4-6 small meals a day for weight loss - when, what and how much?!?!

[loriandmatt]

i have been hearing a lot of talk about giving your body it's best chance at weight loss by eating 4-6 times a day. i also have heard that there are certain times of the day combined with certain types of foods that will help this process along.

i have been taking steps to eat healthier and in less quantities, but any tips on what those times are and what/how much key foods would be very much appreciated.

 

[ohMom]

check out the book Body for Life, it's been awhile since i read it but it seems very familiar to what you are thinking of trying

 

[JMD]

Eat your first meal when you wake up, then eat every 2-3 hours after that. Make sure to eat protein with every meal. No complex carbs after 6pm. I try to split all my meals into protein/carbs or protein/fats. I eat my carbs earlier in the day and around my workouts, and eat my protein/fats meals later in the day.

 

[goodeats]

What JMD said, also make sure your meals/snacks are approx the same sizes. I.e. around 200-300 calories a pop. The point is that you won't be hungry. So you could have yogurt and fruit at 7:00 AM, and then at 10:00 AM a cheese stick and fruit, and then at 12:30 chicken and salad, and then at 4:00 a WW tortilla and lowfat cheese quesodilla, and then at 7:00 fish and veggies. After a few weeks of eating this way you won't be able to eat 'normal' portions anymore and will be accustomed to eating less.

You do need to be proactive about bringing food with you at all times though and prepping the night before!