Should I stop eating after 6pm?

Q. I am still trying to drop a few kg's. Should I be following the “no eating after a certain time” rule to help me reach my weight-loss goals more easily?

A. This is an interesting question. From an athletes perspective you often find that they are training late into the afternoon, so recovery is important and therefore you'll need to get food in after that 6pm time.
If your already completed your training in the morning or on a rest day then the option to cut off at the 6pm is based on what you have been consuming across the day.

1. Ensure you are fueling adequately all day, not skimping on calories earlier in the day and thus overeating late at night, which can lead to weight gain (or prevent weight loss).

2. Fuel up before all evening workouts with a good, balanced snack, such as half a sandwich, a cup of soup, or yogurt and fruit.

3. Plan your dinners in advance to avoid poor last-minute choices or “grazing” on whatever happens to be in the kitchen when you arrive home late and hungry.

4. Include complex carbs, lean protein, veggies and good fats in your dinner meal, no matter what time the clock says. Good examples include lentils, salmon, kale and avocado or quinoa and beans, lean meat and sautéed veggies.

5. If you are trying to drop a few unwanted kg’s, find other (smart!) places to cut calories, such as that third handful of pretzels at lunch or that extra beer on Friday night.