What’s the logic behind eating several small meals a day as opposed to the traditional three square meals a day?
As you know, most nutritionists these days advise eating 4-6 smaller meals each day rather than the two or three most Americans consume. Although many people these days forgo breakfast in favor of a coffee and doughnut on the run, their intended three-meals-a-day plan is one devised out of expedience rather than a physiological need: Breakfast fits in before the eight-hour work day, lunch breaks up the day and dinner flanks the day on the other end of breakfast.
The body, on the other hand, has requirements different from those of your employer. Ideally it wants to receive a steady stream of nutritional input throughout the day. In lieu of this you can schedule healthy “snack” sessions throughout your day and forgoing the traditional large meal.
By eating 4, 5 or 6 smaller meals spaced out 2 ½-3 hours each you will not only keep your body stocked with the nutrition it needs but also provide an environment conducive to weight loss. You see, each time we eat a large meal we create something called an iunsulin spike, which is the release of insulin into our bloodstream to help deal with all the newly created blood sugar. This slows down our metabolism causing us to retain fat we might otherwise burn. Smaller meals eaten at regular intervals have a reduced effect on insulin levels, allowing the body to continue burning at its normal rate.
But don’t just take my word for it. Eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day and let me know the results. I believe you’ll like them very much.