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Gone are the days when fad diets were used to maintain weight and to keep the body in shape. People are now shifting their life to the healthy and calorie-controlled diets that can fulfill all the requirements of the body. Intermittent fasting, high-protein diets and low-carb diets were introduced for maintaining weight but all these diets are replaced by the concept of three meals a day.

Three meals a day has shown excellent health benefits and is the diet that meets the overall nutritional requirements while focusing on weight management strategies and approaches. The concept of three meals a day involves the breakfast, lunch and dinner with proper and equal distribution of macro and micro nutrients so that body keeps its metabolism at pace.

Breakfast:

Breakfast in the three meals a day concept is considered as the main part of the day that keeps you energized for the rest of the day. You must place special emphasis on this meal and should focus on consuming food items from all major food groups with equal distribution of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. Protein-based breakfast keeps the body energized for the rest of the day and makes a person feel fuller for usual. The carbohydrates should be selected from complex sources as they can satisfy the unusual cravings and provides the body a feeling of fulfillment. Food items from dairy should also be a part of breakfast as they are the richest source of calcium.

Lunch:

For lunch, you can consume complex carbohydrates with portions of vegetables and fruits as they are also riches source of dietary fiber that can fulfil the satiety level of body. Consume a portion of dairy too including yogurt to meet the requirements of dietary calcium and vitamin D.

Dinner:

For dinner, protein should be the main component of meal accompanied by carbohydrates and vegetables. Carbohydrates should be from complex sources and vegetables should be preferred to consume with their peels or in raw form like salad. Such kind of fiber intake keeps the metabolism at its pace and the blood sugar does not rise as seen in case of refined carbs.

Following a three meals pattern does not require the need of snacks like salty and sugary snacks. Snacks like crackers, biscuits, and other sugary items does not satisfy our hunger pangs and are not beneficial for health. These are main culprits of cravings and once the cravings are initiated, there is hard struggle required to stop them.

1200 calories-three meals plan

Three meals vs six mini meals

Three meals are preferred and hold more benefits than the six mini meals in a day. Here we will discuss some major advantages of three meals a day.

• A person is likely to consume few calories in the case of three meals as all the macro and micronutrients are distributed in the three major meals. The exact distribution of calories fulfil the hunger and cravings and does not raise the blood sugar levels due to unexpected and overloading of carbohydrates.
• Three meals a day help a person to avoid decision fatigue. It becomes easy for a person to stick to the three meals and to avoid stuffing the body with extra snacks through three meals a day. It is called as decision fatigue and when you are stick to your three meals a day decision, you become a person who does not eat between their meals.
• Three meals a day makes a person feel satiated. The mini meals having inappropriate division of macronutrients does not fulfil the cravings and a person feels hunger. The mini meals leads to grazing and over-consumption of calories.
• There are chances of insulin insensitivity in case of six meals due to inappropriate and over-loading of carbohydrates. The three meals a day helps the insulin in the body to work at its normal pace and allows a room to glucose to work in the body between meals.
• Three meals a day provide mindful eating that contributes to weight loss. The snacking between the meals lessens the mindful eating. Three meals a day helps a person to give a thought to consume appropriate number of calories with nutrients from all food groups distributed between meals.
• A person makes attempts towards healthier food choices in case of three meals a day. Snacks and mini meals lead to the consumption of food items that are processed or ready-made which leads to increase in calories. Three meals a day helps a person to choose balanced meal with proper distribution of calories.
• Three meals a day helps the person to consume food while keeping in mind the concept of portion control. The amount of calories consumed can be managed with portion control.

Relation of weight and calories distribution in a meal

Calories and weight management holds a significant relation. The management of weight is strongly associated with the consumption and intake of total calories. An average person requires 1800-2000 calories per day for proper energy levels. Three meals a day directly affects our body’s composition and allows us to make healthy food choices due to balanced calories mechanism.

Our body gets accustomed to the regular eating habits. If we consume three meals a day with mindful eating patter, our body does not craves for extra calories and hunger does not reminds us to consume more. If we consume each thing with balanced and consistent amount, our body kicks out the cravings. The proper distribution of calories per meal also plays an important role in maintaining the weight and balance of various metabolic systems in the body.

The metabolic processes of our body are linked with energy levels and dietary patters. If we consume more carbohydrates in breakfast and less in dinner our metabolic process of conversion of glucose and insulin production gets disturbed. The carbohydrate loading in one meal does not allows a proper room for digestion and conversion till next meal and can results in sudden rise of insulin levels in the body due to disturbed macronutrient content. It can lead to fluctuations in insulin and glucagon levels and affects weight too.

Meal Quality vs Meal Quantity

For a diet, you wish to consume foods from each food group. If you eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, you’ll typically consume a large kind of food. This may guarantee that you are eating everything that you have to maintain a diet. Without ample meal planning, you will find yourself snacking on foods that severely lack nutritional value.

Benefits Over One Meal

If meal frequency doesn't matter, you may be thinking you may just curtail to eating once each day and make it even easier. This won't be the most effective approach though. Researchers at the Beltsville Human Nutrition Centre in Maryland found that folks eating only 1 meal every day could only sustain this for a brief period and had increases in pressure and blood cholesterol compared to those eating three meals.

Compliance

Deciding you are going to eat three meals daily without fail means you're way more likely to stay to your plan. You will not bask in calorie-dense between-meal snacks or skip meals. Women who skip meals have much less weight-loss success than people who stick with a daily eating pattern, consistent with the concept Health and Fitness Association. It persist with the standard breakfast, lunch and dinner schedule, spacing each meal around four to 6 hours apart.

Sample  Meal Plan

It is easy to fall under the trap of eating the identical boring meals day after day, so keep your diet varied and alter your meals regularly to assist you persist with the plan. Breakfast might be poached eggs with a slice of ham on whole-grain toast, a veggie omelet or low-fat Greek yogurt with almonds and mixed berries. For lunch, opt for a salad with as many alternative vegetables as you prefer, amid a protein source like cold roast turkey, canned salmon or farm cheese, plus a tiny low few whole-wheat pasta or kidney beans. Alternatively, have a whole-grain wrap with a protein and veggie filling. Base your dinner around protein too, with a giant serving of vegetables and a rather smaller one in all carbs. A lean beefsteak with green beans and sweet potato, or a chicken stir-fry with peppers, carrot, corn and a tiny low serving of rice would be ideal.

Time

Preparing and cooking food takes time. Even a little snack can break minutes to create, and a bigger meal may require a decent 20 to half-hour. Over the course of per week or month, all now adds up. Eating bigger meals just thrice every day will prevent hours within the long-run. Less time making meals gives you longer for social and family commitments.