Eating a healthy diet is only part of the battle. Eating on a scheduled regimen is equally, if not more, important. You should realize that eating too often or not often enough can cause gaps in your day, lowering metabolism and causing irregular cravings. It's important that we're nourished adequately throughout the day to prevent fatigue, grogginess and to perform at an optimal level.  It's important to eat regular, consistent meals each day.  In general, it's important to eat about every three to four hours.  Some people may prefer to have four or five small meals a day, whereas others may stick to three meals daily.  This timeline may differ for everyone, but it's still not healthy to skip meals. One study showed that when mice ate just one large meal per day and fasted the rest of the day, their insulin resistance and abdominal fat increased. Plan for quick or easy-to-prepare meals to make it easier to stay consistent with your eating schedule.  Foods like individual yogurts, fruit, nuts, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, or a protein shake are easy to eat on the run and require minimal prep work. When you're planning to eat more consistently, it's also important to eat the right foods in each of your meals.  This is especially true for breakfast.  This meal will pave the way for the rest of your day.  Studies have shown the breakfasts that are high in protein help lead to better hunger management during the day.  People felt more satisfied and showed reduced cravings during the day.  Breakfasts that also contained a high amount of fiber have been shown to be beneficial as well.  Fiber adds bulk to meals and takes longer to digest compared to low fiber foods.  This helps increase satisfaction and manage hunger throughout the day.  Examples of high protein, high fiber breakfasts include  a small whole wheat tortilla with scrambled eggs and cheese, cottage cheese topped with fruit, whole grain oats topped with dried fruit and nuts or a breakfast smoothie made with Greek yogurt and fruit. Many people think snacking will lead to weight gain.  However, smartly planned snacks between meals can help curb your appetite and provide a little energy throughout the day.  Do not let yourself become so hungry you overeat at mealtime.  If your next meal is more than one hour away, having a snack may help curb your appetite and prevent you from overeating. Another appropriate time to snack would be before or after a workout.  Snacks can help provide your body with the energy it needs for a good workout or help your body recovery from exercise. If you're trying to lose weight, snacks shouldn't be more than 150 calories.  Snacks should also only be eaten when you are truly hungry, and it's appropriate to snack. Healthy snacks include:  1/4 cup of nuts, whole grain pita chips with hummus, apple with 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml) of peanut butter or a small Greek yogurt. Studies have shown that the slower you eat, the more likely you are to feel satisfied after a meal.  Taking at least 20 minutes to eat your meal can help slow you down so you can feel satisfied sooner and with less food. Taking the time to eat mindfully and to enjoy every bite is a great way to prevent overeating and ensure that you're listening to your body.  Those who ate slower not only felt more satisfied but also consumed less food.  This may be due to the fact they realized they were satisfied and didn't eat until they were overly full. Try these tricks to help yourself slow down:  set a timer for 20 minutes, put your fork down between each bite, drink more water between bites, talk to friends or family while you eat or count how many times you chew each bite. Also do not get distracted while eating.  Turn off TVs and cell phones while you're eating.  Also, try not to read, check emails or do other work while you're eating. When you eat until you're too full or overly full, you're most likely consuming too many calories for your body's needs.  This is not a healthy habit to continue as it could cause weight gain.  It may be difficult to tell when you're only "satisfied."  It takes about 20 minutes for your brain and stomach to communicate that feeling.  That's why it's important to eat slowly. In general, satisfaction may feel like:  a lack of hunger, disinterest in your food, a very slight stretching sensation or the feeling that you won't need to eat again for a few hours.  When you're satisfied, you should leave some food on your plate. When you're eating until you're full, you may feel:  uncomfortable, bloated, sick, a significant stretching sensation in your stomach.  When you're full, you most likely cleared your plate or had additional servings of food. If you're trying to improve your eating habits, you may also want to improve the eating habits of your entire family.  Kids can be a difficult group to get to eat healthy.  However, they are quick to learn and imitate behaviors they see in their parents.  Cooking together with your kids and taking them to the grocery store can help them feel involved, more excited to try new foods and eat healthier.  Introduce new foods slowly to kids. If you're just starting to eat better at home, your kids might not jump on the bandwagon so quickly.  Be patient with them as they adjust their tastes to your new eating pattern. Get creative with your meals and snacks.  Making foods look fun and interesting can help kids feel more comfortable trying new items.  For example:  make a smiley face out of cut up fruit, or make "ants on a log" (celery spread with peanut butter and topped with raisins).
تناول وجبات منتظمة محددة المواعيد يوميًا. تناول إفطارًا غنيًا بالبروتينات والألياف. تناول وجبات خفيفة صحية. تناول الوجبات الرئيسية لمدة 20 دقيقة على الأقل. توقف عن تناول الطعام عند الشعور بالرضا لا الامتلاء. اغرس العادات الغذائية الصحية في أولادك.