Small Meals And Weight Loss

Eating small meals throughout the day can help you control your weight, according to the Weight-control Information Network, or WIN. Your meals should consist of healthy foods that are low in fat and calories, recommends WIN. While you won't lose weight if you don't reduce your caloric intake, eating several small meals a day may make it easier to eat less overall.

Appetite

Eating small meals throughout the day may help you control your appetite, according to WIN. Eating more frequent meals also may cause your stomach to shrink over time, leading you to feel full sooner, advises Columbia University's Go Ask Alice!

Metabolism

No evidence suggests small meals will help you lose weight by speeding up your metabolism. People who ate six small meals a day didn't lose more fat or have a reduced appetite, according to a 2009 study conducted by J.D. Cameron et al. The study, published by the "British Journal of Nutrition," compared participants who ate six meals a day to participants who ate three meals a day. Both groups followed calorie-restricted diets.

Blood Sugar

Eating more meals throughout the day can help regulate blood sugar in some people with diabetes, according to a 1993 study published by J. Bertelsen et al. in "Diabetes Care." Spikes and crashes in blood sugar can lead to intense hunger pangs, while keeping your blood sugar even helps keep your appetite under control.

Tips

Start with four meals a day. Gradually increase your meal frequency to five or six meals a day. Divide your normal meals in half. For instance, eat half a sandwich and save the other half, which you can eat a couple hours later. Enjoy the same foods you normally eat, but serve yourself smaller portion sizes. Keep track of calories until you get an idea of how much food you should eat--this will help you avoid overeating. Add more low-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables, to your diet. Use small plates to keep track of portion sizes. Eat snack foods between regular meals if you don't have time to cook. Mixed nuts, yogurt, dried fruit and popcorn are good choices.

Recommendations

Don't feel like you have to eat at a specific time. Simply eat when you're hungry, suggests Go Ask Alice! Take your schedule and the total calories you want to eat per day into consideration. Notice if you overeat when you space your meals too far apart. Consume healthy snacks when you don't have time for a full meal. Experiment to see what meal frequency keeps you satisfied.