The pattern of eating based on time limits, where you eat a typical diet for a set number of hours each day and then switch to a no-calorie diet or fasting, is known as intermittent fasting. Recently, it has gained popularity among those trying to lose weight.
Generally, those who follow this diet pattern restrict their daily eating to one six- to eight-hour period. For instance, you may choose to try 16:8 fasting: eating for eight hours and fasting for 16. However, did you know that in the rush to follow this diet, you might be skipping the wrong meal?
Are you skipping the wrong meal?
In a post shared on X on February 15, Dr Sudhir Kumar, a neurologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderabad, said there’s a high chance people are skipping the wrong meal while practising intermittent fasting. Inquiring from X users, ‘Intermittent Fasting: Are you skipping the wrong meal?’, the neurologist highlighted that “if you are skipping breakfast and eating late, you might be fighting your own biology.”
Moreover, he noted that most people think intermittent fasting (IF) is just about how long you fast; however, new data from a November 2025 BMJ Medicine and other landmark trials suggest that when you eat is just as important. Here’s how skipping the wrong meal can affect your health:
1. The circadian rhythm rule
According to Dr Sudhir, our bodies are hard-wired to process nutrients during daylight. He explained, “Our insulin sensitivity is at its peak in the morning and lowest at night. By eating late, you are forcing your body to handle fuel when it’s trying to go into ‘repair mode’.”
2. Why breakfast is more important than dinner
The neurologist noted that studies on ‘Early Time-Restricted Eating’ (eTRE) show that a window starting earlier in the day (for instance, around 8 AM or 10 AM) is significantly more effective than a later window. “The Result: Better blood sugar control, improved insulin sensitivity, and lower blood pressure compared to late-day eating,” he highlighted.
3. The “melatonin conflict”
Next, the neurologist emphasised that as night falls, our brain releases melatonin. “Melatonin tells your pancreas to slow down insulin production. If you eat a heavy meal at 9 PM, your blood sugar stays elevated longer because your ‘insulin factory’ has already clocked out for the night,” he added.
4. Skipping dinner = better sleep and metabolism
“Skipping dinner is better than skipping breakfast,” the neurologist stated. He further added that by ending your eating window by 4 PM or 6 PM, you allow your body to enter a deep state of autophagy (cellular cleanup) and fat-burning while you sleep.
The Golden Rule:
Lastly, according to the neurologist, the golden rule to following intermittent fasting or any diet is: “Follow the sun. Eat like a King in the morning, a Prince at noon, and a Pauper (or nothing at all) in the evening. Stop chasing the clock. Start aligning with your biology.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
