With many of us living such fast paced lives, sometimes we don’t eat enough, we eat too much, or we may even miss meals. Things happen and sometimes we can’t eat on a regular schedule. However, our bodies function better when we have a routine. Eating meals about the same size around the same time each day can help us improve or maintain body composition and improve physical performance. Here are some tips from Precision Nutrition to create a more regular eating schedule:
- Schedule meal times – For those wanting to improve performance or gain muscle, plan on eating every 3 – 4 hours. You can schedule these onto your calendar as an alarm or reminders. It doesn’t necessarily need to be rigid but having this general rule helps get your meals in.
- Scheduled appetite check ins – For those wanting to lose weight or fat, it is better to learn hunger cues so appetite/hunger check ins would fare better. Every 3 – 4 hours, check how hungry you feel. If it’s 6 or 7 out of 10, then it is time to eat. If not, then check again in 30 minutes.
- Meal prepping/planning and healthy snack option – Prepping and planning your meals in advance can help you eat healthier. If you have your lunch planned, then you won’t need to run to the store and potentially buy something unhealthy. You’ll also have your meal ready to go so you’re less likely to skip it. Having healthy snacks on hand can also prevent you from going for unhealthy options.
