Forget eating three big meals a day. Eat around the clock. That doesn't mean bingeing on junk food whenever you see fit. Instead, many dietitians and researchers encourage eating small, balanced meals. The body usually needs three to four hours to digest an average-size meal. To prevent the body from going into starvation mode, you should refuel it on cue. This also prevents your blood sugar from dropping in between meals. When you wait 4-5 hours or longer to eat each of your three meals, there's more of a tendency to overeat. Eat when your body's hungry, not when your mind is hungry, to prevent stuffing yourself. Keep healthy snacks on hand, and enjoy them between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner. If you want to try eating five or six small meals per day instead of three large ones, then you can use the same foods you might use for a regular meal; simply reduce the portions.
Breakfast might consist of a packet of oatmeal and small piece of fruit. The mid-morning meal could be carrots dipped in hummus and low-fat string cheese. For lunch, try half a can of tuna on a bed of lettuce with four whole-grain crackers for one small meal. Single-serving canned vegetables and fruits make portioning easy. Be sure to include some lean protein, which sends signals to your brain, telling it you're full. Adding fiber to your small meal ensures regularity, plus it fills your stomach with bulk and satisfies hunger. Get creative with your small meals and stoke the fire of your metabolism!