Optimum 8 hours and metabolic process

I keep my eating window between 12 and 8 or 1 and 9. Sometimes adjust it based on evening appointments. I am trying to eat earlier but do find myself eating close to 8 or 9 at times which I know is not the best. My questions are: 1. Any evidence on eating earlier in the day and that being better for metabolic processes? My sense is later we eat, the slower metabolic process and less effective. 2. How consistent does the time need to be daily? Or is it just ensuring the 16:8 is observed? Some days I eat much later but still cut off by 8 as well. Looking for some thoughts and wisdom.

Answer

Read somewhere that an earlier eating window was slightly more efficient for burning calories the remainder of the day. However I prefer a later eating window as I seem to get hungry after my fasting window once my blood sugar level drops a few hours later. I don’t think the time you eat matters as much as the length of the fast however. I prefer 18:6 over 16:8. I don’t notice a difference in hunger in the extra 2 hours fasting but I definitely consume less calories in 6 hours than I was able to in 8 so overall calorie consumption decreased.

Answer

If I remember correctly there is no difference between eating throughout the day or intermittent fasting when it comes to weight loss, what matters is the caloric intake. Or the difference was very small. Same as low carb or low fat diet has almost no difference.