---
title: 'I Lost 15LBS Immediately When I Changed THIS Morning Habit - Lose Fat & Stop Late-Night Cravings'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=RKRVeluMF0I'
video_id: 'RKRVeluMF0I'
date: 2026-08-01
duration_sec: 1323
---

# I Lost 15LBS Immediately When I Changed THIS Morning Habit - Lose Fat & Stop Late-Night Cravings

> Source: [I Lost 15LBS Immediately When I Changed THIS Morning Habit - Lose Fat & Stop Late-Night Cravings](https://youtube.com/watch?v=RKRVeluMF0I)

## Summary

This video presents a science-backed case for adopting an early eating window (7:00 AM to 3:00 PM) to improve weight loss, reduce late-night cravings, and optimize metabolic health. The presenter cites clinical studies, explains the physiological reasons why eating earlier works, and provides a five-step protocol for transitioning to this schedule.

### Key Points

- **The JAMA Study on Early vs. Grazing Eating** [00:02] — A 2022 study in JAMA Internal Medicine followed 90 adults on a reduced-calorie plan. One group ate from 7 AM to 3 PM; the other grazed for 12 hours, receiving the same food and calories.
- **Early Window Outperformed** [00:45] — The 7-to-3 group lost more weight, lowered blood pressure, improved mood, and naturally consumed 200 fewer calories than the grazing group.
- **Late-Day Eating Increases Insulin Resistance** [02:55] — The body becomes more insulin-resistant as the day progresses, and melatonin production signals rest, making late-evening meals harder to process efficiently.
- **Diabetes Care Study on Late Dinner** [03:28] — A study of 845 people found that eating dinner late led to 8.3% higher blood sugar and 6.7% less insulin output compared to eating the same meal earlier in the day.
- **The Insulin Floor Concept** [04:11] — Grazing all day keeps glucose and insulin elevated, preventing the body from reaching the 'insulin floor' needed to switch into fat-burning mode.
- **Sleep Is Prime Fat-Burning Time** [04:54] — The body burns the most fat during sleep. Late-night eating disrupts sleep, raises stress hormones, and stimulates hunger hormones, leading to more cravings.
- **Circadian Rhythm and Gut Health** [05:39] — Eating in sync with daylight—starting when the sun rises and stopping as it sets—supports microbial health, immunity, neurotransmitters, and natural GLP-1 production.
- **Mistake: Skipping Breakfast and Binging Later** [06:35] — Fasting all day and then having a large dinner at 7 PM places a heavy glucose load close to bedtime, spiking melatonin and making weight loss harder.
- **More Fasting Isn't Always Better** [08:16] — Longer fasts can raise cortisol, making it harder to release weight. The 7-to-3 rhythm may work better than pushing fir longer.
- **Fasting Shouldn't Be Miserable** [09:24] — Feeling horrible during prolonged fasts is not a sign of success. Metabolic flexibility means moving easily between eating and fasting states.
- **Step 1: Commit to 7-to-3 for 30 Days** [10:35] — The presenter challenges viewers to try the 7 AM to 3 PM eating window for 30 days, with women skipping the week before their period if they have a menstrual cycle.
- **Step 2: Gradually Shift Dinner Earlier** [12:55] — Slowly move dinner earlier (e.g., 6 PM to 5:30 PM, then 5 PM, then 4:30 PM) and shift breakfast earlier as well, rather than jumping straight into the schedule.
- **Step 3: Eat Protein and Fiber Every Meal** [14:08] — Pairing protein and fiber at each meal, including breakfast, slows stomach emptying, flattens blood sugar spikes, and helps reduce food noise by supporting GLP-1.
- **Step 4: Add One Longer Fast Weekly** [15:50] — Five days a week practice the 7-to-3 window; one day compress it (e.g., 7 AM to 11 AM); one day take off fasting entirely—following a 5-1-1 protocol.
- **Step 5: Protect Your Relationship With Food** [18:10] — Before eating, ask 'Am I hungry or am I bored?' and check for emotional eating. This builds awareness of why you eat and helps change long-term habits.

### Conclusion

Changing when you eat—not just what or how much—can dramatically affect weight loss, cravings, and metabolic health. The 7-to-3 early eating window offers a simple, science-backed protocol that may unlock results for fasting plateau.

## Transcript

fasting and eating windows that may actually make you want to eat breakfast. actually make you want to eat breakfast. Check this out. A 22 study out of JAMA Internal Medicine looked at 90 adults. And what they did is they split them
into two groups. They gave them a reduced calorie plan. [music] And one group, they said go ahead and eat from 7:00 in the morning till 3:00 3:00. Second group, they said go ahead and eat
>> [music] >> and just you can graze for 12 hours. They were given the same food, the same calorie content, but different experiences of when to eat. [music] And here's what happened.
The 7:00 to 3:00 group, they lost more [music] weight, their blood pressure came down, their mood improved, and the research actually said that they ate 200 less calories from this morning experience this morning eating compared
to the person that was able to graze [music] all day long. Now, the truth that nobody really is talking about right now is that when you talking about right now is that when you eat sets you up for naturally eating
less. So, when we eat matters. And [music] I wanted I know on many of the videos here I've talked about how you can do flex fasting where you can move that eating window around, but I
specifically want to hone in on those of you that really want to lose weight >> [music] >> eating window, the 7:00 to 3:00 eating In this video, I'm going to explain why it works, what's happening when we eat
earlier in the day compared to when we're allowed to eat all day long. I want to show you what not to do because a lot of us are thinking we're doing all the right things [music] even in the fasting world and and not getting
the result we want. And then, of course, I'm going to show you the five things immediately to start to get a better result with your fasting just by deciding how and when you're going to eat. What is that eating window going to
eat. What is that eating window going to be? Super excited to bring this to you. in the recent times is this idea of food noise. We know that that food noise is
prevalent for a lot of people, and this has been a part of the success of these weight loss drugs. But, what's interesting is if we look at food noise through the lens of these two styles of eating,
what why this 7:00 to 3:00 window works so well is because you these people were so well is because you these people were not eating late. These people, the 12 hours a day, they were eating late. And what we know is that you become more
and more insulin-resistant the later in the day. So, when it gets melatonin clicks in, and your whole body starts to go into a rest and recovery phase. It is not taking food in and process processing it
and making it usable for energy because your body is going into a sleep mode. So, and this was interesting. We I've mentioned this to you all before. There's a 22 study in Diabetes Care that looked at 845
people, and they found that people who ate dinner late had 8.3% ate dinner late had 8.3% higher blood sugar and 6.7%
less insulin output than people who ate that exact same dinner but earlier in the day. So, there's something here that's happening to us at nighttime. Second thing I want you to think about is the 12-hour people were doing what a
lot of you perhaps were doing before you found out about fasting. You were grazing all day long. And if you graze all day long, you don't And if you graze all day long, you don't ever hit what we call an insulin floor.
ever hit what we call an insulin floor. The insulin floor is where your insulin starts to get low enough that it hits a foundational level. And when it hits that foundational level, you will metabolically switch
over into fat-burning mode. So, the grazers are always keeping glucose and insulin high and never hitting that floor where you will actually switch over. Okay, third thing I want you to think
Okay, third thing I want you to think about, which is when we eat late at night, it disrupts our sleep. And our sleep is where we are getting that fat-burning piece of our day, believe it or not. So
many people think they're burning fat at the gym or when they're walking. Of course, those are great habits, but the time that you burn fat the most is when you're sleeping. And so, what we know is that if you are
eating later in the day, like 12:00 in the afternoon to 8:00, that that 8-hour eating window and then going to bed maybe at 10:00, your body is under a state of stress because it's trying to break that down. And when you start to
get those stress hormones high, when glucose is high when you go to sleep, it stimulates hunger hormones, which is going to make you more hungry. Last thing I want you to think about is that we have been taught as humans to
eat to the clock. And what happens with this 7:00 to 3:00 And what happens with this 7:00 to 3:00 crowd is we start to get actually into a natural circadian rhythm. The sun comes up and we start to we eat.
And then as it gets closer, especially in the wintertime, as the sun goes down, in the wintertime, as the sun goes down, we stop eating. That routine can actually facilitate better microbial health, which helps with all kinds of
things like neurotransmitters, uh and it immunity, definitely helps uh and it immunity, definitely helps with uh making GLP-1 hormone. So, this early morning changed the clock for people and took them out of what might
have been the normal habit of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I know you fasters aren't doing that. So, but I also want you to do the 7:00 to 3:00. I want you to try the 7:00 to 3:00. Okay, couple things I don't want
you to do. When people skip breakfast, this isn't all of you, but when people skip breakfast, one of the things that breakfast, one of the things that happens is that and they end up eating
more later. So, if you're one of those people who you've been fasting all day long, maybe you're an OMADer, is what I call you, one meal a day, and you've been fasting all day long, and then you sit down to
all day long, and then you sit down to dinner at 7:00 at night, and you have a dinner at 7:00 at night, and you have a big meal, that is really a poor time to put all that glucose into your system, and your body's going to have to work so
hard to break that food down, and you're really close to bedtime, and so you end really close to bedtime, and so you end up watching that melatonin production go up. So, what I don't want you to do is skip breakfast and then all of a
sudden eat bigger later in the day. If that's not you, then just avoid what I did you can just ignore what I just said. Okay, second thing I don't want you to do is starve yourself from calories to
start to lose. That does not work. Calorie in, calorie out, we've already assessed that here on this channel. Um so, when you're trying to lose weight, starving yourself does not work. Those of you on the GLP-1 medications,
this is why I actually want you doing this 7:00 to 3:00, eat within that window so you you actually can start to get some of the benefits of fasting and eat nutrient-dense food uh so you're giving yourself enough fuel. Okay, third
thing I want you to think about, which is I know a lot of you fall into this, where if some fasting is good, more must be better. Nope. What I'm teaching you here is a
fasting rhythm. And there are a lot of ways you can move with that rhythm. So, if you're one of those people who has put your comments in there and I read your comments, so please leave more
comments. I love interacting with you. If you're one of those people who are like, "I'm stuck. I'm not getting any better." I want you to try this 7:00 to 3:00 eating window and see if if you start to
get a better result. And you're going to do that instead of I Because a lot of times when you fast longer, you raise cortisol more and more
and more, and the more cortisol that goes up, the harder it's going to be for your body to release weight. So, I really would love for you to switch your eating window to 7:00 to 3:00 before you decide, "I got to fast longer." Last
thing I want you to consider, and then we're going to step this out for you, is if fasting is feeling miserable and you think, "Oh, it's supposed to feel miserable." No, it's not. In fact, those of you who've been following me
for a while, please put in the comments how you feel once you got metabolically flexible. So, if you are able to eat and then fast effortlessly and move back and forth from those two places,
you're metabolically flexible. And if you start to move into a And if you start to move into a fat-burning place and you're going over, fat-burning place and you're going over, you know, 17, 24, 36 hours and you're
feeling horrible, that is not a sign it's working. I am such an advocate for rhythmic fat fasting, for flex fasting. I never wrote Fast Like a Girl because I wanted everybody to white-knuckle fasting. It
was the exact opposite. Fast Like a Girl was there to show people that there was a rhythm with fasting. So, those of you who are like holding on, you're like, "I feel miserable, but it must be working." I want you to change that
attitude. Here's what you do. Step one, I want you to set a consistent eating window. Put in the comments right now if you're going to try this 7:00 to 3:00 because I want to I really think this is an important moment for so many
of you who have been fasting for a while. Just put in I'm going to I'm doing 7:00 to 3:00. Just put it in the comments there so I know you all I want to watch those of you that are actually going to switch your eating window.
And so, step number one is to try this consistently. So, 7:00 to 3:00 eating window, I'm going to challenge you to do it for 30 days. And those of you that have a cycle, the
only week you would not do it if you're a woman with a menstrual cycle, the only a woman with a menstrual cycle, the only week you would not do it would be the week before your period. Otherwise, we're going to do a sample test here and
we're going to do a sample test here and everybody go 7:00 to 3:00 every single day. If you are needing, and I'll talk about longer fast here in a moment, but if you are needing a longer fast, you could go 7:00 to noon, 7:00 to 2:00,
7:00 to 1:00, but I want you to try this early eating window. And it's interesting because the science on this eating window, especially for on this eating window, especially for menopausal women, is really impressive.
There was a 24 study in the Journal of Translational Medicine that looked at 62 menopausal women um either who either just exercised or
added a consistent eating window on top of their workouts. Meaning, they either just exercised, didn't think about eating timing, or they actually had a consistent They didn't say morning or evening. They just
had a consistent eating window, and they also worked out. So, the only outlier was that consistent eating window, and what they found was that the group that what they found was that the group that added the window saw a bigger drop in
blood pressure and body weight than just the exercise alone. So, there's something here to this consistency. Step number two. like, "I don't think that I can stop eating at
3:00 in the afternoon." Here's how I want you to do it. Remember how I taught you to push your breakfast back every single day and just the reverse of that. I want you to start to push your your
I want you to start to push your your dinner into the earlier evening hours. So, if you eat dinner at 6:00 right now, I want you to move it to 5:30. And then 5:00. And then the next day, I want you to
move it to 4:30. So, every day you're just moving that dinner earlier and earlier. And those of you who are like, "I can't eat breakfast." I know, I was
one of those. As you are moving that dinner early and earlier, I want you to move breakfast earlier and earlier. So, this isn't like you have to take this this isn't like you have to take this video and just tomorrow go 7:00 to 3:00,
and then at 5:00 tomorrow you're like, "Ooh, I didn't really I don't really love this eating window." I want you to slowly move yourself into it. Step I want to address the food noise. So, when you do eat, I want you to
So, when you do eat, I want you to consistently eat protein and fiber at every meal. So, even for breakfast, cuz you're now eating at 7:00 in the morning, can you get an egg in? Can you get some sausage
in? Can you maybe put pair that with carrots and and maybe some red peppers, some microgreens? Like get a little bit of of If those of you Oh, you know what? Those of you that are oatmeal lovers, have some oatmeal
with berries in it and put some protein powder in your oatmeal. Maybe you do some Greek yogurt with some berries in it. Um and then have a little side salad or some chopped up vegetables. But, I want you in this 7:00 to 3:00
window, I want you to think protein and fiber, protein and fiber. Because that's fiber, protein and fiber. Because that's where you're going to start to stop the food noise by helping your own body make GLP-1 hormone. And it's interesting
because the science on this is really, really important. Protein and fiber slows your stomach from emptying. It's the same thing that those GLP-1 weight
loss drugs do. It flattens your blood sugar spikes, so you don't get a really high spike, and it keeps the fullness signals steady in your brain. So, we've moved that eating window up. We're playing by the rules of melatonin,
and now we're playing by the rules of food noise by making sure when we eat, we give our microbes what the our our body wants to shut that noise off. Step number four. One day a week, I want you to go longer.
What do I What do I mean by that? I want you to go longer with your fasts. So, let me map this out in a weekly schedule. Five days a week, you're going to do 7:00 to 3:00.
So, you're going to do five days a week 7:00 to 3:00. One day a week, you're going to just extend it longer by you're just going to eat breakfast. And you're not going to eat the rest of the day, or maybe you're going to go
7:00 in the morning to noon, so you or 7:00 in the morning to 11:00. And then you leave the rest of the day for fasting. I know a lot of you are like, this is crazy. I've never tried that. I want you to try it one day a
week. I want you to take that 7:00 to 3:00 eating window, and I want you to compress it so that you are fasting longer. One of the things that we longer. One of the things that we talk about a lot here on this channel,
I've talked about it in my book, is a weekly protocol of 5-1-1. So, five days a week you do a comfortable comfortable fast, one day a week you stretch your fast, and one day a week you don't fast. Now, we're just
mapping that, and we're putting it into this early morning eating window, where we're going 7:00 to 3:00 five days a week, we're shortening that to 7:00 to 10:00 or 7:00 to 11:00 one day a and then yes, one day a week you don't
fast. Now, I do want to point out that I have been educating here on my videos that those of you that want to go longer than 15 hours with your fasting, I want you to take my
nervous system questionnaire. You just put in the comments NSQ. NSQ is a questionnaire that will help you rate where your nervous system is
at. And you will see there's a key there, and it will tell you what you should and shouldn't be doing with your fasting and your food behaviors. If your nervous system is already maxed, you're not going to do this longer fast.
So, just put NSQ in the comments, and my team will make sure that they send you a team will make sure that they send you a link. It's free. And number five. So, this is a step that I think nobody really talks about, and it's called
protecting your relationship with food. And here's what I mean. You literally have a relationship with food. It it It's either helping you or
And what's interesting about this relationship with food is that you are relationship with food is that you are engaging with food multiple times a day. engaging with food multiple times a day. So, when you're in your eating window,
then an hour later you want to eat again, I want you to ask, am I hungry or am I bored? I don't care if you eat anyways,
but the reason I'm going to ask you to do that is because I want you to start to have a rhythm and an understanding of why you're eating. So, am I hungry or am
I bored? Is the first thing. And it's okay if you're like, I'm bored, and you eat. Or you might also check in and say, am I emotionally eating right now? Before everything that goes into your mouth in this 7:00 to 3:00 eating
mouth in this 7:00 to 3:00 eating window, I want you to ask why you're And maybe one day it'll be maybe one time it'll be like, "Cuz Dr. Mindy told me to eat from 7:00 to 3:00 in the morning." I just want you to know why
you're eating because so many of us eat not really knowing why we're eating and that's how we start to change our relationship with food. Here are your five quick wins. Five things that I recommend you do from easiest to hardest
hardest based off of what I just taught you. One, you're going to set your window. What are you going to set it to? >> You're setting it to 7:00 to 3:00. We're going to set it to 7:00 to 3:00 for 30
days, okay? We're just going to try this. Report back how you do. Okay, second thing. Oh, maybe that seems too steep of a jump for you. You are too steep of a jump for you. You are going to move your dinner up earlier.
So, close the kitchen 2:00 to 3:00 hours before bed. If you're a 6:00 dinner person, start to learn to be 5:00 and then 4:00 and then 3:00. Move slowly move yourself there. Quick win number three, you're going to
eat every time you sit down to eat, you're doing protein and you're doing fiber before you do any bread or starch. Number four, you're going to beat the nighttime noise by when it comes in and it starts talking to you, you're going
it starts talking to you, you're going to ask yourself, "What am I craving? Am I truly hungry or am I craving am I craving pleasure? Am I craving love?" And every time you eat, I want you to start to ask why you're eating and every
time you're hungry, I want you to ask yourself why you're hungry. This is how we start to take inquiry into what our relationship with food is. And number five, if you if you score okay on the nervous system
questionnaire. I want to make sure that you are learning to do a 24-hour fast, but this one's going to be a flip because you're going to 24-hour fast and breakfast will be your own only meal. Now, those of you who've been following
Now, those of you who've been following me for a long time, this is a literal massive [music] shift from many of the things I've been teaching here. I realize it. This is why I want you to try it because I think what you're going
to notice is [music] that the just the change alone is going to give you a different result. So, report back, let me know what you think, let me know what kind of experience you have with [music] this, and as always,
do not give up on yourself. You It might be as simple as changing your eating window to get the result that you have been dying to get. As always, I hope that helps. If you like this video, you're definitely going to want to check
you're definitely going to want to check out the next one.