The effect of foods on health has made many of us diet conscious and we try to eat a healthy and well balanced diet. But eating time is just as important as what we eat.
Erratic meal times or skipping meals can make you feel tired, fatigued, and unhealthy.
To maintain your energy levels and feel healthy you have to eat the right foods in the right proportions, and at the right times of the day.
How to eat regularly?
You should try to eat every three to four hours. Experts now say that five to six small meals are better than three big meals in a day for your health and for weight loss. This is usually
- Breakfast
- A snack for morning tea
- Lunch
- A snack in the afternoon
- Dinner
- A snack after dinner if required
However if you are eating five to six times in day ensure that
- Meal portions are small and do not have more than 500 calories
- Snacks are low calorie (less than 100 calories) and healthy.
Why Eat Regularly?
Regular eating time is necessary to maintain your health and is the fundamental part of overcoming any eating disorder. It will help you to make other positive changes in your eating habits as eating more of vegetables, fruits, whole grain foods. Eating at regular times will
- Make your eating habits healthy and will slowly become a regular part of your life.
- Once your eating schedule is fixed you can work on to modify the types of food you eat and portion size.
- Help you to overcome unstructured eating and binge eating
- Keep your energy and blood sugar levels steady. This will make you feel more healthy and full of energy rather than tired, fatigued or irritable.
Tips for Regular Eating
- Plan your meal times that are convenient for you rather than fixing any arbitrary time
- Consider your meal times as important and let it take precedence over other activities.
- Try not to skip a meal or snack
- Avoid eating in between your meals and snacks.
- The gap between meals/snacks should not be more than 4 hours
- Try to eat healthy foods for your meals/snacks
- If you are travelling carry something to eat at your scheduled time
Most people who eat at regular times and limit their calorie intake lose weight or are able to maintain their healthy weight. If you are gaining weight even after eating on a regular schedule (that includes healthy foods and limited calories) consult your doctor.
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