I don't know if you are realize why I make such a big deal of eating regularly. And by regularly, I mean eating a balanced meal every 2.5 to 3.5 hours. Yes, I realize it's a pain in the behind. Yes, I realize sometimes your meeting schedule for that day doesn't cooperate, I understand. But you'll need to find a way to get some nourishment in every 2.3-3.5 hours each day.
Why?
Because that is approximately the amount of time it takes before your body has burned through the previous meal. And as long as we're being honest about it, it's about the time your blood sugar is beginning to drop off. And we all know what happens when your blood sugar begins to drop. Outside of being loopy and distracted, you'll notice it's harder to keep focused, and think clearly. Basically it just takes so much more energy to get the job in front of you done.
Now, add to that, if you make a habit of skipping meals it actually sends the message to your body to store calories. That's right, store calories (think increased body fat).
Why?
Because as corny as it sounds, your body is a survival machine. We out survived the dinosaurs for a reason -- our ability to adapt. One of the reasons we've been so good at survival in tough times is because our bodies respond to our eating habits. When food was scarce, whether from drought or cold (depending on where your ancestors lived), your metabolism slows down. In that way it ensures that you will not starve to death (conserving energy). That's kind of an important thing don't you think.
Well, flash forward, if you consistently skip (go over 3.5 hours without eating something substantial) meals you are in fact sending your body the same type of message -- caloric deprivation or "food is scarce". Being the great survival machine that it is, your body will slow down your metabolism to make sure you don't starve (think conserving gasoline).
So any ideas you had about losing weight or getting lean -- scratch 'em. Your body is focused on survival because you've been missing meals.
Now, on the other hand, when you feed your body every 2.5-3.5 hours, your sending your body the message that it does not need to store calories -- because you are feeding it consistently (think decreased body fat).
Obviously if there's no need to store calories (evidenced by the regular meal schedule) then your body will (with a good exercise program) proceed to get lean by speeding up the metabolism and burning fuel (food) efficiently.
And to make sure you have your meal options, I've included some snack options to help you stay on track. Last week was breakfast choices. This week let's cover the morning and afternoon snacks. Next week I'll make sure you stay on track with some lunch options.
Snack Options (mini meals):
Romaine Tuna Wraps (Romaine_Tuna_Wraps.doc)
Mint Chocolate Shake (Mint_Chocolate_Shake.doc)
Raspberry Mocha Shake (Raspberry_Mocha_Shake.doc)
And remember there is always the trusty Pita Pocket (cut in half) with 4-6 oz. of your favorite meat, lettuce, tomato and a low fat topping.
That's the Big Deal!
So get your meals in. It just takes a little creativity. Don't find problems, Find Solutions!