Growing up, my father would literally “farm” me out to my Uncle Shorty’s dairy farm for a few weeks each summer. The daily routine started at 5 a.m. with the first milking of the cows. By 7:30, we were back at the house for a hearty breakfast. Then it was off to the fields or the garden until around 1 p.m., followed by a massive lunch—two meats, four to five vegetables, and always dessert. After that, it was back to the fields until the 5 p.m. milking. Supper? Just a glass of milk and cornbread.
Uncle Shorty and his family, living on that routine and diet, were strong as an ox and slim as a rail. Fast forward to 2025, when nearly 50% of Americans are classified as obese, and it’s clear this lifestyle wasn’t just luck—it was science in action.
Increasing research supports what I saw on that farm: people who are “morning types” (morning chronotypes if you want to Google it) tend to have lower body weight, smaller waistlines, and better metabolic health—including lower fasting triglycerides and blood sugar—compared to “evening types.” Those with evening chronotypes are more prone to poor eating habits: skipping breakfast, eating late at night, and consuming more processed foods—all of which increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, and premature heart disease.
The good news? Studies also show that simply shifting your eating habits to earlier in the day can significantly aid in weight loss and improve overall health.
In short, if you want to lose weight and live longer, be a bit more like Uncle Shorty: get active, eat earlier, and keep your meals more from the garden and less from the box. Sometimes the best solutions really are that simple.
Dr. Charlie Barnett is a contributor at KnoxTNToday for a weekly column, DocTalk, providing his expertise on health and wellness management.
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