You may have heard it’s best to eat five or six times a day. For some this works well but it isn’t for everyone, some choose to incorporating snacking into their meal plan.
Today I’ll share who should have a snack and what they should have. I’ll also talk about how snacking can keep you from meeting your health goals.
It isn’t true that there is only one way to eat properly. For some folks three meals a day with no snacks in-between works fine. Some people prefer three meals because they:
- Don’t want to be bothered with eating every few hours
- May be busy and not have time
- May find that eating too often gives them too much opportunity to overeat when they are trying to lose weight
Three meals works well if the meals are balanced and are spaced less than 5-6 hours apart.
If you are starving before you eat it’s probably been too many hours since your last meal.
On the other hand, some people prefer to have some snacks in-between meals.
When I say “snack” I mean a small portion of food or drink between regular meals, not “junk” food.
This is the type of meal plan for eating five or six times a day. It can be three meals and two or three snacks. People who prefer meals plus snacking like it because they:
- Prefer smaller meals or have a poor appetite and can’t eat much at once
- Are active and need a pre-or post workout snack
- Get hungry between meals
The goal to eating is nourishing your body with healthy food in the right amount so that you feel satisfied as well as achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
As you see there are many ways to do this. Decide what pattern you prefer and make that your routine. For example, if having three meals and an afternoon snack works best for you, try to do that every day.
Regardless of which pattern you choose, generally people do better with regular meals.
Taking time out to fill your tank and not run on fumes is critical. You will be fueled for your activity and have the energy you need. Eating meals is an important aspect of a healthy life-style.
If you choose to have several small meals with snacks, there are ways to do it correctly:
Have your snacks chosen in advance and consider them a part of your nutrition plan. This is the opposite of mindlessly eating while working at your desk or watching television (which will have you eating too much without proper enjoyment).
Choose a food you may not have gotten at a meal. It’s good to think about your overall food intake. If you’re lacking three servings of fruit or dairy a day it would be good to have yogurt or a piece of fruit for a snack. Whole-grain crackers e.g., Triscuits or Wheat Thins, or a handful of nuts might be another good option, (again, depending on what meals you will be having that day).
Time it so you eat at the first signs of hunger if possible. Have your healthy option portioned out and ready to go. Getting too hungry and grabbing food at Dairy Queen will have you consuming too many calories.
Also consider the timing of your next meal. If you see that your next meal will be late you might need a bigger snack than if it’s in a short while.
Pay attention to your hunger and focus on your food so that you stop when you’re no longer hungry.
It’s always a good idea to eat slowly and enjoy your food. Paying attention will help you eat the right amount.
Here are some snacking habits that may hurt you:
- Eating without paying attention to your hunger/fullness levels
- Stress eating
- Skipping meals and instead eating all day long
- Eating because you see food
- Eating from a candy dish on your desk (We eat what we see so put the right things in your environment.)
Hope this helps you snack healthfully.
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