Skipping meals may sound like a good way to cut calories but this practice might make you gain weight instead. Eating small meals five times a day keeps your blood sugar levels steady and can prevent unhealthy cravings and overeating. What you eat is more important than how much you eat -- one doughnut can have as many calories as a grilled chicken meal. For successful weight loss build your daily diet around five meals that contain fresh vegetables, lean meats and whole grains.
Breakfast
Eating a full and healthy breakfast is important to your weight loss efforts. People who eat breakfast tend be more successful in losing weight and keeping it off than people who skip breakfast, according to the National Institutes of Health. Make a healthy breakfast burrito with fresh vegetables and egg whites. Saute zucchini, mushrooms, bell peppers and artichoke hearts in 1 tsp. of olive oil. Add three egg whites, salt and pepper to your taste. Fill a tortilla with the egg-vegetable mix and add some salsa for a tasty, low calorie meal. This meal has an average of 300 calories.
Morning Snack
Eat a healthy snack to keep your blood sugar levels steady and to keep from overeating at lunch. Choose apples, bananas, yogurt or a green salad with low fat dressing -- all are roughly 100 calories. Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. If you are used to more flavored drinks, try adding some mint or lime to your water for taste.
Lunch
Make healthy lunch choices whether you're eating lunch at a restaurant or bringing lunch from home. Most restaurants list the calorie content of their meals online. Pick a dish that contains 500 calories or less. Additionally, make a lunch at home and bring it with you to work. Grill a tilapia fillet in 1 tsp. of olive oil and season to taste. Chop some cabbage, tomato, half an avocado and carrots and mix with the fish. Wrap this inside a tortilla and add a tablespoon of low fat ranch sauce and lime juice for taste. This meal has an average of 450 calories.
Afternoon Snack
Avoid overeating during dinner by having a light snack after work. This will give you energy and prevents unhealthy snacking. Great snack options are a light yogurt with a slice of whole grain bread with turkey meat and low fat cream cheese for 200 calories, a vegetable-chicken soup for 150 calories, or a half a cup of fruit salad with a cup of fat-free cottage cheese for 150 calories.
Dinner
Make a healthy dinner by grilling chicken breast, fish or a lean cut of steak. Eat it with sautéed or steamed vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, asparagus, fresh mushrooms and zucchini. Add half a cup of whole wheat pasta, oven-baked potatoes or steamed rice. Serve with a low fat sauce like herbs and tomato, sweet and sour or teriyaki. This meal is an average of 500 calories.
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