By: Ellen Wang

Don’t keep checking the calories in your food. Check the time instead.

A recent yearlong study had some surprising results after changing the time when its subjects ate instead of what they ate. Those who ate between noon and eight significantly reduced their calorie intake without reducing the amount of food they ate.

According to the Annals of Internal Medicine, those who kept their food intake from noon to eight lost 4% of their weight, while those who didn’t change their schedule gained 1%.

This is the first time researchers from the US have compared these dieting measures head-to-head. According to Krista Varady, a nutrition researcher at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the dieting time was more crucial than what was eaten and also “an easier diet to adhere to.”

These results are extremely encouraging for the many who are obese in the US. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that almost 42% of Americans over 20 are obese, and another 32% are overweight. These people are more likely to develop grave health issues and spend upwards of $2,500 more than the average person per year on medical bills.

So, to find a way out, many take up dieting.

The tried-and-true method of burning more calories than consumed works, but it is too intense for most dieters, as some go back to eating more once they finish their workout.

After a year of tracking, those who fasted had lost around 8 pounds, those who tracked their calories had lost around 10 pounds, and those left to their devices had gained around 2 pounds.

Maybe it’s time to cut off those delicious midnight snacks.