Morning Meals, Better Metabolism: The Proven Power of Early Eating

"In the morning eat like a king, at noon like a prince, and in the evening like a pauper.” So said the Rambam (Maimonides) over 800 years ago — and it seems his advice is more relevant today than ever.

Today’s pace of life makes it difficult to apply the Rambam’s recommendation, because our waking hours are much longer. People work later, stay awake deep into the night, and end up eating most of their calories toward the end of the day.

Many families skip breakfast entirely, eat a late lunch, and have dinner late at night. Some approaches strongly recommend avoiding late-night eating and emphasize the importance of breakfast. Other approaches argue that what matters is the total daily calorie intake — regardless of timing.

However, in recent years the Rambam’s classic advice — eat more in the morning and less at night, has been validated scientifically. Studies have found a strong link between late-night eating and increased risk of obesity, increased body fat, and difficulty losing weight.

A study published several months ago in a professional medical journal and conducted by researchers at a Boston medical center explored the connection between late-evening eating and weight gain. The findings showed that the timing of meals significantly impacts several key factors — most notably appetite and energy expenditure.

Participants in the study, all of whom were overweight, were divided into two groups. Both groups consumed the same meals, but at different times. In the first stage, one group ate all its meals four hours later than the other group. In the second stage, the groups switched, and the second group ate four hours earlier. All participants had the same sleep schedules and wake-up times.

During the study, participants reported their levels of hunger and fullness. Researchers collected blood samples, measured the participants’ body temperature, tracked their energy expenditure, and even took fat-tissue biopsies to examine how meal timing affects fat mass and fat storage.

The results showed that meal timing had a significant impact on the two main hunger-regulating hormones — ghrelin and leptin.

• Ghrelin signals the brain to eat and increases hunger.

• Leptin signals the brain to stop eating and increases the feeling of fullness.

The main effect was seen with leptin: its levels remained lower for a longer period in the group that ate later in the day. In other words, people who ate late felt less full. Their calorie balance shifted, energy expenditure slowed, and their bodies showed biological signs of increased fat storage after late-night meals.

These findings strongly support the Rambam’s famous statement to start the day with your main meal, and eat less as the day progresses. Current scientific research confirms that for most people, the body’s metabolic efficiency — meaning optimal calorie use — is highest in the morning.