Healthy eating means five to six small dishes a day. By eating small healthy dishes more often per day you will burn more fat. Here we explain why small dishes burn more fat. You can also read here what healthy dishes are and which ones burn the most fat.
Five to Six Small Dishes per Day
Starving yourself is not a healthy way to limit your calorie intake. Various studies show that five to six small dishes per day can help you reach your target weight. The results of these studies are therefore at odds with the traditional idea of 3 meals a day. It is a major health risk if you limit your calorie intake too drastically.
Healthy Eating, Never the Yo-Yo Effect again
More and more people are falling victim to the Jojo effect by dieting to lose weight. These diets limit calorie intake, which decreases your metabolism. This will make you feel hungry again. Your body does not burn many calories, which will cause extreme hunger. Eating
five to six small dishes per day will increase your metabolism and you will burn more calories throughout the day. You can also improve your metabolism by consuming food with a high protein content.
The Thermal Effect of Food
The thermic effect of food means how much energy is used by the food. This is the energy that food uses throughout the process, from biting, chewing and swallowing to digestion, transport, metabolism and storage. By eating healthy dishes more often, your metabolism will increase as a result of the thermal effect. You need a lot of calories to absorb and digest the food to create the thermic effect. The thermal effect is expressed as a percentage and varies from 3 to 30 percent.
Healthy Dishes and the Thermal Effect
Foods high in protein have a thermal effect of 30 percent.
Examples of foods with a high protein content
- turkey
- salmon
- tuna
Digesting this food burns 30 percent of the calories from this food.
With fiber and complex carbohydrates the thermic effect is 20 percent.
Examples of foods with 20 percent thermal effect
- corn
- Broccoli
- green beans
- spinach
Foods with a very low thermal effect are refined carbohydrates and fats.
Examples of foods with a very low thermal effect
- White bread
- cookies
- fries
Your feeling of hunger will decrease if your energy consumption increases by eating five to six healthy dishes per day . You will have more balance in your blood sugar level, which also helps to prevent a feeling of hunger.
Healthy Eating and Muscle Mass
You will develop more muscle mass, which will improve your metabolism. By regularly eating small dishes you can maintain insulin levels. Insulin produces amino acids in the cells of your muscles. By regularly eating small meals you create a steady output of insulin, which will increase your muscle mass. By regularly consuming healthy dishes you will more easily reach your target weight. Furthermore, the body will absorb vitamins and minerals much more effectively.
Combine Healthy Eating with Strength Training and Exercise
By combining five to six small, healthy meals per day with some strength training and regular exercise, you will lose weight even faster and easier.