One of the most misleading messages given by many commercial weight loss plans is that you don't have to make serious changes to your existing eating and lifestyle patterns. No need to starve yourself, or even feel a little bit hungry. No need to forego your favorite dishes, not even pizza or sugary desserts.

Though the circadian rhythm is hard to control directly, researchers have learned it can be trained indirectly through diet. By switching the timing and content of meals, we can change that inner clock to better reflect the world outside. How exactly food can change our rest patterns happens has been difficult to figure out yet over the past few years, one particular culprit has been identified: our microbial population.

Are you gaining weight despite "doing all the right things?" When it comes to fat loss, more exercise and less food is not always the answer. Although this approach makes sense in a vacuum, the human metabolism is far more complex. Here is your guide to cracking the code on sustainable weight loss.

If you tend to nod off by 10 p.m., you need to read this. From the AOL Partner Studio