You have probably heard the concept of eating smaller meals more frequently. I am personally an advocate of the practice. It is a great
way to promote
weight loss, increase lean mass, and feel more energized.
Most of us have grown up in a culture that promotes eating 3
large meals a day and avoiding between meal snacking. This kind of eating makes
you feel bloated from overeating at each meal, tired and hungry between meals,
and starving at night. Eating 5-6 small
meals (about every 3 hours) will help you control your appetite, regulate your
blood sugar level, and stay alert all day.
When your blood sugar drops, you will often eat the first thing you can get your hands on. When you maintain your blood sugar
level by eating frequently throughout the day, you consistently feel satisfied
and will be more likely to eat healthier foods.
Perhaps eating 6 times a day doesn't seem practical.
However, each meal is not a large sit-down affair. Some of the meals are going
to be quick snacks that require almost no preparation (ex. Greek yogurt and an apple) .
People who try to lose weight by not eating deprive their
bodies of nutrients. They may look healthy but they actually have high
percentage of fat and very little muscle. Moreover, this type of diet leads to
dangerous blood profiles. By eating healthy small meals, you body receives all the nutrients
it needs. You will look great on the outside and inside!
Here is what a 6 meal day might look like:
Meal 1
Kashi cereal
Skim milk
Water
Meal 2
Toast with peanut butter
Water
Meal 3
Grilled chicken sandwich (whole wheat bread, lettuce,
tomato, mustard)
Carrots sticks and hummus
Water
Meal 4
Whey Protein mixed with orange juice
Meal 5
Salmon
Sweet Potato
Spinach salad with all the vegetables you want
Water
Meal 6
Greek yogurt
Banana
Water
When switching to this kind of eating plan, it will be a
little challenging for about the first 2 weeks. There will probably be times when
you feel hungry initially. However, after your body adapts, you will feel great and
begin experiencing all of the benefits of eating smaller portions more often.
Milwaukee
Personal Trainer
Many people believe eating “after 8PM” will lead to weight
gain. This is not necessarily true. Weight gain is based on caloric intake and
caloric expenditure. If you consume more calories than you burn, you will gain
weight. It doesn’t matter whether the calories came from eating breakfast,
lunch, or a late-night snack.
