Can Eating Five to Six Small Meals Help You Lose Weight?

Consuming your daily caloric intake in five or six small meals throughout the day helps sustain energy levels, increase the effectiveness of your metabolism and boost your ability to lose weight. Pairing a healthy, well-balanced, small meal plan along with a physical activity program can help you create long-term weight loss success.

Significance

Your metabolism is considered the engine of your body. It runs on the fuel you provide in the way of calories from the food and drink you consume. When your intake is too low, your metabolism slows down, get sluggish and becomes unproductive. Providing adequate amounts of high-quality fuel to your body by eating five to six small meals per day gives your metabolism the opportunity to run efficiently and effectively. You are able to burn more calories, and improve your weight loss success.

Function

To create a healthy five- to six-meal-per-day plan, first identify your current caloric intake by tracking what you eat. Next determine what your intake should be for your weight loss goals. Use sites like myplate on LIVESTRONG.com and MyPyramid.gov. Divide your new daily caloric intake goal by five or six to give you the calorie target for each small meal. Assemble balanced combinations of healthy foods you already enjoy that equal your small-meal calorie target.

Identification

Evaluate the quality and quantity of your small meals for nutrient balance and variety. These essential elements will help you create a plan that you can adopt and sustain. Think of this as a lifestyle change, not a diet. Look to colorful fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains to add the nutrient balance and variety you require. Keep a food log or journal to discover areas for improvement and ensure balanced nutrient intake.

Considerations

You cannot lose weight successfully by just manipulating your food intake alone. Physical activity is required to help you effectively lose weight and keep it off. While developing your healthy food plan, make sure to include a physical activity program to supplement it. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that you perform 200 to 300 minutes of moderate physical activity per week in order to obtain long-term weight loss.

Misconceptions

All calories are not created equal. Yes, all calories count toward your overall daily total, but the nutrient content of those calories impacts your weight loss success. Nutrient poor food choices high in calories and fat can actually increase your hunger and cravings for high-calorie foods by upsetting your hunger signaling mechanism. High-quality, nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables and whole grains will provide your body with needed nutrients while helping you lose weight and feel satisfied instead of hungry.

Practice

Eat breakfast every day. It fuels your metabolism and provides you with the needed energy to start your day. Work on decreasing the size of your existing meals and then add a snack to your current intake plan. Let your body adjust to that plan for a few weeks, then add another small meal or snack. Slowly work toward eating five to six meals per day. You are more likely to create habits with gradual changes then with drastic ones.

References

• U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health; Medline Plus; Tips for Losing Weight;
• American College of Sports Medicine, American Dietetic Association, Dieticians of Canada; Joint Position Stand Nutrition and Athletic Performance; 2009;
• American College of Sports Medicine; Appropriate Physical Activity Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain in Adults; 2009;
• National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NDDK); Weight Control Information Network, Better Health and You Tips for Adults;