How to Eat Four to Five Meals Per Day for Weight Loss

Increasing your frequency of eating is an important way to regulate metabolism and stimulate fat loss, as each extra meal keeps the metabolic "fire" burning--resulting in more calories used throughout the day than if you ate two or three larger meals with the same caloric content. However, there is more to weight loss than simply eating more often--effective dieting requires diligent attention to both meal timing and quality to bring you toward your ideal physique.

Things You'll Need

• Timer or Stopwatch

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Instructions

• 1

  Utilize a timer or a stopwatch with a beeping alarm to remind you when it is time for your next meal. Unless you are accustomed to eating several smaller meals throughout the day, you will likely miss meals if left to your own devices. Remember that the key here is eating on a timed schedule as opposed to when you are expressly hungry, so follow the clock instead of your stomach to succeed.

• 2

  Divide your total intended daily intake across the larger number of meals to determine how many calories you should be aiming for per meal. For example, if you are eating five meals on a 1,500 calorie diet, each meal should contain roughly 300 calories. Do not make the mistake of super-loading one or two meals and making the rest a pittance--the key to increasing your metabolism is keeping it busy throughout the entire day.

• 3

  Consume only healthy natural foods while dieting with increased meal frequency. This means avoiding sugars, refined flour, fried foods, alcohol, and other "junk" calories. Instead, limit your consumption to only lean meat, fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy unsaturated fat. Remember that no matter how frequently you eat, 1,500 calories from ice cream will never provide the same weight loss benefits as 1,500 calories from fresh, natural foods. Do not make the mistake of over-scrutinizing diet timing while neglecting diet quality.