Throughout the years, training and coaching others has led me to see common trends that affect results. Many of my articles address these issues in the hopes that they will shed some light on the proper way to do things. Crappy magazines and day-time television shows have completely convoluted the fitness industry by making up their own science, or completely ignoring actual science. Since this happens to be the primary source of information for a large portion of the country, the amount of poor information circulating around is out of control. The proof is in the highest obesity and illness rates we have ever had. This article will help to clear up another common misconception.
When you open a magazine, or see an interview on TV by most “so-called” professionals on how to eat healthier and lose weight, you most likely will hear them start with the phrase, “eat 6-8 small meals per day.” Now eating 6-8 “small” meals per day can be conducive to better health if done correctly, but it will prove to be detrimental to weight loss goals. Let’s be honest, the majority of individuals’ primary goals is to lose weight. Eating that many meals a day is a great way to keep blood sugar and insulin levels high, which combined with the right macronutrient breakdown of food and training can really help pack on the mass. The trouble with this is the majority of the individuals getting this information are not looking to pile on the mass, but rather LOSE WEIGHT. If your goal is to lose weight, it is in your benefit to eat 2-3 larger meals of the correct macronutrient breakdown. First off this will keep your blood sugar spikes down, which will make your body more apt to burn fat. Secondly, eating a larger meal of the proper macronutrient breakdown, and actually getting FULL will make you feel less hungry throughout the day, along with controlling carb cravings. If you wait until you are actually hungry, that salmon and broccoli is going to taste like the best thing ever. If you have been eating small meals throughout the day, you are not going to be that hungry come meal time and you are much more apt to grab for the bread or slice of pizza.
Now back to the so called “fitness” professional. They have the majority of individuals whose goal is to lose weight eating small meals throughout the day of oatmeal, yogurt, and fruit. In fact many of you reading this article right now might be thinking “Wait, aren’t those healthy foods?” The answer is yes, they CAN be healthy if eaten properly, but unfortunately they absolutely will destroy your fat loss goals. You can find out about proper nutrition in great detail in the book “Do This, Eat That,” available soon!
So the moral of the story is this… If your main goal is to lose weight and get as lean as possible, eat 2-3 larger meals per day that fill you up. These meals should primarily consist of protein, healthy fat, and fiber, with as close to zero carbohydrates as possible (not counting fiber.)
