Why Do You Need to Eat Three Meals a Day to Lose Weight?

Why Do You Need to Eat Three Meals a Day to Lose Weight?
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A healthy weight-loss plan creates a calorie deficit without sacrificing balanced nutrition. Your eating pattern should not only lead to weight loss, but also help you feel energized and satisfied. Adopting healthful eating habits that you can commit to long-term helps you reach your weight-loss goals and keep the weight off.

Significance

Eating three balanced meals, including a healthy breakfast, helps keep hunger in check. Skipping meals is associated with higher weight and hunger spikes, according to the Weight-control Information Network. A reduced-calorie, balanced diet supports healthy weight loss. Guidelines for a balanced diet include choosing appropriate calorie levels and portion sizes, making healthy choices from each food group and eating three meals a day, according to MedLine Plus.

Effects

Eating three meals a day, as opposed to skipping meals, distributes calorie consumption throughout the day. A three-meal diet allows you to plan your meals based on your daily calorie target. A regular meal pattern also helps keep blood sugar levels regulated and keeps you energized throughout the day. Following a regular three-meal pattern enables you to plan for and establish healthy eating habits that align with your caloric and nutritional needs.

Features

Your diet is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. If you focus on building three balanced meals each day that incorporate healthful choices from the meat and beans, fruits and vegetables, grains and dairy groups, you teach yourself eating habits conducive to long-term healthy living and weight maintenance. Your relationship with food needs to focus on how your diet gives you what you need to feel good and healthy.

Considerations

A weight-loss plan that incorporates three meals is flexible enough to accommodate healthy snacks if you choose wisely, according to the American Dietetic Association. If you find you stay hungry in between meals or that you need extra energy at certain times of the day, make room for healthy snacks in your eating plan. The ADA recommends you avoid snacking out of boredom, choose nutritionally dense snacks such as fruit, vegetables or yogurt, eat proper portions and plan your snacks to fit into your daily calorie budget.

Potential

Adopting a regular eating pattern that focuses on adequate nutrition within caloric needs gives you an advantage when you're ready to shift from a weight-loss plan to a weight-maintenance plan. By simply adjusting your calorie target, you can modify your healthful eating habits to accommodate your weight goals and continue your healthy lifestyle.

References

Article reviewed by RayF Last updated on: Jun 14, 2011

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