| When you are moving through a transformation | | | | times and half 3 hours later.) |
| stage, it takes a lot of energy to navigate all the | | | | Or |
| changes you are facing. Successfully managing | | | | You can eat three smaller meals with three |
| your energy is a must in high change situations | | | | snacks |
| like these. | | | | In the "Eating every 3 hours plan," sit down in a |
| Eating smaller meals every 3 hours boosts your | | | | relaxed, pleasant environment every three hours |
| energy. Additionally, it lowers your cholesterol, | | | | and have some combination of protein, high fiber |
| keeps your blood sugar on an even keel and | | | | complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, vegetables, |
| increases your metabolism -- helping your lose | | | | fruits, and whole grains. Then you stop eating for |
| weight. | | | | 3 hours. |
| After you eat a meal, the food is broken down | | | | Eating smaller meals every 3 hours is not the |
| into sugar which provides you with energy. It | | | | same as "grazing" throughout the day. Grazing |
| takes about 3 hours for this process to be | | | | throughout the day -- eating small amounts |
| complete -- for your blood sugar levels to go up | | | | almost continuously throughout the day -- can |
| and then to fall. | | | | actually lead to spikes in your blood sugar and low |
| If you want to keep your blood sugar levels even | | | | energy and moods. |
| -- supplying you with the right amount of energy | | | | A meal or snack is composed of some |
| throughout the day -- eat a small meal every 3 | | | | combination of the important food groups -- |
| hours and you will prevent the falling blood sugar | | | | protein, high fiber complex carbohydrates, healthy |
| levels, and the sagging energy that comes from | | | | fats, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains. |
| the fluctuations of blood sugar. If you eat small | | | | - The protein will help you stay alert and |
| meals every 3 hours you keep your blood sugar | | | | energized -- plus help you feel full. |
| levels steady. When your blood sugar levels are | | | | - The fiber will help you feel full. |
| steady your energy and mood stay steady and | | | | - The complex carbohydrates and whole grains |
| more balanced throughout the day. | | | | will digest slowly and deliver you a steady supply |
| It is easy to upset the balance of blood sugar -- | | | | of energy for the next 3 hour spurt. |
| and thus energy and mood -- by skipping meals | | | | - The fat --which digests slowly will deliver you a |
| or waiting too long to eat. When blood sugar | | | | burst of energy long after you have eaten it. |
| levels are normal, you feel good and energized. | | | | - The vegetables and fruit will help you feel |
| When blood sugar levels fall, your energy and | | | | energized and full of pep. |
| your mood drop. Eating a healthy diet every 3 | | | | When eating every 3 hours you have to be |
| hours helps to positively alter your brain chemistry | | | | mindful of portion control -- you don't want to |
| and stabilize your moods. | | | | increase your calories. Instead, start eating normal |
| When you eat a large meal every 5-6 hours, you | | | | portions -- and even splitting a normal portion into |
| provide a lot of fuel all at once in your system -- | | | | 2 meals. Supersize portions can often be split up |
| and set the stage for more dramatic blood sugar | | | | into 2 or even 3 meals. |
| imbalances. The excess energy does not get used | | | | Because you will be eating so frequently, you will |
| up and instead gets stored as fat. But more | | | | need to pay attention to quality eating. It helps to |
| frequent, smaller meals delivers your body | | | | plan your meals and snacks ahead of time. You |
| adequate, manageable amounts of fuel spread | | | | can even go so far as to get them ready ahead |
| evenly over the course of a day. | | | | of time and place them in handy containers. |
| How to do it: | | | | After a week or so of eating every 3 hours you |
| You can eat six equal sized smaller meals. (The | | | | will experience so much more energy and feel so |
| simplest way to get started is to take your | | | | much better that any inconvenience or fear about |
| normal, well balanced breakfast, lunch and dinner | | | | changing will be transformed into eager anticipation |
| and divide each in half, eating half at regular meal | | | | of the day's culinary delights. |