How often should I eat?

How Often Should I Eat? 

Let’s face it, since the dawn of man the rule for consumption of food was simply to eat to survive, however our modern society and lifestyle has changed that simple process and we no longer live and eat in a way that follows our body's natural rhythms and needs.

As a result, chronic diseases and obesity rates continue to grow and are expected to affect more than two-thirds of Americans in the next 5-10 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

We are no longer eating just to survive, we are eating because we can.

Through the years we have seen nutrition and diet science, and programs change their opinions about what foods best suit our needs as a society, (just look at how butter and eggs were bad for you and now they're good again...I don't think it's the eggs that changed) and while I have my own opinions on this subject that's not what I want to talk about today. The question that I also get is “How Often Should I Eat?”

The most popular approach to the question of How Often Should I Eat for general health and weight maintenance has been to spread calories throughout the day by consuming 5-6 smaller meals. The concept of doing this method is that you are most likely to feel less hungry at any particular time, and in turn you will not be apt to over indulge or eat in excess.

A study found in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, shows data on this approach. It states that people who were of their ideal weight and able to maintain their weight reported eating more often than individuals who were overweight and obese.

It was assumed that this would speed up the metabolism, help control the hormones insulin and cortisol, and help better manage the appetite. However, a recent review in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition suggests otherwise.

What this means is that as long as you eat the right foods in the right amounts, meal frequency is a matter of personal preference.

You can eat lots of small meals each day (i.e. every few hours). Or you can eat a few big meals each day (i.e. with bigger time gaps between them).

Now, my advice is: Listen to your own body and apply the “how’s that workin’ for ya?” test.

If you’re covering all your bases when it comes to intake of healthy foods, proper macronutrient ratios, and including lots of variety, and your current meal frequency isn’t “workin’ for ya”, try switching it up. Experiment with fewer meals if you eat more frequently. And more meals if you eat less frequently.

There is a lot of talk lately about Intermittent Fasting as well, the concept of keeping your 'eating window' to a specific number of hours in a day. According to a study done by Circadian Biologist Ph.D. Amandine Chaix at the Salk Institute in La Jolla Those fed in the 9-12 hour window were leaner. “It highlights the temporal aspect of feeding more than the calorie content and shows it is important to eat during your active phase which is when your body is tuned to energy expenditure and not energy storage." 

So How Often Should I Eat?

The answer is, it depends. 

Of course this probably isn't the answer you wanted, but life isn't always what you want now is it.

If you are trying to lose weight, you need to create a plan that allows you enough energy to still go about your day and get in a good exercise session, as well as provides your body with all of the nutrients it needs to stay healthy. 

As cheese as it may be to say, if you fail to plan you plan to fail. If you're not happy where you are it's time to do something different.

If you need assistance in implementing a meal plan and exercise regimen that will keep you eating healthily and exercising appropriately, get in touch with me, I can help!