Healthy Lifestyle

The best way to lose weight is to eat every 21/2 to 3 hours. Eating frequent, small meals will help to keep you from overeating at any meal and from making unhealthy food choices.

Going for long periods of time without eating causes your metabolism to all but shut down to conserve fat and energy. A slower metabolism burns less calories. When you eat three large meals per day, you will tend to eat more at each meal and with a slower metabolism, it will be more difficult to burn off those calories.

Large meals will make you feel more sluggish than small, healthy meals. The idea is to keep your body satisfied with food, but not overindulge yourself which leads to weight gain.

Plus, if you are active, five meals will sustain you better, keeping sugar levels from falling and rising which may cause you to become hungry, tired and irritable.

The best way to succeed with this way of eating, is to plan your meals each day. If you work away from home, pack a lunch with healthy snacks of fruit, vegetables, cheese or crackers. Make sure you are getting enough protein, too.

When eating five times per day, keep the portions small—each serving about the size of the palm of your hand.

The key to portion control is to stop eating when you are full. Learn the language your body is speaking. Don’t take another bite past that satisfied feeling. Remember: your next meal is only a few hours away.

That’s the clincher, knowing you will be eating again in less than 3 hours, really does keep you from overeating. You can be free to enjoy your food, not have to worry about counting calories, and feel satisfied all day long. It really is the secret to eating more and weighing less.

My meal schedule works best this way: 7 am: breakfast. 10 am: snack. 1 pm: lunch. 4 pm: snack 7pm: dinner. I’ve eaten this way my whole life, and never had a weight problem or a significant health problem.

Give it a try. Nutritious food, in sensible portions, eaten several times a day really will keep your hunger satisfied and help you to lose those excess pounds.