Meal times

Canadians are working longer hours and allowing less time for regular meals, according to a Statistics Canada report released in February 2007. All too often, regular mealtimes are taking a back seat to hectic work schedules — which is a problem, because when you eat can be as important to good health as what you eat.

In fact, proper meal timing may be just the thing you need to cope with a busy schedule. It leads to increased energy levels, decreased risk of obesity and fewer food cravings.

Effective meal timing provides a consistent source of energy throughout the day by keeping blood sugar levels stable. Achieving the right balance of portion control and proper timing of meals will help keep your metabolism revved up and allow your body to use calories more efficiently.

Breakfast

Healthy meal timing starts with breakfast. While it may be the hardest meal to fit into a hectic schedule, it is critical in terms of kick-starting your metabolism for the day. While there is no official time to eat breakfast, it is best eaten shortly after waking up, usually before your daily activities begin.

Often, people skimp on breakfast or skip it completely because they simply don't have time in the morning. Others think skipping the morning meal will help them shed pounds.

Either way, it's a mistake.

A study from the University of Massachusetts, published in the American Journal of Epidemiology in 2003, found that people who skipped breakfast were at a greater risk of being obese than people who ate the morning meal.

Another study, published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in September 2005, found breakfast eaters had lower body mass index levels (a measure of body fat based on height and weight), higher intakes of nutrients including calcium and fibre, and lower intakes of fat and cholesterol than non-breakfast eaters.

Meanwhile, numerous studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are better able to pay attention and concentrate throughout the day, due to increased energy levels. In fact, a review of 47 studies published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association in May 2005 found that breakfast consumption improved cognitive function related to memory, test grades and school attendance in students.

Lunch

Finding time for lunch is integral to keeping your energy levels up through the afternoon. If you find yourself skipping lunch in the midst of a hectic day, you may want to rethink your schedule.

The same 2003 study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology that linked breakfast consumption to a lower risk of obesity also found that eating four or more small meals per day reduced the risk of obesity, compared to eating three meals or less per day.

Furthermore, a January 2005 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that regular eating habits resulted in a lower energy intake and lower total levels of cholesterol, including the so-called "bad" cholesterol — LDL or low-density lipoprotein, which gets deposited in the walls of arteries and can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

Snacking

The importance of snacking also should not be underestimated. Mid-afternoon snacks provide a boost of energy and are an effective way to stave off hunger pangs and prevent overeating at dinner.

Listening to your body's hunger cues will help you determine if and when you need a snack.

A snack should not replace a meal: the amount of food should be just enough to hold you over until your next meal, but not spoil it. A good way to know that you are not overdoing it is by aiming to have a snack that is anywhere from 150 to 200 calories. Examples of this include yogurt, a piece of fruit, a few whole grain crackers or a handful of nuts.

Be sure to choose foods such as these — those with staying power. Reaching for sugar-laden snacks such as cookies or a chocolate bar may provide instant satisfaction, but the quick spike in blood sugar levels will leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied.

Dinner

Perhaps the most common result of poor meal timing is overeating at dinner because you're tired and famished after a long day. If you haven't eaten since lunch, by the time dinner rolls around your energy levels will be sagging, and you will be more likely to eat more than your body needs and make unhealthy food choices.

If you get home from work late and make a habit of sitting down to a full dinner before you go to bed, it may have an impact on your weight. The pitfall with eating the majority of your daily calories in the evening is that the body isn't as efficient at burning these late-night calories. A person's metabolism naturally slows as the day wears on.

Secondly, late-night impulsive food choices tend to be high in fat and calories.

While there is no scientific evidence to prove that eating large meals late at night will lead to weight gain, researchers from the University of Texas published findings in the Journal of Nutrition in January 2004 that found meals consumed in the early parts of the day are more satiating — provide more of a sense of fullness — than meals consumed later in the day.

As a result, during the evening, people are less satisfied by meals and are more vulnerable to overeating.

Furthermore, research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 1993 found that significantly more calories are burned digesting the same meal in the morning, compared to the afternoon or evening.

So what is the best option for late-night dining? If it's after eight or nine o'clock and you haven't had dinner yet, your best bet is to focus on reducing your portions and having a light meal such as a salad, soup, a sandwich or yogurt and fresh fruit to hold you over until breakfast.

Beware the vicious circle

Finally, keep in mind that your daily eating patterns form a cycle. There is a ripple effect from eating late at night and delaying or avoiding breakfast.

If you are not hungry in the morning and go without breakfast, you run the risk of starting the cycle of poor meal timing and not spreading your caloric intake properly throughout the day.

Also keep it in mind that overeating at any time of the day — whether it is morning, noon or night — will lead to weight gain.

However, by balancing your meals and snacks throughout the day, you can make the most of your metabolism and keep your energy levels consistent.