Fit Friday: 5 Meals a Day

Growing up, I was brainwashed into thinking that 3 meals a day was the way to stay fit and regular.
I have since learned that is not the case!

When your body is limited to 3 meals a day, you tend to eat more during those meals.
In the past if I was really trying to watch what I would eat, I would force myself not to snack making myself more than hungry for lunch or dinner.
The problem with the "3 Meal a day" method is that your stomach is shrinking in-between eating times.
Shrinking, and then expanding when you take in 600+ calories in one meal.
This causes weight gain.
Hence why skipping meals is so terrible for your body.
(you might think in your head.. "I barely had any calories for Breakfast and lunch, that means I can eat all my calories for dinner!"- WRONG!! So bad for your body! That is like asking for your weight to be a rollercoaster)

Most workout program's meal plans :Insanity, P90X, ChaLean, etc. will tell you to eat 5 smaller meals a day.

Benefits of Eating 5 Smaller meals a day??
1. Keeps your metabolism regular. Trust me, I know how hard it is for women (and some men I'm sure) to keep their metabolism regular. This is huge!
2. It gives you more energy! It's night and day the energy you feel when you are keeping your body satisfied. No more highs and lows throughout the day!
3. You will burn more calories throughout the day aiding in weight loss.
4. It will also regulate and stabilize your blood sugar and insulin levels. To sum this up: When your blood sugar levels spike, it signals to your body to store fat. We want to avoid that as much as possible!

Okay this does not mean eating 600 calorie meals every 3 hours!
It's all about portion control. (Which is a post for another day)
If you eat smaller meals more frequently you will eat less during the "main meals".

The "Inbetweener Meal"
I call the meal between meals the "inbetweener."
For me, this meal happens at about 10:30 AM between breakfast and lunch and 3 PM between lunch and dinner.
I usually sneak in a "6th meal snack" around 7:30 PM because we all know I can't make it until breakfast the next morning without a little snack after dinner. ha
If I know I am going to be out all afternoon running errands or whatever I'm doing,
I NEVER LEAVE THE HOUSE WITHOUT A SNACK.
Never ever ever.
I grab some fruit, or a bar, just something to snack on.
I also get really bad headaches if my body goes too long without eating.
These inbetweeners are usually never more than 200- 300 calories.
And BEWARE of empty calories. You will not have more energy if you are eating candy or cheese-nips every few hours and counting that as your "inbetweener" meals. Eat things that will fuel your body!

My Favorite Inbetweeners:
1. Apple (or celery) with peanut butter. I am obsessed. I have this almost every day.
Apples are AWESOME because they are a great natural sugar for your body (fulfilling my craving for sugar) and they fill you up!!!   
2. Green Smoothie. I usually just throw in a half frozen banana, some skim milk, a little vanilla yogurt, spinach, and a cutie (yes the tiny oranges- Aaron and I are obsessed with them!) and some ice into the blender. I love it.
3. Yogurt with cut up strawberries and raspberries. 
4. A piece of whole wheat bread toasted with peanut butter.
5. Bars- I love fiber one, or special K, my husband is huge on protein bars so he eats lots of those.
6. I have to add this one in- even though it's not #1 on the charts for healthiness (who eats perfect all the time anyway!) it's my favorite:
Graham crackers and milk. I grew up having this every day when I got home from school, and to this day I can go through a box of graham crackers like it's nobody's business. I will be 95 years old and still plowing through graham crackers! I'm obsessed!

**Depending on what I had for breakfast usually my "inbetweener" meal in the morning will just be a cutie or some type of fruit. The most important thing is that I'm eating something little every couple of hours. Around 3 is when I'm a lot more hungry and it tends to be more calories.

Here's to eating all day long!!!
Haha no but seriously, throwing in those "INBETWEENERS" makes all the difference!
For more Fit Friday tips check out my darling friend Jessica's blog!!

**Side note: We have a HUGE reason to celebrate this weekend.
Mr. Ryan is 7 months old.
Makes me tear up thinking about it.
Happy birthday to my handsome baby boy! I love being your mommy!

Happy Friday! xoxo

Karina Marie Powell

5 comments:

  1. love this! ever since starting insanity, i have to have 5 smaller meals a day. you are an inspiration!

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  2. I love graham crackers and milk too ha Great post, and happy 7 months!!

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  3. Your baba is too cute! Also, all the good 'uns are born on August 21st ;-)

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  4. Mm! I used to devour graham crackers before I started eating gluten free!

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  5. you must be the fittest mom ever....

    -liv
    http://chocolivlovelaugh.blogspot.kr

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