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The Wisdom of Closing the Kitchen Early
They say a healthy body keeps the mind sharp.
At 57, I can’t complain—other than my looks changing (hair’s thinning, eyes could use more breaks from this computer), I feel pretty young. Maybe the body basics I’ve stuck with are the foundation for having no real complaints about aging.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about something that seems almost too simple to mention: not eating past 8 PM.
It’s common sense, really. Eat less at night, wake up with a flatter stomach, feel lighter. For men especially, waking up with a flat stomach means your body’s acting like it’s younger—functioning the way it should. Some guys will know exactly what I mean. The body tells you when it’s firing on all cylinders.
But common sense isn’t always common practice.
Turns out Jason Statham, that granite-jawed action hero who powers through impossibly choreographed fight scenes, swears by this practice too. I’m not a huge fan particularly, but when a professional athlete publicly mentions something this basic, it’s worth paying attention to. If it works for the guy who punches his way through the Expendables franchise without breaking a sweat, maybe there’s something to this simple approach.
Why does your food matter more than you think?
What Actually Changes
Here’s what I’ve noticed: when I eat lighter and cleaner, my body just works better. A few summers ago when I was farming in the heat, I made small changes—different sauce, more natural onigiri instead of heavy stuff. Nothing dramatic. But suddenly working outside in that brutal heat became manageable. My body felt more efficient, like my insides weren’t fighting me.
I can’t say my insides felt “cleaner” exactly, but my body and mind didn’t struggle the way they had before. Less sensation in the gut, less weight to carry around, more peaceful demeanor. When you’re farming in your late fifties, that efficiency matters.
The mornings tell the story too. When I’ve eaten well the night before—not too much, not too late—I wake up with less mental noise. The shower in the morning feels different. My mind is emptier, calmer, ready for the day instead of already weighed down. To start the day with less thinking, less hidden stress from a heavy gut—that can make all the difference.
And when you consider that most of our problems are psychological, this becomes important. Body basics might be the foundation for mental happiness.
What small change in your eating has made you feel noticeably better?
The Body You’re Living In
I live paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes I’m ashamed of that when I want to buy something but can’t. But here’s what I’ve learned: even when external circumstances are tight, you still have control over your body. That’s its own kind of wealth.
You can eat like a billionaire in the ways that matter—healthy food, lighter meals, better choices. At the end of the day, other than faith, family, or whatever mission drives you, you have your body. Don’t take it for granted.
The skeleton isn’t designed to carry a fat body. We’re not meant to be heavy and unhappy. It doesn’t take a genius to imagine that a very heavy body might cause bad knees, but when people talk about needing medicine for pain, sometimes the answer is simpler: lose the weight.
I’m not a guru. I’m just someone who’s noticed the connection between how I treat my body and how I move through the world.
How does your physical state affect your mental state?
The Reminder We All Need
I’ve mostly lived this way—jogging in my teens, carrying that habit into my twenties and beyond. I haven’t jogged in about eight months now, but the energy is still there. Farming and teaching seem to keep things balanced.
About ten years ago, I used to bring home Häagen-Dazs ice cream sandwiches for the family. One of my bosses mentioned I’d put on a little weight. I stopped the ice cream, got back to normal in two or three weeks. Simple as that. Obvious junk food at night gets stored as fat—we all know this, but sometimes we need the reminder.
Eating late isn’t all bad—it depends on what and how much. If you don’t eat enough, including some fat or oils, your brain doesn’t rest properly and sleep becomes tricky. Balance matters. But a flat stomach is a kind of obvious visual benchmark for the basics.
The Honest Part
This isn’t about preaching or imposing rules. It’s about gently reminding anyone who might need it: if things feel dark and overwhelming, if life seems heavy in every sense, consider getting back to body basics.
Lose the weight if you need to. Move a little. Eat lighter, especially at night. See what happens.
No guarantees, but freedom of movement and fewer aches can’t be bad things. Sometimes when I see people struggling—getting angry, letting themselves go—I wonder if part of what they’re fighting is just the weight of carrying a body that’s working against them instead of with them.
I have a friend dealing with cancer worries. We meet for coffee, take walks so she can practice English. But she sits there eating cream cakes while worrying about her health. I’m no doctor. I don’t say anything. But I wonder: can we help ourselves by considering better choices?
Ultimately, it’s up to all of us as individuals. But the connection is real—when I eat poorly for days or weeks, I start to feel lousy and the world seems less accommodating. When I eat well, everything feels more manageable.
Your Turn
Most athletes and sports people are worthy role models for body conditioning basics. Statham just happens to be the one who mentions not eating past a certain time in interviews, so he’s a credible example that this simple practice works.
But you don’t need to be an action hero to benefit from basic common sense about your body.
What small, everyday choices have you found that keep your life running more smoothly? What body basics have you noticed make a real difference in how you feel mentally?
Share your thoughts below. I respond to every comment, and your experience often helps others more than mine does.
