What are the Benefits of Eating Regularly?
Want to prevent hunger pains, boost your metabolism and stay energized throughout the day? Focus on eating meals at a regular time.
There are tons of fad diets out there. Some, like Whole 30, encourage you to embrace all-natural whole foods. Other diets, like the Bullet Diet, embrace the idea of minimal fasting and protein-rich meals. The paleo diet cuts carbs and sugar. Weight Watchers promotes everything in moderation.
Which diet is right for you? It can be hard to know when each of us has such unique bodies and needs. At Premier Integrative, we promote a Paleo-Vegan diet comprised of all-natural and organic ingredients. This offers our weight loss patients the fastest results, while keeping harmful chemicals and toxins from their body.
But regardless of which diet plan is right for you, individuals consistently see positive results when they eat regular meals. Not only does a regular meal plan promote a healthier diet, it promotes a healthier lifestyle.
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5 Reasons Eating Regular Meals Helps You Lose Weight
1. Prevents Hunger Pains
It’s not uncommon to think skipping a meal here or there will help you cut down on your overall calorie consumption. Unfortunately, skipping meals or fasting for long periods of time can cause you to become extremely hungry. This can ultimately lead to overindulging at your next meal.
The 2015 study, ‘The Impact of Eating Frequency and Time of Intake on Nutrient Quality and Body Mass Index’ published in the Journal Branded Solutions suggests:
That a larger number of small meals may be associated with improved diet quality and lower BMI. This may have implications for behavioral approaches to controlling the obesity epidemic.
By eating regular meals, you can help you prevent hunger pains and avoid overeating.
2. Boosts Metabolism
Skipping meals can make it hard to stay on top of your game, especially when you experience intense hunger pains. By eating regularly, you can avoid the extreme highs and lows, maximizing your productivity throughout the day.
Your metabolism is the rate at which your body burns the calories you give it. According to Harvard Medical School, “Our bodies are also programmed to sense a lack of food as starvation. In response, our [basal metabolic rate] (BMR) slows down, which means fewer calories burned over time.”
When you don’t eat regular meals your BMR will often slow down. This makes it harder to lose weight.
In particular, skipping breakfast could make losing weight difficult, suggests researchers from the University of Hohenheim in Germany. The 2017 study, ‘Impact of breakfast skipping compared with dinner skipping on regulation of energy balance and metabolic risk,’ published in the US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, revealed skipping meals caused chronic inflammation (aka insulin sensitivity) and could raise the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
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3. Keeps You Energized
A good way to think about food is to remember it’s your body’s fuel. Like a car running on fumes, if your body is running on empty, it doesn’t operate very well. Not only can this affect your mood and daily performance, it can keep you from completing the tasks you need to do.
For instance, when you’re tired, it’s a lot easier to skip the gym. By eating regularly, you keep your blood sugar levels consistent, your energy levels up and your mind focused.
4. Promotes Self Control
The hungrier we are, the harder it is to make good decisions. Just think about going to a grocery store when you’re ravenous. How likely are you to grab a piece of fruit or salad? Nearly anything is more tempting, including the entire bakery case full of donuts.
Regular meals and snacks can help you maintain a healthier diet because this fortifies your body with energy. A new study published in the journal of Public Health Nutrition suggests that those who consume regular meals have better overall diets. The study also showed regular meals contributed to a lower consumption of sugary drinks and fast food items, plus an increased consumption of fruits and vegetables.
5. Creates a Consistent Routine
As humans, we’re creatures of habit. You may not even be aware of the routines you’ve developed. But each decision you make contributes to your routine and impacts your health. By eating at regular times, you help your body establish a healthier lifestyle.
If you’re unfamiliar with eating regular meals, establishing this routine can be difficult initially. The good news is, the longer you stick with it, the easier and more normal it becomes.
Additional Weight Loss Tips
Turn Off the TV and Focus on Your Food
While we all love a good movie every now and again, research suggests you should try and avoid eating in front of the TV. The 2012 study published in Appetite found a direct link between eating in front of the TV and obesity. To combat this issue, turn off the TV and focus on your food while eating. This can help promote a healthier diet and a more active lifestyle.
Prep Snacks
Even when we have the best of intentions to eat regularly, life can get busy. We’re on the go and suddenly we’re hungry. This is one of the most common complaints we hear from patients. To combat hunger and avoid long durations without food, we recommend prepping snacks in advance. A small bag of carrots or almonds can be a great snack when you’re hungry.
Learn to Manage Eating Out Smartly
Losing weight doesn’t have to mean becoming a hermit who never accepts a dinner invitation. You can eat out without blowing your diet. By planning ahead and learning to advocate for yourself, you can enjoy dinner and a healthy lifestyle. Check out our 11 life hacks for eating out while losing weight.
Eat Slowly
A recent study by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people with obesity tend to chew their food less than lean individuals. The study suggests when you chew more, your satisfaction levels increase and your need to overeat decreases.
Medically Supervised Weight Loss
No matter how you slice it, losing weight can be tough. For many individuals, regular meals and a good workout routine simply aren’t enough. At Premier Integrative, we offer a medically supervised weight loss program to help you lose weight fast and keep it off. Each plan is custom made for you and your unique needs.
