If you are looking for a highly effective way to manage your weight, you will want to try this plan. It includes 6 small meals a day rather than 3 larger ones. It is also a much better way to balance blood sugar levels. Three larger meals frequently leads to that hungry feeling in between meals, that can also lead to unhealthy between meal snacking. Your energy level will stay more constant when eating 6 smaller meals also. With 3 larger meals your energy tends to cycle up and down. You must take care to plan these 6 meals so that they include foods from various food groups and that they are nutritionally sound and meet your needs.
You must remember that on the 6 meal plan you will be eating smaller meals than is probably usual for you. Try to keep all meals about the same size and low fat. You want to keep control of your calorie intake. You should set a goal for the number of calories you want to consume every day. For example, let’s say you choose 2000 calories. You should divide that by the 6 meals you will be eating. That means you should aim for about 325 calories per meal. That is not a hard and fast rule though. If you have a few more calories in one meal you can compensate with a few less in another meal. But to achieve the desired effect of never experiencing hunger pangs, all meals need to be approximately the same.
The Right Start For The Day
It is important to start you day right. So, on this 6 meal a
day plan, what does that mean? We have some suggestions for you.
Start with 1 ½ cups of plain yogurt. Top that with about a cup of sliced
berries. With that you can have a cup of unsweetened, whole grain cereal. Add 6
almonds to the cereal and you have a filling and delicious first meal of the
day.
Another option, try a hard-boiled egg and two slices of whole wheat toast. On
the toast you can spread 1 teaspoon of peanut butter and accompany your egg and
toast with ½ cup of orange juice.
It is important to not get bored with your meal plan; if that happens you will
probably give up on it. To avoid that, you need to keep changing what you eat
at each meal.
The Mid-Morning Snack
By the middle of the morning, you have used some energy and
you need a snack to rebuild it.
Try having a 2 oz., toasted whole wheat bagel that you spread 1 ounce of
low-fat cheese on and have a small apple to go with that. This snack will fill
you up and keep you going until your next meal.
Another option for the mid-morning snack is to make a smoothie with ¾ cup fresh
pineapple, a ¼ cup of avocado, a small banana and a cup of non-fat milk. Blend
all of this with crushed ice and you have made a tasty and fruity mid-morning
pick me up.
Light Lunch Time
A great choice at lunch time is to make a wrap sandwich. Use
a 6” whole wheat tortilla as the base for your wrap. Spread some mustard on it.
Then add a layer of lettuce and approximately 2 ounces of sliced turkey. Roll
that all into a wrap that you accompany with a cup of vegetable soup and a
small non-fat yogurt cup and you have a delicious and satisfying lunch.
A salad might appeal to you more on some days. In that case, start with 2 cups
of mixed greens. Top that with about 3 ounces of grilled salmon and top that
with 2 tablespoons of low-fat salad dressing. Have 3 non-fat whole-grain
crackers nd your lunch is complete.
Half Way Through The Day
The good news is that, at this point, you have had 3 tasty and filling meals and
you still have 3 more to look forward to before your day is over.
You can see why you will never go hungry on this plan.
The Afternoon Snack
Mid-afternoon is the time for your next snack. Frequently,
it is when your energy level begins to sag because you have been active either
mentally, physically or both all day. This snack will help build your energy
back up.
A tasty and crunchy snack can be made from ¼ cup of unsalted, mixed nuts
combined with ¼ cup of raisins.
For something different, try ¼ cup of hummus, a 6” whole wheat pita, some
celery sticks and about a cup of carrots.
One of these snacks should keep you going until dinner.
Dinner Time
At this point in your 6 meal plan you have eaten 4 of your 6
meals. For many people, dinner is their largest meal of the day. On your new
plan all of your meals are designed to be about the same size, so this meal may
seem different to you at first. But it can still taste great!
For lovers of seafood, try making kabobs using shrimp. Start with 3 ounces of
shrimp. Mix mushrooms, onions and peppers – about 1 cup. Thread all of these
ingredients on kabob skewers and grill. You can then serve them over ½ cup of
brown rice. To this add a salad made by topping a cup of mixed greens with a
tablespoons low-fat salad dressing.
If you are looking for a beef option then a 3 ounce piece of beef tenderloin
with a plain, small baked potato and a cup of steamed broccoli make a very delicious
meal.
Time For Your 6th Meal Of The Day
If you are classic evening snacker, then 6 cups of air
popped popcorn mixed with 30 peanuts will make a perfect snack for your end of
the day meal.
Another choice could be 1 ½ cups of whole-grain cereal that you add 1 cup of
non-fat milk to. You can also have a small banana to complete this snack.
It should be obvious that this 6 meal plan will not leave you feeling hungry or stuck eating boring meals. You get to eat a wide range of yummy foods and you will be eating all the time. There won’t be any sugar highs or lows and you will be full. You will be snacking a lot but it will be healthy snacking that will taste good and be good for you.
If you change to this 6 Meal A Day Plan you will feel content and satisfied and you will lose weight.
