# Diet and time of the day **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [June 15, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410 "2005-06-15T17:45:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410/1 "2005-06-15T17:45:02Z")
I have a (probably very simple) question about the diet that Cecil outlines in [this](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_313.html) article. He says that more calories are burned in the morning that that the big meal of the day should be taken midday (11:00 am). Does this change if you don’t regularly wake up before say 9:30? What I am asking is, if I am up till 2 or 3 am and sleep till 9 or 10 am should I be adjusting these times, or does the actual time of day have something to do with things? It would make sense to me that the time shifts to what your normal sleep patterns fall into (and I do have good reasons why I go to sleep so late, its not just because I party till the wee hours, usually 😉 ), but then it would also make sense to me that just eating one meal a day would cause massive weight loss, and we all know that the opposite is true. I no longer trust my common sense when it comes to matters like this. So, do I need to drag my but out of bed at 7am if I really want to lose the lbs, or is 6 hours sleep followed by some good exercise and a light breakfast the only key element? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410/2 "2005-06-15T17:57:49Z")
It seems likely that your circadian rhythms would be based on your sleep pattern, but it’s also possible that they’re based on the presence/absence of strong light, so I don’t really have anything. I think the key take-home lesson here is that eating light meals throughout the day and a big dinner in the evening isn’t so hot. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410/3 "2005-06-15T19:09:53Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > It seems likely that your circadian rhythms would be based on your sleep pattern, but it’s also possible that they’re based on the presence/absence of strong light, so I don’t really have anything. > > I think the key take-home lesson here is that eating light meals throughout the day and a big dinner in the evening isn’t so hot. What about waking up at noonish, eating one meal between 20:00 and 22:00, and going to sleep at 05:00 or 06:00? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410/4 "2005-06-15T19:12:57Z")
> [@Mathochist](#): > > What about waking up at noonish, eating one meal between 20:00 and 22:00, and going to sleep at 05:00 or 06:00? Theoretically: Not eating breakfast isn’t so hot. There’s definite value in keeping your blood sugar levels up, and this doesn’t promote that. Practically: There’s a relatively popular one-meal-a-day plan known as the Warrior Diet. The reviews seem to be pretty evenly split between “It was great!” and “It sucked!”. ---
**Author:** ![Mathochist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@Mathochist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mathochist)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410/5 "2005-06-15T21:00:33Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > Theoretically: Not eating breakfast isn’t so hot. There’s definite value in keeping your blood sugar levels up, and this doesn’t promote that. > > Practically: There’s a relatively popular one-meal-a-day plan known as the Warrior Diet. The reviews seem to be pretty evenly split between “It was great!” and “It sucked!”. It’s not a huge meal (as I assume the “warrior diet” is), just a normal dinner. So, how long can someone stay on this food/sleep schedule? Is it something one should discontinue as soon as they get a real job, or do they have some time before they blow up? Oh. Another question: how does Unca Cece recommend cooking the candles for dinner? ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2005, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/diet-and-time-of-the-day/308410/6 "2005-06-15T23:44:24Z")
> [@Cecil](#): > > Three months from now: Report your results to Cecil, especially if this whole thing works. You’ll have the satisfaction of contributing to the betterment of mankind, and I’ll get the Nobel prize. Three months? It’s been nine years. Where are my results? I _ **demand** _ a follow-up report! 😉