{"id":715,"date":"2022-01-05T15:22:07","date_gmt":"2022-01-05T15:22:07","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2023-09-05T22:57:22","modified_gmt":"2023-09-05T14:57:22","slug":"benefits-of-eating-small-meals-every-2-hours-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.circledna.com\/benefits-of-eating-small-meals-every-2-hours-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Benefits Of Eating Small Meals Every 2 Hours"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many people have realized the benefits of eating small meals every 2 hours once they\u2019ve tried this lifestyle change. It turns out that if you eat small, healthy meals (or healthy snacks( every 2-3 hours, you\u2019ll reap many health benefits.<\/p>\n

Throughout human history, the way we eat has changed a lot. Neanderthals and early Homo Sapiens often went through stages of \u2018feast\u2019 when food was readily available, followed by a time of \u2018famine\u2019 as they hunted and searched for more fertile ground.<\/p>\n

As humans evolved, so did mealtime, but the eating habits of earlier civilizations looked nothing like what they do now.<\/p>\n

According to Abigail Carrol, author of Three Squares: The Invention of the American Meal, <\/em>our modern-day eating habits resulted from social and economic factors, and the Industrial Revolution was a pivotal component. Before the Industrial Revolution, people simply ate when they were hungry, often with their hands, on the go, and quickly. With no shortage of work to be done on a farm, the idea of a lunch break just wasn\u2019t feasible.<\/p>\n

Once factories started opening and farmers traded in their fields for production lines, meal time started to be more structured. Breakfast was eaten before the workday began, and lunch was taken by everyone at a set time. The evening was often the only time the entire family was together, and people began sitting down to a large meal at the end of a busy day and called it dinner. Thus, the modern concept of \u2018three squares a day\u2019 was born.<\/p>\n

Recently, that idea has been turned on its head, and more health experts are promoting smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day instead of 3 large ones.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That being said, what are the benefits of eating small meals every 2 hours?<\/p>\n

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Meal Frequency and Weight Loss<\/h2>\n

Your metabolism is a chemical reaction that occurs in your body when you eat. It\u2019s the process of turning food into energy. Your metabolism can be either fast or slow.<\/p>\n

The main argument for more frequent meals is that it speeds up your metabolism, or at the very least keeps it running efficiently. The theory is that, by having to work to break down and digest food more frequently, you will burn more calories and lose weight.<\/p>\n

However, science doesn\u2019t necessarily support this theory. According to this study,<\/a> increasing meal frequency did not lead to significant weight loss in a controlled group. It would seem that the total amount of calories is what matters when it comes to weight loss, not how often you eat them. 3 meals of 400 calories each is exactly the same as 6 meals of 200 calories each.<\/p>\n

The only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit.<\/p>\n

However, some people have found that they eat fewer calories in total if they eat something healthy every 2 or 3 hours. One of the benefits of eating small meals every 2 hours is that you\u2019re less likely to binge on a huge meal when you\u2019re starving<\/strong>, which could be thousands of calories in one sitting.<\/p>\n

Psychological Benefits of Increased Meal Frequency<\/h2>\n

There may be psychological benefits of eating small meals every 2 hours. These psychological benefits can be influential in determining your dieting success.<\/p>\n

For one thing, eating more frequently may help reduce food cravings.<\/strong> If you know your next meal or snack is only a couple of hours away, you will spend less time thinking about it. Not only does this reduce your urge to snack, but it also helps you to stay focused on what you\u2019re doing when it isn\u2019t mealtime.<\/p>\n

You could even meal prep and plan out each of your small meals<\/a>, having them pre-prepared in small tupperwares in your fridge. This puts your mind at ease, knowing in 2 hours, you have something to eat that\u2019s already prepared and waiting for you. This is great because your mental focus will improve since you\u2019ll be less distracted when it comes to food.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Another argument for increased meal frequency is that it will prevent your body from going into starvation mode, holding onto every single calorie you consume and causing weight gain. While starvation mode is a real thing, you are unlikely to go into starvation mode in a mere 4-6 hours between meals; true starvation mode only begins if you are in a major calorie deficit.<\/p>\n

However, some people who have a natural inclination (a bad habit) of going way too long without eating, find that the benefits of eating small meals every 2 hours help reverse this habit of forgetting to eat.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, this study <\/a>suggests that eating smaller meals more frequently did reduce hunger in test subjects who were on a 6 meal per day regimen, and that can make you less likely to overeat.<\/p>\n

Additionally, consuming 6 small meals per day is easier to portion, so eating more frequently can help you stay within your calorie limit.<\/p>\n

How to Avoid the Pitfalls of Increased Meal Frequency<\/h2>\n

Everyone\u2019s body is different, and your body\u2019s needs can fluctuate daily as well. A number of factors contribute to how many calories your body needs, including the amount of energy you\u2019re expending, where you are in your cycle, how much sleep you got the night before, and more. If you choose to adopt an increased meal frequency schedule (which may be beneficial to some dieters) it\u2019s important to have a plan of action to avoid some of the pitfalls associated with eating more often.<\/p>\n