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 By: Jen Heath
Knowing our individual metabolisms involves understanding what is happening to our bodies when we do or do not eat. Eating more frequently is generally beneficial for a number of reasons. Eating more often helps maintain a steady level of blood glucose levels which helps give us steady energy levels throughout the day. Steady energy comes from steady intake of foods. I usually recommend 3 meals and 2 snacks per day. However, those consuming higher calorie counts may choose to divide their calories equally over 5 to 6 meals. For example, a person consuming 2000 calories per day may prefer to eat 5 meals consisting of 400 calories each rather than eat three enormous meals and have 2 smaller snacks. When calories are consumed, there is a thermic effect that takes place, that is, our metabolisms rise in order to process those calories. It is simple; the more often we eat, the more 'thermic' effect the body is getting, thus a higher metabolism overall. Metabolism:
It only makes sense that if we are eating more often, we are providing the body with a more steady stream of nutrients. The human body can only process so much food at one time with maximum efficiency. Efficiency: Imagine you have a paper cup and there is a small hole in the bottom of it. Now, take that cup and hold it under a faucet of running water. The amount of water released at the bottom of the cup is limited to how much can pass through the small hole, and if you do not turn off the faucet in time, the water will overflow from the top of the cup before the cup has a chance to be emptied. Conversely, if you turn off the water before it over flows, the cup can empty properly, and the water can be turned on once more. Our bodies are the same. Once we 'turn on the faucet' or begin eating, our bodies begin to digest the food. If we let the water keep running (over eat at any given meal), there is not enough room in the body to store all of those calories, so the likelihood of them 'over-flowing' and being stored as fat is higher. Smaller, More Frequent Meals: It is better to eat a smaller amount, let the body properly handle that volume, and then re-feed it once there is room. Getting into this habit teaches the body to more efficiently use the calories it is given. With this in mind, I'd also like to mention that eating regularly throughout the day will teach your body to become hungry at intervals parallel with increased meal frequency. It is very important not to skip any of these valuable meals. Those hunger pains are often warnings that the body has run out of fuel, and is thinking about dipping into your precious, metabolism sustaining muscle stores. When you feel the hunger pains, you can eat, or your body can resort to your muscle protein and glycogen stores. Right around this time, the stress hormone cortisol rises, and if you do not eat, muscles will be broken down into sugar and fed to your brain in a process called gluconeogenesis.
In layman's terms you say? Your body will use your muscles for energy if that's what you give it to work with, thus the importance of eating regularly throughout the day. Furthermore, the lower the calories, the more likely this is to happen. I have observed in my own clients that those who are faithful to eating more frequently throughout the day lose less muscle over longer periods of time than those who skip breakfast, forget meals or choose to eat only two or three times per day. Avoiding Binging: Not only will you be moving toward your goals faster by doing this, but mentally you will be stronger simply from having more energy in the body and the mind. You are MUCH less likely to experience excessive hunger or feelings of deprivation which means the likelihood of "binging" and eating excessive calories in an effort to make yourself 'feel better' is greatly reduced.
  Click Image To Enlarge. The Desire For Eating Excessive Calories Will Be Reduced. Inevitably doing this only leads to 'feeling worse'. Eliminating tiredness, preventing slowed metabolisms, increasing the digestion and absorption of nutrients, and preventing muscle breakdown are all huge effects that will ultimately lead to increased feelings of satisfaction for yourself and the progress you are making. Bottom line... increase your meals and decrease the monkey wrenches.
Eating protein and some healthy fat at each meal is important for a variety of reasons. One very simple reason is that it keeps us full for a longer period of time. No one likes to be hungry all the time, and incorporating this habit of making your meals more well-rounded is a sure way to stave off hunger pains. There is however, a scientific reason for this. It takes our bodies longer to digest proteins and fats than it does to digest carbohydrates. Not only that, but eating protein and fat helps prevent rapid swings in blood glucose and subsequent swings in energy level. When you eat meals that consist only or mostly of carbohydrates it spikes you blood sugar and insulin levels, consequentially leading to a sudden "drop" most often leaving you feeling mentally exhausted, physically tired, and hungry. Regardless of whether your goals are increasing lean body mass, or losing fat, increased satiety and metabolism can only help you in your goal.
Adding protein and healthy fat to each meal is not difficult to do. Here are some options:
Adding protein and healthy fat to your meals will increase your satiety - increase and maintain your mental and physical energy levels and your metabolism will rise - aiding in any fitness goals. Doing this will only add the feeling to success into your schedule.
How many times have you ended the day feeling guilty that you didn't eat enough fruits and/or vegetables? I know that this has happened to me many times. It doesn't matter if you are being strict with yourself on a nutrition plan to have this happen either.
We are all taught from our youth that we need to eat fruits and vegetables and fiber... and there is a reason for that. They are good for us! The antioxidant value in fruits and their healthful effects on the body are indisputable.
The health benefits of green and fibrous vegetables are unchanged over time, and the sense of satiety that high volumes of vegetables add to our meals is unmatched. Thankfully this has been indoctrinated into our heads so well that we DO feel guilty if we don't consume these most essential foods. So, simply by consuming more of them, yet another area can be eliminated where you will undoubtedly feel you have 'messed things up' in your nutrition.
 Click Image To Enlarge. The Health Benefits Of Green & Fibrous Vegetables Are Unchanged Over Time. The first step of course would be to make sure your crisper is properly stocked. Methods I use with my clients to get them increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables are things like steaming vegetables over the weekend, so they can be readily warmed up and eaten.
I also suggest cutting things up over the weekend so that they can be thrown into a small Tupperware and brought to work such as raw veggies. Another method that is fast and easy is to purchase bagged romaine leaves or spinach leaves, and use it for a fast easy salad. Cutting a roma tomato over the top of lettuce takes about 30 seconds, add a little salad dressing and you have a plate full of delicious vegetables to consume. Add the meat that you prepare over the weekend to it, and you are basically eating a salad that is better than what you would get if you went out to eat. As far as fruits go, grabbing an apple or banana to take with you when you go out is a simple habit, and even things like fruit salad are easy to make if you are simply cutting up apples and pears. This can be a hugely rewarding snack in the middle of the day, especially if you didn't have to prepare it on the spot. Just add a handful of nuts, some jerky or a protein shake and you have a perfect meal.
Day in and day out, your feelings of nutritional success will increase, and this time it will be along side of your health as your body enjoys the wonderful benefits these foods have to offer.
There are only a few circumstances that I can think of where extreme calorie restriction would be considered warranted. These include preparation for a bodybuilding or fitness competition where one must reduce their body fat to sub-normal levels in order to be competitive. Even then, it is possible to over diet. It is never productive to over diet so much that your body has no other option than to eat your muscles as a source of energy around the clock. If eating more often raises the metabolism, then it stands that eating less often would lower the metabolism.
  Click Image To Enlarge. Author, Jen Heath. Not eating enough, in my opinion, is the largest culprit of lowering metabolisms in otherwise healthy persons. Let me describe a scenario for you, one that spells total failure. Jane's Story: Take "Jane"... she is a 30 year old woman who is 50 lbs over weight. She is frustrated because she can never get full in her efforts to lose weight. She was told that she needed to eat very low calories in order to lose all that fat, and she has been ever so faithful in sticking to the plan. Yet, everyday, she feels more and more hungry, and not only is the scale staying the same, but she is feeling less tone in her muscles each and every day. Her feeling of frustration continues to build until she simply can't take it anymore, thoroughly upset at her body for "not losing the weight"... so she binges one night on pizza and ice cream, just about enough to make her sick. Now she feels guilty for having "messed things up" so badly, and falls completely off the wagon eating lots of high calorie junk food day after day after day.
Over-Dieting: It doesn't sound nice does it? But how many people have been in this or a similar circumstance? "Jane's" problem to begin with was that she was 'over-dieting'. In order for her to lose any fat, it had to be supplied with a certain amount of calories in order to have the energy available to burn that fat. It takes work for the body to get rid of fat and build muscle tissues. Trying to do this in a deprived state will only lead to disaster. Feeling of failure will build up day by day as progress isn't made, and when you are seduced by the enormous cravings you will indefinitely have, feelings of discouragement will be overwhelming. Forum Threads:
It is never worth it to starve yourself to lose weight or come anywhere even near it. Finding the right amount of food to eat and consuming it responsibly and within reason will ultimately increase your feeling of self worth as you give your body the exact tools it needs to transform itself.
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