For years we have been told by ‘experts’ to consume 3 meals with snacks in between for optimal health and fat loss. However this couldn’t be further from the truth. Clinical studies has proven that eating between 3-5 meals per day with no snacking in between, has greater benefits. The variation between three and five meals comes from how many hours the person is awake for. The longer the waking hours, the more meals that may be required due to the energy expenditure that occurs in the extra hours.
Snacking and overeating:
Snacking between meals can lead to overeating. This increases inflammation in the body and increases fat gain, rather than fat loss. The higher the inflammation the higher the fat gain. The more calories you consume in excess, the greater the fat gain.
Digestive system needs time to rest:
It is not healthy for your digestive system to be working at full pelt throughout the day digesting. Your digestive system needs time to slow down and rest in between meals. Grazing constantly means this rest does not occur.
The digestion process takes six hours from ingestion to the formation of stool. Throughout that time the food moves through the various areas of the digestive tract completing the function of each area. If you keep ingesting food, the process must speed up to keep up with the work load. This means that you do not have time to digest fully or completely. This leads to reduced nutrient absorption, and incomplete formation of stool resulting in diarrhea. Too much water is then also lost. An overload in digestion also reduces your gut flora and good gut bacteria, causing digestive issues such as bloating, reflux, heart burn, stomach cramps and more.
The above combination can have detrimental affects on your health, and increases stress and inflammation in your body. This then increase fat storage.
By consuming meals every 3-5 hours it gives the digestive system time to rest and complete each step in the process without being overloaded. This increases nutrient absorption, and reduces excess stress on your body. Ultimately improving fat loss.
Slowing down the digestive process also improves the balances of all of your hormones, having your body run more efficiently overall.
Meals keep you fuller for longer:
Eating complete meals, with adequate protein, fats and fiber, rather than snacks also keep you feeling fuller for longer. These nutrients help trigger your Leptin hormone which signals to your brain that you are full. Leptin prevents you from overeating as it keeps you feeling satiated. Snack foods tend to trigger the Ghrelin hormone which signals to the brain that you are hungry, leading to overeating. That’s because most snacks foods tend to be higher in carbohydrates rather than protein, fats and fiber.
Complete meals usually also tend to be denser taking longer to digest keeping you feeling satiated for longer, avoiding the need for snacking or overeating.
I will leave you with this analogy. The lion eats. The cow grazes. If your concern is fat loss, which physique would you rather? The lion or the cow?
– Coach Terri
