the secretion of digestive glands is suppressed. To meet the needs of exercise, more than 70% of the body's blood flows to the muscles and subcutaneous tissue, greatly increasing the secretion of adrenaline, while the secretion of other digestive glands decreases or even stops, and gastrointestinal motility slows down and weakens. Even after exercise, this reaction continues for 30-40 minutes before returning to normal function; the more intense the exercise, the longer the duration, and the longer it takes for the digestive organs to recover. Therefore, appetite will not increase significantly, and one will unconsciously prefer lighter, less oily foods. 1. A light and low-calorie diet naturally results in less nutrient intake, leading to a balance or even a negative balance between calorie intake and expenditure, thus improving weight loss.

2. Engaging in physical activity 30-45 minutes after meals also significantly enhances weight loss. This conclusion was proven by experiments conducted by David Leavis, Professor of Nutrition at the State University of New York, Cornell University's College of Human Ecology, and others. They divided participants into two groups, A and B, with identical food quantities and quality. The experimental group cycled for one hour, covering 4-8 kilometers, 30-45 minutes after lunch each day; the control group did not engage in any exercise. The experimental group resulted in a slimmer physique. Their analysis indicated that the experimental group burned calories 10-50% faster than the control group, and their overall calorie expenditure was 35% higher than before the experiment. This faster and greater calorie expenditure reduces the likelihood of fat accumulation. According to "The Best Time for Medical Care," "Walking for 20 minutes at a speed of 4.8 kilometers per hour (approximately 3200 meters) about 45 minutes after a meal is most beneficial for weight loss. If you wait 2-3 hours and then walk 3200 meters for another 20 minutes, the weight loss effect will be even more significant."

The reason why exercising 30-45 minutes after a meal can help with weight loss is because digestive and absorptive functions are weakened. Post-meal exercise excites the sympathetic nervous system and causes a large secretion of adrenaline. Due to the need for muscle work, the central nervous system redistributes blood flow. The small arteries in the muscles dilate, and capillaries open extensively, increasing blood flow to the motor organs; conversely, blood flow to the digestive organs such as the stomach and intestines decreases. After exercise, the motor cortex and sympathetic nervous system in the brain continue to be excited, taking about an hour to fully recover to normal function. Therefore, for 1-2 hours after a meal, blood flow to the stomach and intestines remains low, gastric juice secretion is also low, gastrointestinal motility is reduced, and digestive function is relatively poor. When the body ingests fewer nutrients and calories from food,

this also reduces the likelihood of fat accumulation. If a person consumes a large amount of high-fat, high-protein, and high-sugar food and then exercises the next day, the nutrients have already been digested and absorbed, and the excess calories have been converted into fat, which is detrimental to weight loss.