| Eating Often: A Very Good Idea |
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It's commonly suggested that a person should eat a meal at least every 3 - 4 hours. If I am home most of the day, I personally eat every 2 - 3 hours. The key to this and staying healthy, fit, satisfied, and maintaining a healthy weight (yes, you can eat often and still have it all) is to eat frequent meals in small portions. If you're wondering what is considered a "portion," take a look at Canada's Food Guide. If you need to measure the serving size to get more of an idea of what a serving is, go ahead! Snacking in between meals should not be condemned. Lots of little meals throughout the day is much better for your metabolism and your blood sugar levels as well as providing a steady supply of energy, than simply eating three really heavy meals per day. If you have healthy snacks in between meals, you are also less likely to over compensate for your hunger when the "real" meals of the day come along. Just remember to make healthy choices and healthy portion sizes (ie. portions the size of your fist) when snacking. Eating often should not translate to eating a lot and/or all the time. Written by CJ H, Mar 2007. Last updated Dec 23 2007. |