Instead of eating three medium to large-sized meals per day, go for 5-6 smaller meals. The key to trimming down is not to eat less, but to actually eat more sensible meals. Eating frequent, smaller meals will prevent you from feeling hungry throughout the day. Choose food with high fiber and protein and ensure you drink enough water. You will actually feel full for a longer period of time and will not have the urge to snack in between meals.
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An example of a 5 meal diet which you can adopt would be:
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Have Breakfast
A lot of people think it is acceptable to skip breakfast because they feel they will consume lesser fat and calories. However, when you skip breakfast, the hunger begins to kick in and this actually slows down your metabolism even more.
Always eat breakfast within one hour upon rising as your metabolism slows down during the night and breakfast will help kick-start your metabolic rate again.
Don't Eat Before Bedtime
You have probably seen the suggestion of not eating before bedtime but do you know when to eat? Rule of the thumb is not to eat anything within 3 hours before you sleep. If you are planning to sleep att 11pm, do not consume food after 8pm onwards. This is to avoid indigestion, morning gas and stomach cramps.
Don't Skip Meals
Skipping meals can lead to 'out-of-control hunger', often resulting in overeating. When you are very hungry, you will tend to forget about good nutrition. Snacking between meals can help curb hunger, but do not over eat until your snack turns into an entire meal.
Read the Nutrition Facts Panel
Most people eat for pleasure and some eat for nutritional purposes. If your favorite foods are high in fat, salt or sugar, the key is to moderate how much of these foods you consume and how often you eat them. Identify major sources of these ingredients in your diet and make the necessary changes. Adults who eat high-fat meat or whole-milk dairy products at every meal are probably eating too much fat. Use the Nutrition Facts panel on the food label to help you balance your choices.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR ON FOOD LABELS:
% DAILY VALUE: This shows you how food fits into the overall daily diet. They are listed for people who eat 2000 or 2500 calories per day. Choose foods that are low in % of daily value of fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium. Your daily value should be high in foods for total carbohydrates, dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals.
% DAILY VALUE FOR SATURATED FAT: You want to make sure you choose foods low in saturated fat, since it is a key factor in raising cholesterol and increasing your risk of heart disease.
CALORIES FROM FAT: This tells you how fatty a food item is. You should choose foods with a big difference between the total number of calories and the number of calories from fat. The recommended guideline is for you to not get more than 20% of your calories from fat (1 gram of fat = 9 calories).
SUGAR: Keep sugar to a limit. It is recommended that you strictly limit sugar intake to a minimal amount to assist with weight loss.
SODIUM: You should keep to a minimum of 2400 to 3000 mg. or less per day, since it may increase high blood pressure or cause water retention.
PROTEIN: Eat smaller servings of lean meat, fish and poultry, since animal protein has fat and cholesterol (1 gram protein = 4 calories). Other sources of protein include tofu, soymilk and papayas.
TOTAL CARBOHYDRATES: Choose foods that are high in this group, such as whole grain breads, potatoes, fruits and especially vegetables. Cutting down on fat should increase your intake of carbohydrates. A low calorie, high fiber diet (especially vegetables) should be stressed during weight loss (1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories).
Go For Moderation
Don't feel guilty if you love foods such as potato chips, chocolate bars or ice cream. Eat them in moderation, and choose other foods to provide the balance and variety that are vital to good health.
Drink Enough Water
It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Be sure to carry a bottle of water with you at all times- while you are at work, traveling, or exercising. If you get bored with plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor. There are some brands of flavored water available, but watch for extra calories. Ensure to drink about 8 glasses of water a day.
Written by Swee Tiong Young
Senior Fitness Manager, Menara Manulife
