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The problem I have with following the basic breakfast/lunch/dinner schedule is that, usually, most of us are starving by the time we finally sit down to eat. As a result, we either end up eating the wrong foods or eating too much of the right foods.

Our bodies were designed to be hunters and gatherers; we have a genetic switch inside us that goes from burning fat to storing it. Fat storage functions as a fuel supply for future energy needs.  Back when we had to find our food, we weren’t guaranteed 3 meals a day and when we didn’t have food, our body had a back up supply to keep us going.

Fortunately, we no longer have to hunt for our next meal.  Unfortunately, our “back up supply” keeps growing every time we get really hungry.  In order to keep that fat storing switch in the “off” position, we have to make sure that we are never hungry and eating every 3 hours definitely conquers this.

I know it sounds time consuming, but it’s not if you plan your daily eating correctly.  Just throw 2-3 snacks in a bag and take them with you every day.  Here are some easy options:

Snack Options (2-3 times/day):

• Steal some of your mate’s protein powder, store a serving in a blender bottle and make sure to carry it with you at all times. Just add 1-1.5 cups of water and shake vigorously for a quick and easy snack on the go OR grab a meal replacement shake from the store (Females should aim for 20-25g protein/0 carbs/0 fat and males 40-50g protein/o carbs/o fat)
• Prepare 1 serving of raw or roasted/unsalted nuts in a snack-sized zip-lock bag. You can easily prepare 7 of these each Sunday, making each serving ready to pack for your day (1 Serving for females is 1 oz/ or 1/4 cup. 1 serving for males is 1.5 oz or 1/3 cup).
• Purchase single-serving sized containers of plain, fat-free yogurt (Greek or regular with no fruit or honey) or measure out 1 serving into Tupperware before you go to bed so it’s ready to pack for your work day (1 serving=1 cup for females and 1.5-2 cups for males)
• Measure out 1-2 servings of fat-free cottage cheese into a Tupperware before you go to bed so it’s ready to pack for your work day (1/2-1 cup for females and 1-2 cups for men)
• Pack 1 serving of fruit for your day. An example of 1 serving would be 1 banana, 1 orange, 1 apple, or 1 cup of melon or berries.
• Pack 1 serving of jerky in a snack-sized zip-lock bag ( 1 oz for females and 2 oz for men)
• Every Sunday, hard-boil 20-40 eggs, crack and peel them, and store them in your fridge. Allow yourself 1 serving of hard-boiled egg whites/day. (1 serving for females is 4 whites/day and 1 serving for males is 6-8 whites/day)

The best thing about eating every 3 hours if that it makes you less hungry when it does come time for a sit-down meal.  This makes it way easier to not devour outrageously large portions, or mindlessly grab for the calorie-dense options (fats, sugars, starches, etc).

Success requires planning. Learn to plan your meals and you will achieve your weight-loss goals!

Keep focused and stay tuned for more easy-to-incorporate weight-loss tips by LK Fitness.