How many times should we eat daily? Most people would answer 3. But in reality, nutrition experts say that we should eat 5 times a day, integrating all food groups into our diet. That is, the 3 main meals, with two snacks. In such a way that our stomach does not spend so many hours empty and leads us to eat large amounts of food. Which is detrimental to both our health and our physical appearance.
Reasons for intake:
prevents obesity
Eat at set times, at breakfast, mid-morning. At lunch, snack and dinner, this habit helps us eat less and prevents obesity. The circadian cycle helps us better metabolize food, promoting fitness and better health.
The digestive system produces and secretes numerous hormones, some of them directly involved in satiety and hunger. One of the hormones involved in the presence of hunger is ghrelin, which is present when several hours have passed without eating and the stomach is without food.
Increased ghrelin concentrations increase food intake and reduce fat utilization, leading to increased body fat and weight gain. Once food intake has taken place, ghrelin levels begin to decrease.
Variety
Given the variety of foods that we offer our body, it receives different vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential amino acids for the proper functioning of the body.
holds the energy
Breakfast should be nutritious, but in the middle of the morning it is better to eat a fruit, so that the body assimilates the sugars and maintains energy. In this meal it is not good to exceed 10% of the daily calorie intake, but it is only a snack, just like the afternoon snack.
decreases anxiety
Splitting food throughout the day reduces anxiety, allows us to arrive at the next meal in better conditions and make more appropriate selections.
Prevents us from overeating
Eating those small snacks between meals helps us arrive at the main meals with less appetite, thus preventing us from serving ourselves exaggerated portions and overeating.
It activates the metabolism, helping us to have a more adequate metabolic process and therefore avoiding weight gain.
Example of a suitable feeding schedule
Breakfast (7 – 8 a.m.):
It may contain eggs, cheese, fresh fruit, bread, low-fat sausages -such as those made with turkey or chicken-, nuts, skim milk, skim yogurt, coffee or sugar-free infusions.
Snack (9:30 – 10:30 a.m.):
A piece of fruit, low-fat yogurt, or a handful of dried fruit. This will help speed up your metabolism and prevent you from going to lunch very hungry.
Lunch (12 – 1 pm):
It can include chicken, fish or beef, rice, beans or potatoes. It is always recommended that lunch include a salad of raw or sautéed vegetables. It is important that they present a variety of colors, since each color has different properties.
Snack (3 – 4 pm):
Fruits, nuts, a cup of whole grain cereal or low-fat yogurt.
Dinner (7 – 8 pm):
You can consume the same as at lunch but in a smaller portion, it is recommended not to eat rice at this time or much beef or chicken, in order to have a light and adequate digestion (no more than 90 grams of protein). In the same way as in lunches, a salad should be included.
Examples of snacks
Fresh fruit or vegetables
They provide antioxidant vitamins A and C that prevent the degeneration of the skin, collagen and tissues in general. You can combine them with nuts or dairy. Vegetables can be incorporated into your sandwiches or used to dip in hummus or guacamole.
Homemade low-fat yogurt with sesame
Yogurt with sesame is a good alternative to eat in the middle of the afternoon. These mixed foods provide a good mix of carbohydrates, protein, and monounsaturated fats, or healthy fats.
Sesame provides a high content of oleic acid, a type of monounsaturated fatty acid belonging to the Omega-9 group. A low-fat yogurt mixed with a tablespoon of sesame powder (passed through a blender) will be enough to eat a complete snack of less than 200 calories.
Protein and carbohydrate bars
Although some people are against these supplements, the truth is that they are an ideal snack, especially if you have little time to prepare the snack.
shakes
The shakes are easy to prepare and have a large number of flavors and ingredients to choose from. A basic shake is started by pouring a cup of milk into the blender. Add ½ cup of yogurt or ice cream and fresh fruit. You can add any fruit, but try to choose fruits that go well together, like bananas with berries. Drizzle honey on top to add a bit of sweetness. Blend on high speed until smooth. Pour and serve.
plain gelatin
Gelatin is a very satiating food that barely provides calories – 0% options. It can be made at home or bought in supermarkets. You can add a few pieces of fresh fruit to accompany it.
Constancy and organization
The most important thing is that you organize yourself to be able to do it. For this we will give you the following recommendations:
- Before making your purchases at the supermarket you must create a menu. This will depend on your needs (weekly, fortnightly or monthly).
- Never go shopping hungry. Since it will lead you to place unhealthy products in your cart.
- In this menu you must include all 5 daily meals and the different food groups.
- If you work all day, you should choose easy-to-consume snacks.
- You must be constant so that you can see results.
- Remember that a good diet must be accompanied by an exercise routine.