Changing habits is much more achievable than dieting. It’s imperative to not live off of chocolate and chips. But sticking to a rigorous diet is draining. That’s why most of us have a hard time dieting. It’s not a lack of willpower; it’s that it wears you down.

Even people who are committed to their diet struggle with it. We can watch what we eat when alone but socializing usually means food. And, when there is something delicious, it’s hard to not give into temptation. Moreover, counting calories or watching your exact intake of one specific type of food can be difficult and disheartening. New research might let us breathe out and help us relax about every little thing we eat while trying to lose weight or aid our blood sugar.

For quite a while now, scientists have believed that meal timing matters for blood sugar and weight. Study after study has agreed. Yet more research supporting the belief was TRUEed in the journal Obesity in late April. Researchers saw evidence that meal timing may be much more important than thought and that we might be able to be slightly less rigid in our diets than we believe. Timing your meals within a shorter window of the day, without changing your diet can help you maintain healthy blood sugar with very little change.

The new study looked at overweight men between 30 and 70 years of age. It was a small group but was a follow up to an earlier mouse study. Both times, the research yielded exciting results. The men in the study were allowed to eat for a nine-hour period every day. They were given no other instructions. They ate their regular diet either between 8 AM and 5 PM or from noon to 9 PM depending on how it would most comfortably fit their lifestyle. Measuring the men’s blood glucose level, they saw improvements as the study progressed. The men also lost some weight, which may have contributed to the healthy blood sugar results.

The researchers rush to point out that their test group was small and that more extensive studies are needed. But, the team leader, Leonie Heilbronn said, “Time-restricted eating regimes demonstrate that we can enjoy foods that are perceived to be ‘bad’ for us, if we eat them at the right time of day, when our bodies are more biologically able to deal with the nutrient load. And perhaps, more importantly, if we allow our bodies to have more time fasting each night.”

While we wait for further tests, this may be a way to take more control over your diet. We wouldn’t advocate anything like overeating or actively choosing the most calorific thing around. But, eating a moderate diet within a specific time window every day may aid your healthy blood sugar. It’s certainly something to consider and speak over with your doctor.