How often should you eat?

Americans, in particular, are conditioned to eat three ‘squares’ every day. But, if you think about it, we actually force our bodies to store more calories as fat by doing this. That’s because our bodies go into starvation mode during the long periods between breakfast, lunch and dinner and are left short on fuel to boot. Can you say late afternoon crash, anyone?

What I really hear you saying is that you don’t have the time or inclination to eat smaller, micro-meals throughout the day. But, you can, and will, if you learn the tricks to doing it.

First, let’s review what micro-meals are not. A bag of salty potato chips or a candy bar might provide quick energy, but doesn’t make the grade in terms of nutrition or doing anything positive for your waistline. So, empty out the secret stash drawer from your work desk, or keep the cookie jar at home out of sight to avoid temptation.

What you do want to stock up on are easy-to-reach-for food choices to create a micro-meal that provides a balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat. The idea here is to eat smaller meals throughout the day to stave off hunger, increase your energy, and keep your insulin levels in balance.

Think small when it comes to snacks too. Need some ideas? Yogurt, baby carrots, raisins, fresh fruit, low-fat string cheese, boxes of milk or juice, and many other foods come in ready-to-eat and individually portioned containers. You can also plan ahead by making up small portions of foods to eat later, like small plastic bags filled with grapes, whole grain crackers, low-fat cereal or granola, etc.

So, how many meals should you eat each day? The answer is 5 to 6. Here’s a few sample daily menus to let you see just how simple and surprisingly realistic this is…


Day One

Breakfast

½ cup organic oatmeal, sweetened with 1 teaspoon of honey
1 apple
½ cup 2% or skim milk
1 cup coffee or tea

Snack #1

1 box of raisins

Lunch

1 cup minestrone soup
6 whole grain crackers
1 orange

Snack #2

Pita chips with hummus

Dinner

4 ounces baked or grilled skinless chicken
¾ cup steamed green beans
½ cup brown rice
4-ounce glass of wine



Day Two

Breakfast

1 hard-boiled egg (no pan to clean!)
1 slice whole grain bread, toasted
2 teaspoons jam or low-fat cream cheese
Slice of cantaloupe
1 cup of coffee or tea

Snack #1

Yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup low-fat granola


Lunch

Grilled chicken salad with low-fat dressing
1 small whole grain roll
Mineral water or unsweetened, iced tea with lemon

Snack #2

Baby carrots with low-fat dip
1/2 cup red grapes

Dinner

4 ounces of broiled fish
3/4 cup steamed broccoli
1/2 potato, baked
2 teaspoons unsalted, whipped butter
4-ounce glass of wine