Skip a Meal, Gain a Pound

Sporadic Eating Schedules Contribute to Weight Gain

A lack of regularly scheduled eating times greatly affects your chances of
being overweight. Overweight people typically have extended periods of time
without food followed by overeating; sometimes to the point of bingeing.
Wide swings in your blood sugar levels caused by irregular eating schedules
promote mood changes and increased hunger levels. Low blood sugar also
sends signals slowing your metabolism promoting the storage of body fat.
Starting and maintaining a regularly scheduled eating plan will be of the
greatest challenges facing you in controlling your weight.

Keeping Blood Sugar Levels Stable

Almost all the food that enters your body must be broken down into glucose
to be used as energy by the brain and other cells of the body. Glucose is a
sugar and is the preferred form of energy for all the metabolic systems in
your body. Your pancreas closely monitors and regulates blood glucose
levels with two hormones. When low blood sugar levels are detected due to a
lack of food, your pancreas releases a hormone sending stored glucose into
the blood. When blood sugar levels are high, like right after a meal,
another hormone is released to take excess sugar and store it in the body.
Irregular eating patterns disrupt this highly balanced sugar regulation
system and cause large hormone swings, overeating and weight gain.

The Affect Low Blood Sugar Has on Your Brain

Low blood sugar is called hypoglycemia. When your blood sugar levels are
low, the brain releases a series of hormones trying to increase blood sugar
levels. During the hypoglycemic period you may experience symptoms such as
shakiness, panic, sweating, headaches, irritability, blurred vision and
severe food cravings. Most people respond to low blood sugar by trying to
eat something. The significant time lag between eating and your blood sugar
rising means most people will overeat. Usually simple carbohydrate foods
that raise blood sugar quickly are consumed but these products are not long
lasting or satisfying. The obvious solution is to eat regularly to prevent
this from happening.

Eating on a Schedule

Generally, if you don't have any trouble with your weight, normal eating
occurs when you are hungry. Observation tells us normal eating occurs
naturally about every 4 to 6 hours. Eating every 4 to 6 hours helps you
maintain a stable blood sugar level and avoids excessive hunger and
overeating. Eating regularly is a habit that you will want to re-learn and
perfect. Until your body naturally returns to a healthy hunger cycle, it's
best to just schedule all meals and snacks. Sometimes you will find
yourself trying to eat when you are not hungry. If that is the case, adjust
the portion so you only eat a small amount.

Planning Your Meals

Another valuable habit of healthy, normal weight eaters is planning your
meals. Weight problems can also occur from the lack of good meal
preparation. Unplanned meals tend to be less balanced and contain less
fresh fruits and vegetables and more canned and process items. Preplanning
your meals means you'll have the foods necessary to eat a nicely balanced
meal. Having healthy foods around the house also makes for good snacking
material. Yes, you can snack when you are trying to lose weight. Snacks
just need to be healthy like a half an apple with peanut butter or some
almonds with raisins.

For 30 days challenge yourself to plan your meals and eat on a regular 4 hour
schedule. You will be amazed at the difference it makes in your waistline.