In Part 1 of the Nonsense Free Eating Plan, I went over how much to eat. In Part 2, I talked about what to eat. Now, I'll discuss when and where you should eat. First, I'll talk about meal frequency.
How many times should you eat per day?
If you've read some of the more recent nutritional hype, I'm sure you've seen some experts recommend six small meals per day. One argument for this is that you need to be eating regularly so that you don't go into starvation mode and start storing fat. I used to believe this but after I quit and switched to eating three times a day or less, I experienced some great results. If you eat six times a day, your meals will need to be so small, you probably wouldn't even call them meals.
I've found some inherent faults in the six small meals per day plan.
For many people, especially Americans, there is no such thing as a "small meal." If I'm shooting for 1,800 calories per day, I'd need to eat on average 300 calorie meals. Allow me to put this into perspective. A regular cheeseburger at McDonald's is 300 calories. Maybe I'm just an anomaly, but I can eat about four of these without breaking a sweat. Six meals per day means six opportunities to overeat. Even if you just overeat a little, it will add up when you're eating six times a day.
I also wouldn't want to eat every couple of hours because I like to work out on an empty stomach. This really intensifies fat-burning during your workout. Further, I try not to eat for a couple of hours immediately after a workout. This may contradict some other advice you may have heard, so I'll explain. Right after a workout, you experience a state called post-exercise oxygen consumption which means you need to burn extra energy by consuming more oxygen than normal. If you want to get the most out of your fat burning during this period, you should avoid any type of calorie intake.
So how often do I eat?
On weekdays, I eat 3 meals a day. These are all low-calorie meals, but at least two of these meals fill me up. In order to accomplish this, I need to strategically pick certain foods. For breakfast, I usually eat a two-egg veggie omelet with cheese, a slice of turkey bacon, and an apple. This fills me up for a few hours and it's less than 400 calories. Discovering meals like this that you enjoy is critical to your eating plan.
On weekends, I indulge, but also incorporate intermittent fasting.
One day a week (usually on the weekend), I use intermittent fasting as a way to cut down my weekly calories. During this time, I go for 18 to 24 hours without eating. This isn't really all that bad. If you select a time frame that works well for you, it's easier than you think.
What about the infamous starvation mode?
Not to worry. Regardless of what you may have heard, you will not go into starvation mode if you fast for a few hours. In fact, towards the end of a 24 hour fast, your metabolism actually increases slightly. Our caveman ancestors would often go for long periods of time without eating and they were leaner and more fit than we are. Eat Stop Eat is a great resource for anyone who would like to learn more about intermittent fasting. I can honestly say that this book completely changed the way I think about eating.
Finally, I'll talk about where to eat.
Does this even matter? Actually, it does. If you want to lose fat, you need to eat or prepare most of your meals at home. This is the most effective way to make sure you get low-calorie meals that are satisfying and enjoyable. I used to eat about half of my meals out and most people are probably the same way.
Now, I prepare more than 80% of my meals and that has made a big difference in the way I look.
When you dine out, the restaurant doesn't care about your waistline. They are trying to make money. They often use cheap ingredients (oils, processed foods, etc.) so they can turn a profit. Even the supposedly "healthy" menu items like salads are usually undercover calorie bombs. One of the best things I ever did for my health was to stop eating lunch at my company's cafeteria. As an added bonus, I also saved a ton of money. I like to use my cheat meals when I eat out at restaurants with my friends or in a social setting. This allows me eat whatever I want without feeling guilty.
So that's it! Remember to check out Parts 1 and 2 of the Nonsense Free Eating Plan if you haven't already.
About this Author
Read Part 1 of the Nonsense Free Eating Plan. You can find more articles on health and fitness on Alykhan's website. Visit http://www.fitnessbreakout.com and learn how to get a lean, athletic physique without spending all your time working out or hiring a personal trainer.
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