Health News
- Family Dinners Promote Healthier Eating, Often With Fewer Calories, As Part Of An Achievable Strategy To Battle Child Obesity
In celebration of National Nutrition Month, there is no better time to make a commitment to eat more meals together as a family. Family meals offer a great opportunity to not only spend time together and strengthen family relationships, they are also...
- Are You Hungry?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom When it comes to weight control, you?d think a question as direct as ?Are you hungry?? would be an easy one to answer. But in the real world, it?s not so easy. One way to start thinking about this complicated question, is to...
- Take Tea And See!
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While liquid calories can add hundreds of extra daily calories, a tasty, calorie free option is tea. While green tea is richest in health-promoting antioxidants, other teas (like white and black teas) are also good sources. Studies...
- Secrets To A Long Life
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom I?d like to share an interesting article I read recently, An obituary, actually. The world?s oldest man died last Thursday, at age 114. His name was Walter Breuning, and he lived in Great Falls, Montana. While a long way from...
- Fighting Post-exercise Hunger
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Are you hungry after your workout? Recent studies show that post-exercise hunger can actually sabotage your weight loss effort if you?re not careful. While exercise is a key part of any weight loss effort it?s important to point...
Health News
Stop "Grazing" to Lose Weight
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom
I?m not sure when this change first occurred, but we?ve gone from a nation of structured ?three square meals a day? to grazing all day with small, frequent meals. We do this all in the name of good health and weight control. Does this idea of ?fueling? throughout the day really work? Not for most people!
While it is well-documented that skipping meals leads to overeating later in the day, eating more often doesn?t really help to control calorie intake any better than eating three meals a day. In fact, eating less often can help cut calories.
The more often you eat, the more likely you are to consume extra calories. And extra calories, healthy or not, contribute to extra weight. It?s also harder to keep track of daily calories when you eat more often ? your six smaller meals can easily become six bigger meals.
When you eat three times a day (meals and a small snack if you prefer), you support the regulation of true hunger and fullness. With four to five hours between meals, it is much easier to recognize true hunger, eat a meal, and then sense contentment (fullness). When you?re eating every two hours, with smaller amounts of food, you?re never really hungry and you?re never quite full. That can cause mind-body confusion and lead to overeating.
So if your goal is to trim calories for slow and steady weight loss, I?d suggest starting with trimming how often you eat every day. Stay hydrated between meals with loads of water (flavored with a slice of fruit or splash of juice), herbal teas, or your choice of low-calorie beverage.
These suggestions should work well for healthy people. If you have diabetes or another chronic illness, or if you take prescription medications, always talk to your doctor or a registered dietitian for advice on how often you need to eat to support your personal health.
Has this strategy worked for you? Let me know!
- Family Dinners Promote Healthier Eating, Often With Fewer Calories, As Part Of An Achievable Strategy To Battle Child Obesity
In celebration of National Nutrition Month, there is no better time to make a commitment to eat more meals together as a family. Family meals offer a great opportunity to not only spend time together and strengthen family relationships, they are also...
- Are You Hungry?
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom When it comes to weight control, you?d think a question as direct as ?Are you hungry?? would be an easy one to answer. But in the real world, it?s not so easy. One way to start thinking about this complicated question, is to...
- Take Tea And See!
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom While liquid calories can add hundreds of extra daily calories, a tasty, calorie free option is tea. While green tea is richest in health-promoting antioxidants, other teas (like white and black teas) are also good sources. Studies...
- Secrets To A Long Life
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom I?d like to share an interesting article I read recently, An obituary, actually. The world?s oldest man died last Thursday, at age 114. His name was Walter Breuning, and he lived in Great Falls, Montana. While a long way from...
- Fighting Post-exercise Hunger
by Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom Are you hungry after your workout? Recent studies show that post-exercise hunger can actually sabotage your weight loss effort if you?re not careful. While exercise is a key part of any weight loss effort it?s important to point...