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Lose Fat Fast by Scheduling Meals

Time Meals Right to Lose Weight

© Tracy Rose

Aug 7, 2008
A Healthy Breakfast, Andres Virviescas
The ideal amount for time between meals is three hours. Eat more often and you risk weight gain. Eat less often and experience hunger pains, cravings and poor metabolism.

Timing is everything when it comes to eating to lose weight. When you eat is just as important and what you eat. Schedule your meals right and you can lose fat faster. A sample schedule would look like this:

  • 6:00 AM Breakfast
  • 9:00 AM Snack
  • 12:00 PM Lunch
  • 3:00 PM Snack
  • 6:00 PM Dinner

It isn’t necessary to stick to the exact schedule everyday, but losing weight will be easier if you can stick to this schedule or one similar to it. It’s always a good idea to keep extra snacks on hand and be prepared for last-minute schedule changes. You might find that 3:00 PM is the time of day your really need a snack. Set a meal schedule that works best for you.

Problems Caused by Not Sticking to a Meal Schedule

When you wait too long before eating your next meal you put your body through undue stress. Going hungry causes the following issues:

  • Intense food cravings
  • Lowered metabolism
  • Overeating and binge eating
  • Excess cortisol, which makes it harder to lose weight
  • Hunger pains
  • Low energy and poor performance
  • Moodiness and irritability
  • Inability to lose weight

Best and Worst Times to Eat for Fat Loss

The best time to eat is first thing in the morning. Food might be the last thing on your mind when you first wake up, but eating something healthy is critical to raising your metabolism and staving off hunger pains later in the day.

The worst time to eat, on the other hand, is late at night. It’s best to eat more food earlier in the day so you aren’t overly hungry and experiencing cravings after dinner.

Eating regularly throughout the day is the ideal way to eat when dieting. Sticking to a regular meal schedule helps you avoid starvation mode. This occurs when your body isn’t getting enough food to survive on and it holds onto everything you have to keep itself alive. Therefore, it becomes impossible to lose weight even though you have cut back on calories.

Hungry between Meals

Another typical problem for dieters is feeling hungry or deprived between meals. This often happens when you skip a meal or aren’t eating the right foods. Make sure you are eating whole grains, get plenty of fiber in your diet and include protein with each meal. These help you stay full longer. Don’t skip your snacks in order to save calories either.

If you feel hunger between meals even when you are following a set meal schedule it may be due to dehydration. Track the amount of water you are drinking and add to your daily total, if necessary. Hunger can be confused with thurst.

Scheduling your meal times and planning ahead for your meals is one way to ensure fast fat loss. Space your meals out throughout the day to avoid overeating or feeling deprived.


The copyright of the article Lose Fat Fast by Scheduling Meals in Weight Loss is owned by Tracy Rose. Permission to republish Lose Fat Fast by Scheduling Meals in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.


A Healthy Breakfast, Andres Virviescas
A Healthy Lunch, Andrzej Gdula
A Hearty Dinner, Ove Topfer
   


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