One minute we're told that three meals a day is the best goal. The next, the major hype is on mini meals. So what's the best eating schedule for you and your health goals?
Breakfast, lunch, and dinner with the occasional snack thrown in to quiet a grumbling belly is how most of us have learned to eat from the day we were old enough to sit in a high chair. But is the so-called "three square meals a day" approach the best one for you? Some studies have suggested that mini meals--smaller portions of food eaten more frequently--can help you maintain or even lose weight. The idea is that eating less food more often throughout the day may help prevent the kind of extreme hunger between meals that can lead to overeating.
When It Can Work
Eating mini meals "can be a very good tool for maintaining a healthy weight and for losing weight gradually," says Cindy Moore, MS, RD, director of nutrition therapy at the Cleveland Clinic. But it's no quick fix or fad diet, she cautions. Eating mini meals can be considered a lifestyle change that may last long after weight-loss goals have been met. "It's an entirely new way of living and eating," says Moore.
Not everyone can eat five small meals a day, of course. People who have rigid work schedules that don't permit eating breaks, for example, may have a difficult time incorporating this approach. And some people simply have more self-discipline to abstain from overeating or snacking on high-calorie foods between meals, so they wouldn’t see much benefit from eating this way. For many people mealtime is a social experience, not just a time to refuel, says Marilyn Swanson, PhD, RD, USDA national program leader of maternal and child health stationed at the Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. Families who enjoy meals as time set aside to eat and catch up on the day's activities may not want to adopt the mini-meal concept. For them, three square meals a day may be the best bet.
The Bottom Line
Weight control is all about making appropriate choices that fit your lifestyle, says Swanson. Whether you sit down to three meals a day or five mini meals, you still need to watch portion sizes and choose nutritious, low-fat foods over the alternatives. Calories matter--and so does exercise, because weight gain occurs when you consume more calories than you burn.
How to Try This Eating Style
If you want to try mini meals, make an appointment with a registered dietitian who can work with you on meal planning, calorie control, and nutrition issues. Or spend some time at the library or bookstore in search of weight-loss books that emphasize this approach. Here are some things to keep in mind:
Listen to your body. If you are hungry, go ahead and eat a healthy mini meal or snack. Likewise, if you feel satisfied or full, or if the food no longer tastes as good as when you started the meal, stop eating and push the food away.
Keep portions in check. When switching from three meals a day to five mini meals, make sure you trim portions accordingly, says Moore. Otherwise, you'll overeat and defeat the purpose of the mini meal. For example, don't fill your dinner plate with the usual amount of food, if you had a small meal two hours earlier. If the food isn't on the plate, you probably won't miss it. But if the food is there, you may eat it just because it's available.
Lose the unhealthy snacks. Steer clear of snacks that are high in calories and low in nutrients. Fill your kitchen with low-fat foods such as fruit (fresh and dried), low-fat yogurt, baby carrots, and crackers, breads, and cereals made with whole grain. If you indulge in the occasional high-fat or high-calorie food, balance it with a low-fat or low-calorie food later in the day.
Get active. Don't forget that physical activity is essential to maintaining a healthy weight. Find an activity or two that you enjoy and participate in them often.
