Eat More Lose Weight
Nutrition Tip
Dividing your food intake into smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day can be a highly effective way to keep your energy levels up and improve your health at the same time.
In a study in the New England Journal of Medicine, two groups ate the same type and amount of food, but one group had three meals a day and the other spread those meals across 17 snacks.
After just two weeks, the nibblers had reduced their blood-cholesterol levels by more than 15 percent, their cortisol levels by more than 17 percent (evidence that their bodies were under less stress than those of the non-nibblers), and their blood-insulin levels by almost 28 percent (indicating a more constant blood sugar level, which helps eliminate wild energy swings as the day progresses).
The bottom line: Instead of three large feedings spaced across the day, pack midmorning and mid-afternoon snacks that distribute your caloric intake evenly over five or six meals.
