The Link Between Meal Frequency and Weight Loss
When it comes to weight loss, one area of debate is how many times we should be eating a day. In other words, should we stick to one or two meals a day, or is better to distribute it throughout the day? On the one side, some experts suggest eating every two to three hours but on the other side, others suggest limiting it to two or three times per day.
Eating More Times a Day
Research suggests that there is an inverse association between weight and eating frequency. And the thing is that there are benefits but also some potential disadvantages of eating more times a day.
THE EXPERIMENT
The man under clinical test (myself) was subjected to a strict diet of 2,500 calories and 1 hour of mild exercise, both of his own choice, per day. Starting at weight 64,5 kg (see Figure) (height 178 cm) (Body Mass Index (BMI) category normal), a consistent and constant weight loss was recorded during the periods M1 and M3 (average weight loss rate ~0.25kg/week), and a weight gain (average weight gain rate ~0.3kg/week) during the periods M2 and M4.
This represented an average total weight loss of 4.4 kg during M1 and M3, and an average total weight gain of 4.8 kg during M2 and M4. Small up/down peaks along with the weight loss and weight gain trends correspond to metabolic adaptations. Interestingly, the original weight trend was always shortly and consistently recovered after switching from a 6 to 3 meals/day plan. These findings suggested weight loss due to a higher meal frequency under controlled energy balance. The consistent inverse relationship between frequency of eating and bodyweight was observed over a long period (more than one year), supporting other short-term epidemiological studies. In summary, this study suggests that “snack-eating” (also known as grazing, picking, or nibbling), i.e. more frequent small meals, may help bodyweight control, thus helping to avoid overweight/obesity and the implementation of efficient weight management programs.
What is the reason behind this?
- Increased Metabolism: Converting food to fuel requires calories (energy) for the body, a process known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). Frequent meals throughout the day keep our metabolism more active.
- Blood Sugar and Appetite: After a long period without eating, blood sugar decreases and our body releases cortisol (stress hormone), increasing cravings and fat storage. This has collateral side effects such as anger, anxiety, and sometimes weakness. So the point is to reduce cravings and keeping our metabolism active with blood sugar.
What are the benefits and potential disadvantages?
- Benefits: Decreased hunger and increased fullness, potentially preventing overeating. Increased opportunities to consume healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables.
- Disadvantages: Choosing unhealthy foods such as high-caloric snacks, potentially leading to a short-term feeling of fullness and overeating later on.
Eating Frequency and Food Quality
Switching high-calorie foods with healthier low-calorie ones can help to decrease calories without affecting the total volume of food we eat. Vegetables are low-calorie and have a low energy density. Red meat and butter are high on calories and have high energy density. Thus, it is possible to lose weight by replacing high calorie and density foods with foods that are lower in calorie and density. For example, replacing 1 cup of pasta/rice for ½ cup and 1 cup of vegetables could save ~ 100–125 calories in one simple move.
But we can not forget that also we have to meet our daily nutrients needs. While it could be simpler to meet our macronutrient needs (carbohydrates, proteins, and fats), meeting our micronutrient needs (vitamins and minerals) could be a bit more complicated. So, eating more times a day (3 to 6) gives you more opportunities to nutrify our body. For example, having yogurt for breakfast will provide us with potassium, an orange for lunch with vitamin C, and carrots for dinner with vitamin A. Meeting our micronutrient needs requires the right calories and a variety of foods.
Reference
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