Are You Eating on Time?
Eating at regular intervals helps balance the body’s nutritional needs throughout the day. When I wait too long periods between eating meals, I get too hungry, less focused, and it negatively affects my mood. I find that eating three times a day, with four hours in between each meal helps me to stay on track with eating healthy.
Guard Against Temptation
Having a routine eating schedule also helps avoid mindless eating, which leads to extra calories that my body doesn’t need. It guards against the temptation to overindulge when food is around. I work in an office that has a kitchen. People bring in all kinds of junk food into the kitchen to share with everyone.
In the morning, when I go into the office kitchen to put my lunch in the refrigerator, very often there is unhealthy food on the counter to snack on like donuts, cookies, candy, or cake. Basically, it is someone’s leftovers that they’re trying to get rid of. Share the calories, right?!!
Balanced Eating
Eating less than three balanced meals a day can lead to overeating because you’re feeling starved by the time eat again. It is best to eat at regular intervals throughout the day to avoid being overly hungry. These days, nutritionists are recommending that we eat at least three meals a day or five to six small meals. I keep it simple by eating only three meals a day.
Peace of Mind
Knowing what I’m going to eat and when gives me peace of mind. It takes all the guesswork out of the equation so that I am not trying to figure out what I’m going to eat when I feel the first hunger pang. My planned meals are balanced throughout the day with fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Bring Your Own (BYO)
Bringing prepared meals to work or wherever I go, when necessary, is essential for me to avoid eating foods that are not on my food plan. I need to avoid flour, sugar, and processed foods at all cost because, for me, they are addictive. So, if I am going to be away from my house during my regular eating times, I will either eat at a restaurant where I know I can get the food that I need, or I will bring my own food in my insulated lunch bag.
Adjustments to The Interval Rule
There are times when I’m invited to an event where there will be food present, and it is not during one of my mealtimes. Depending on the type of event, I will either adjust my meal times so that I can eat at the event or if it is scheduled late in the evening, I can choose to sip on a diet drink or have water. If I choose the latter, inevitably, I will be asked, “Why are you not eating?” My answer is usually, “I’ve already eaten.”
Commitment to eat at set times throughout the day has certainly helped me to stay on track with my healthy eating regimen. It safeguards me from getting too hungry and it reduces the temptation to eat junk food.
What are your thoughts about eating at regular intervals? How many times do you eat a day?
Cynthia
