Food & Diet
Getting Started on the Chrono Diet
Even though this diet was invented back in 1986 by doctor Alain Delabos, it has just recently become very popular. Chrono diet is based on the natural rhythm of the human body. It is not actually a diet- it is a way of finding a balance in food and reaching balanced health and body figure. The best of all is that there is no yo-yo effect, as if you stick to a few simple rules when it comes to eating, you can maintain your ideal body weight for a long time (maybe even for good).
An important thing you need to understand before starting this ‘diet’ is the fact that it allows you to eat very small amounts of fruits and vegetables, while proteins and fats are an essential part and need to be taken in good amounts, especially for breakfast.
Of course, for your safety and insurance, you should consult your doctor before starting with Chrono diet and see if it will be good for you based on your health condition.
Timing is essential
The chrono diet was developed based on the knowledge that food is absorbed differently at different times of consumption. For instance, fats and sugars are stored in the body if they are eaten in the evening, while if you eat them in the morning they will be transferred into energy for the day and will not make you gain weight (if you eat them in moderation).
By eating the right nutrients at the right times, you will lose weight naturally without going on fad diets or doing too much exercise. According to the characteristics of your body, also called the morphotype, there are recommended foods that you should eat during the day. On this diet, meals should be eaten every four hours in order to increase the speed of your metabolism. The key is eating smaller amounts of food several times, rather than eating large portions only once or twice per day.
You are not deprived of your favorite foods
On the Chrono diet, your breakfast should be rich and contain all three important nutrients- carbohydrates, fats and proteins. The saying that breakfast is the most important meal of the day isn’t used without a reason. All the calories you take in for breakfast will be used for energy during the day.
For lunch, you should eat a considerably smaller amount of food than you had for breakfast. This meal should contain proteins from animal sources (preferably lean, such as chicken or turkey breasts, beef and fish) and starches (such as rice)
Four hours after lunch, even if you are not feeling hungry, you should have a snack to charge you with enough energy to last until dinner time. A portion of fruits is a good snack choice, and as fruit is the nature’s fast food, you can buy it in every store and bring it with you. You can also have a serving of dark chocolate if you’re craving sugar. But stay away from highly caloric foods- they are meant to be eaten for breakfast. This means that you shouldn’t eat chocolate if you’re unable to control your portions.
The old proverb “Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dine like a pauper” is taken very seriously in this diet. Dinner is the lightest meal of the day, and the foods that should be eaten are light and easily digestible, such as fish and lettuce. In this diet, you don’t have to give up the foods you like, but don’t eat fattening foods for dinner.
Dr Delabos explains on his website that you can allow yourself to stray from this program twice (two meals) a week without any serious repercussions- but don’t break the rules of the diet more often than that, and don’t have two ‘cheat meals’ in the same day. It may seem difficult to stay on this diet at the beginning, but if you decide to start, you will soon see that it is not too complicated or demanding. There are just a few simple principles to stick to, and if you’re determined to live a healthier life and lose some weight in a natural way, this could be the right diet for you.