Are You Eating Enough?
Most of the time we are worried about eating too much. However, not eating enough can also be a problem. I think as Moms we are all guilty of this.
How many times have you heard someone say something like, “I am not eating all day because I am going out tonight for dinner and I want to save all of my calories (or points) so I can eat whatever I want.” ? Or maybe you have a busy day and you just ‘forget’ to eat only to realize late in the afternoon that you are starving. As moms we always make sure that our kids are fed but sometimes we forget about ourselves. Maybe you are finishing up a quick load of laundry while your kids eat breakfast, checking your email or making a quick phone call while your kids eat lunch. Then it is on to the next thing and you never ate. Again, then you are starving at dinner time and eat a huge meal.
Here is the problem. Our bodies need food throughout the day to provide the energy that we need to function. We are designed to eat about every 3 hours. So, if we don’t eat regularly, the body starts to ‘wonder’ when it is going to get fuel next. Then when you do eat, instead of using all of that food for energy, the body stores some of it as fat. That way if it doesn’t get fed in a timely manner it can use that fat for energy. Now, using fat for fuel doesn’t sound too bad right? Except that the body has to be starved for food quite a while before it actually starts to use that fat. In America, there is no way we go long enough without eating for that to actually happen. So what actually happens is that the body just keeps storing food as fat and we don’t lose weight because our body is in survival mode and thinks that it needs to keep storing everything we eat as fat.
What about when we go all day without eating and then have a huge meal at night? That is just as bad because our body needs most of its energy during the day when we are the most active. If we eat more than we need at night, right before we go to sleep and are inactive for a long period of time, our body will store that excess as fat.
So, what should we do? EAT SMALLER PORTIONS ON A REGULAR BASIS. Try to consume a majority of your calories before the evening. Dinner should actually be the smallest meal we eat, not the largest. Have a morning snack between breakfast and lunch and an afternoon snack between lunch and dinner. Eating smaller portions on a regular basis will actually help you lose weight when combined with a healthy diet and exercise.
What if you want to go out for dinner? Go, have fun, allow yourself to enjoy a night out. Here is the thing though-having dinner out doesn’t mean that you have to overeat. Why not share an entree with whoever you are with? Or, if you can, get the lunch portion. Another tip is to ask for a to-go box at the beginning of your meal. Split the meal in half and put one half in the to-go box right away. That way, the extra is off your plate and you will avoid over eating.
How can you avoid skipping meals? Like I said before, we always make sure that our kids are fed. So, instead of trying to get things done while they are eating, sit down and eat with them. Take care of yourself as well as you take care of your kids. They will love having you eat with them.
Remember, not eating enough is just as bad as over eating! Remember that next time you are tempted to skip a meal!
