Sally was a busy wife, mom, and legal secretary who wanted to lose weight. Awaking early to fix breakfast for the family and get the kids off to school, Sally hastily gulps a cup of coffee because she "really isn't very hungry". Working steadily through the morning. Sally sips a diet drink and arranges to meet some friends for lunch. Sally has a salad and another diet drink, as Sally is trying to lose weight and "really isn't very hungry". Around 4 PM Sally notices she is hungry, someone had brought a box of cookies back from lunch so Sally eats 4 of the cookies, after all, Sally "hasn't had that much to eat today". Leaving work at 5, Sally stops for gas and realizes she is hungry, so Sally grabs an apple and a coke to eat on the way home, after all, Sally "hasn't had that much to eat today". The crazy dinner hour begans while Sally is cooking a meal for the family, Sally tastes the food while cooking, as she "hasn't had that much to eat today". After a big dinner, Sally and the kids clean up and Sally and her husband sit down to watch a show. Sally fixes a bag of regular microwave popcorn and eats a chocolate bar and a diet soda with it, as Sally "hasn't had that much to eat today". Sally goes to sleep about 10:30 PM and gets up the next morning to fix breakfast, not hungry for breakfast. Sally gulps a cup of coffee because, she "really isn't very hungry" and is trying to lose weight. Trouble is, of the 2700 calories Sally consumed the day before 2400 were eaten after 4 PM, when her metabolic rate was winding down. Sally is not hungry for breakfast because she is still working on the food from the late eating the day before. Sally won't lose weight eating in this pattern, and notices at her next doctors' visit she has gained three pounds.
Solution for Sally to lose weight: eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner with an RD designed food plan and quit eating calories after 7 PM. Works like A charm!