3 Meals or 6 Meals?
You’ve heard that eating 5-6 small meals is good for you, right? But then you hear eating 3 bigger meals a day is better. Which one is right? And WHY? Well, I’m going to explain the benefits of smaller meals verses bigger ones and why they work.
3 meals a day is the old school way of eating. It’s great if you’re not worried about your metabolism working at it’s most optimal level. But what about the people who want to get the MOST out of their metabolism? Small meals for the win.
You see, when you wait too long between breakfast and lunch you probably feel your body crashing. Am I right? That’s because your blood sugar isn’t stable and all that energy (calories) that you consumed at 7am are now gone leaving your blood sugar to come to a crashing halt. You might feel like you need a cup of Joe right around this time to keep you going. Having caffeine instead of nutrient dense food is just not going to cut it for your metabolism and will throw off your hormones even more. When you go for your lunch, chances are you’re having WAY too many carbs and not enough protein which will leave you hungry in a few short hours after eating. Let the cycle repeat. Do you feel fatigued, not fully rested and hungry throughout your day? Chances are you’re not using your metabolism to it’s fullest potential.
So what’s the solution? Small meals throughout the day. You want to aim for 5-6 small meals throughout the day and ones that are protein rich. This will keep your metabolism working at an optimal level AND it will constantly be working. This is a GOOD thing. When your metabolism is working, it’s breaking down calories and sending them to where they need to go in the body. It’s like going on a long car ride (12 hours or so) and driving with a full tank of gas. When you choose 3 small meals, you’re trying to get to your destination with an empty tank. Which one will win? You pick.
Aim for small meals every 3-4 hours throughout your day and see how you feel. Chances are you’re going to feel energetic, alert, have mental clarity, and satisfied.
For questions on specific nutrition needs or to try our monthly nutrition plan, email us at cwphysique@gmail.com
In good health,
Cristina