Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Distribution of calories during the day

Breakfast is perhaps one of the most controversial topics discussed in functional medicine circles. And opinions very often differ.

So to eat or not to eat breakfast? And if so, what exactly and in what quantity should you eat to maintain energy, weight and hormonal health?

So, let's figure it out.

For years I've said that breakfast is the most... important technique food during the day. I wrote about this in two of my books, citing the opinions of leading minds in the field of nutrition, and this approach to breakfast was widely accepted as " correct solution" for good health.

However, not all so simple…

What we eat for breakfast, the state of our nervous and hormonal systems, our level physical activity and stress, the time of year, and the time since we last ate and woke up can all greatly influence our decisions when it comes to breakfast.

Do you want to eat in the morning?

It turns out that the right decision actually depends on whether you want to eat early in the morning.

But if we look at the matter objectively, two recent studies have shown that eating breakfast has no effect on weight loss. And we're not talking about observational studies here. This was a direct comparison between early eating and no early eating.

The results illustrate the following:

"WITH physiological point vision, there is no clearly visible relationship between the time of the first meal and weight loss."

French researchers have found that there is no evidence accelerated loss weight due to more frequent meals. They went further to show, using the number of calories you burn per day, that it doesn't really matter whether you snack or binge (as long as you eat the same amount of weight-loss calories and macronutrients—protein, carbohydrates and fats). If you're told you need to eat 2,000 calories a day, it doesn't matter whether it's split into five 400-calorie meals or contained in three calorie-heavy feasts (however, the composition of the meal does matter).

But that is not all. Canadian researchers decided to compare three meals a day and six meals, breaking the six into three main meals and three snacks (a regimen that has been promoted by every diet book written in the last 20 years).

What are the results?

There was no significant difference on weight loss, but peopleThose who ate three times a day were happier and less hungry.

What does all this mean?

The hormone ghrelin, which is responsible for the feeling of hunger, and leptin, which also regulates the feeling of fullness and our energy, work well if we do not carry pieces around all day and eat a significant amount of food in 2-4 sittings a day. This allows you to create a deeper feeling of fullness and easily begin to recognize true physical hunger, which appears 4-6 hours after a balanced meal. If we eat little and often (no matter what time of day or night), then these hormones of hunger and satiety begin to act up and send mixed and not always correct signals to the brain. This makes it harder for us to feel satisfied after a big meal and distinguish between emotional and physical hunger.

In reality, no one will measure out exactly 2000 calories per day and therefore, if you eat 5-6 times a day, the likelihood of overeating will increase. While 2-4 meals, if they consist of whole natural products, will give the body the necessary support and saturation. But again, this does not mean that your first meal should be at 7-8 in the morning.

For example, for some it may be 10:00/14:00/19:00, for others 07:00/11:00/15:00/19:00, or 12:00/18:00, or 09:00/13:00/18:00.

The choice is yours. The main thing is that this schedule is relatively constant and stable and gives a feeling of comfort precisely with your schedule of workload, work and sleep. And of course, the body is much more comfortable when this schedule does not change every day.

Yes, there are other factors that may play some role in weight loss—especially stress and hormones—but that's a completely separate conversation. Before you start worrying about these individual issues, you need to make sure you've built the basic habits (what exactly do you eat for breakfast) and eating patterns (when and how regularly do you eat) that are the foundation healthy life. When you do this, you may experience changes that you thought could not happen in your body.

What about your metabolism?

In the study , conducted at the University of Bath, participants either ate breakfast or skipped breakfast for 6 weeks. The study did not show any changes in metabolic (fat loss) or cardiovascular health. This was important because, in a departure from the general trend in weight loss research, this study assessed the old idea that breakfast wakes up your metabolism earlier in the morning. And yet, when metabolism was actually tested, there was no evidence for this theory.

While there is nothing wrong with eating breakfast, there are potential downsides if a person eats early and snacks until bedtime. Of course, if you can stop eating at night, you'll probably be hungry by the time you have an early breakfast. But if you have dinner after 19:00, leave at least 12-13 hours before your first meal.

Some people consume food for up to 15 hours a day - between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. This can negatively affect many hormonal processes and digestion. Therefore, it is important to regulate the frequency of meals and create intervals without food of at least 12 hours - between dinner and the first meal.

IN innovation research , conducted by scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, an increase in the amount of time spent eating during the day was correlated with the accumulation more fat and increased likelihood occurrence of health problems such as diabetes and liver diseases.

The study was conducted on mice, but the results are too important to be ignored. The mice were put on a diet with high content fat, which usually causes obesity.

Mice in one group ate whenever they wanted, while the other group could only eat during an eight-hour period (for example, from 12:00 to 20:00 or from 10:00 to 18:00). Mice that ate whenever they wanted gained adipose tissue, they had elevated cholesterol levels, high blood glucose levels and liver damage. Mice given an eight-hour feeding period weighed 28 percent less and suffered no health problems, despite eating the same amount of fatty foods.

Scientists believe that by shortening the period during which you eat, your body is better at processing fats, glucose and cholesterol. Moreover, because you eat over a shorter period of time and start eating later, your body burns more fat. Why? Because you delayed breakfast, extended your overnight fast (which occurs while you sleep), and became a fat-burning machine. But overnight fasting can be made long without delaying breakfast until 11 am, but simply finishing the last meal early. For example, if you have dinner at 17:00, then by 7 am you will have 14 hours of hunger, and by 9 am - already 16!

Ayurvedic point of view

In Ayurveda, there is no one-size-fits-all nutritional advice. This also applies to the frequency of meals. But she is strictly against piecemealism and a chaotic daily routine. Ayurveda is also built on the theory of three doshas and their cycles. They, in turn, will affect the functioning of the body, hunger and digestion.

So, for example, the time from 6 to 10 am is the time of kapha dosha - heavier, slower and sluggish energy. If the human body initially has a lot of such energy, a heavy breakfast with carbohydrate foods will only worsen this condition. If a person has very nervous, unstable, dynamic vata energy or intense and fiery pitta energy, he will be more comfortable starting his day with breakfast, which will ground and calm him.

That is, the morning meal depends on your individual state and original nature (prakriti).

VatamAyurveda recommends a warm breakfast within an hour (or maximum two) after waking up. It should be grounding, warming, but not too heavy (cheese sandwiches (even reheated) are not an option). Eggs, some carbohydrates in the form of root vegetables or grains, and fats in the form of avocado, ghee, or nut milk are good options. You can maintain a 16-hour window 2-3 times a week, but be sure to drink enough warm water. They are comfortable on 4 meals a day.

Pittambreakfast is needed the fastest - 30-60 minutes after waking up (keep in mind that pure pittas are not very common - most often we are a mixture). People with predominant pitta energy have the most intense appetite and can lead to breakdowns if they do not initially “give fuel to the fire.” Pittas have strong digestion and can digest a large breakfast. There just won’t be enough porridge for them for a long time. It's good to add vegetables, proteins and fats. For example, chickpea flatbread with cilantro sauce and lentil soup with vegetables, or vegetable quiche with eggs and salad, or sprouted cereal with vegetables and sprouted mung bean. It is better for pittas not to go too far with fasting and take 16-hour intervals between dinner and breakfast no more than 3-4 times a week. You can eat pittam 3-4 times a day, depending on physical activity. If the work is sedentary and the load is not heavy, then 3 times is optimal.

U kaphamost slow metabolism, and your appetite may wake up by lunchtime. You can drink tea and eat something light if you are hungry. For kapha, it is important not to start the day with sweet or very fatty foods. That is, cheesecakes, pancakes, cheese, yogurt are not a suitable start to the day for them. They can withstand a 16-hour window at least every day. They are also more comfortable and easier on 2-3 meals a day. For breakfast, amaranth or millet porridge, buckwheat with herbs, or egg whites and vegetables.

Of course there's nothing wrong with family tradition more festive Sunday breakfasts - when you can treat yourself to, for example, carb-free pancakes, muffins, homemade waffles or creative dishes with eggs, vegetables and salmon. But it is important not to create a cult out of food and be sure to fill your day with movement and spend time outdoors.

To have breakfast or not to have breakfast? The choice is yours.

Don't believe in dogma. Because your body is unique, you may have a unique diet. If you like breakfast, eat breakfast. If you like to snack, make it a habit, but do it mindfully, at the same time, and wait at least 3 hours after your last meal.

Don't let anyone convince you that your success will depend on one meal or a specific meal time.

The process can be made simpler. It can be enjoyable. And most importantly, it will be effective if you choose the right and convenient approach FOR YOU.

Breakfast recipes

MUFFINS WITH CRANBERRY OR BLUEBERRY (GRAIN-FREE)

Source: Used with permission from Grain-Free Gourmet by Jodie Bagger and Jenny Lass. www.grainfreegourmet.com

Elimination diet – not suitable due to eggs

This is not too sweet, healthy and at the same time tasty treat. It can be eaten with ghee, honey or butter and also sprinkle with cinnamon.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups almond flour*
• 1⁄2 tsp. soda
• 1⁄4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1⁄2 cups blueberries or cranberries (frozen or fresh)
• 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
• 3 eggs

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place paper cups in muffin tin. Mix almond flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix cranberries, vanilla, honey and eggs.
• Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and mix thoroughly.
• Fill all the molds evenly with dough.
• Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes.

ZUCCHER FRITTATA

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini
• 4 tbsp. spoons olive oil
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves garlic
• 6 eggs
• 2 tbsp. spoons of basil leaves
• salt to taste

Preparation:

• Cut the zucchini into thin slices. Peel and chop the onion and garlic. Heat 2 tbsp in a frying pan. spoons of butter.
• Add onion, fry it for 2 minutes.
• Add zucchini and garlic, cook for another 4 minutes.
• Lightly salt, transfer to a deep plate and set aside.
• Beat the eggs lightly, add the basil greens.
• Stir in zucchini.
• Preheat the oven to 180°C.
• Grease a baking dish with the remaining oil and pour into it egg mixture. Bake for 10 minutes without a lid

FRITTATA WITH SPINACH AND TOMATOES

Number of servings: 2

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. coconut oil
• 1⁄4 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 1/3 cup organic tomato sauce
• 1 tsp Italian spice mixture
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup spinach

Preparation:

Place the baking dish over low heat. On coconut oil Fry the onion and garlic until translucent. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add tomato sauce, Italian spices, salt and pepper. Mix everything. Place the spinach in the pan and simmer until softened. Reduce heat slightly and pour in the egg mixture. Keep the mixture on the heat for 2-3 minutes, carefully removing the contents from the bottom of the pan using a spatula. When the edges of the omelet are set, place the pan in the oven. Bake for 10-20 minutes. Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

FARINATA

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4-6 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ large onion, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 220°C . Place a cast iron skillet or pizza pan in it.
• Place the chickpea flour in a bowl. Add salt and pepper.
• Slowly pour in 1 cup warm water, whisking until there are no lumps.
• Pour in 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
• Cover and let sit while oven preheats or up to 12 hours.
• The dough should have the consistency of thick sour cream.
• Remove the pan from the oven, pour 2 tablespoons of oil into it and spread it.
• Add the onion, return the pan to the oven, and cook the onion, stirring once or twice, until well-cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Add rosemary. Then add the fried onions and rosemary to the batter and immediately pour the batter into the pan.
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges are crispy.
• Turn on the grill function, grease top part pancake with 1 or 2 tablespoons oil if it looks dry. Place the pan a few inches from the grill and wait for it to brown.
• Serve hot or warm.

LENTIL CUTLETS

Ingredients:

• 1 cup yellow lentils
• 1 large onion
• 1 medium carrot
• 4–5 stalks green onions
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 cm ginger root
• 1 large egg and 1 yolk (or you can dilute chia seeds and flax seeds to replace eggs. 1 tbsp. chia seeds and 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed, a couple of tablespoons of water and let stand for 15 minutes)
• 2 tbsp. l. ghee
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

• Soak the lentils overnight. In the morning, cover the lentils with cold water.
• Bring to a boil, simmer over low heat until completely soft (the lentils should be cooked through). Then place on a sieve.
• Peel and chop the onion very finely. Peel the carrots and grate them on a fine grater.
• Peel and chop very finely or grate the garlic and ginger on a fine grater. Chop the green onions.
• In a small frying pan over medium heat, heat the ghee and add the cumin seeds. After 30 seconds, add ginger and garlic, after another 15 – all the onions.and carrots. Fry, stirring, 4 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in lentils.
• Add an egg and yolk or a seed egg substitute to the lentils and vegetables, and season with salt and pepper. Knead thoroughly. Then cover with film and refrigerate for 15 minutes., .

According to nutritionists, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The fact is that from 06:00 to 12:00 noon metabolic processes proceed as intensively as possible. Then their speed begins to gradually decrease to 20-30%, and by the evening the body becomes completely lazy. Therefore, when overnutrition it is easier for him to store fat reserves in subcutaneous tissue. So, if you care about your figure and health, you definitely shouldn’t skip breakfast. It is he who starts the “metabolic clock” in the body, which really needs energy in the morning. Level

reserve energy material in the form of glycogen in the muscles and liver after a night's sleep is significantly reduced, since we spend energy even when we sleep soundly. Deprived of breakfast, the body experiences real stress and then, deceived, will definitely use the calories received during lunch and dinner to create an energy reserve in fat cells. If you restore glycogen balance in the morning, the body will “decide” that it does not need large quantities food during the day, and as a result you will not suffer from hunger. It is thanks to breakfast that you will be able to avoid not only sharp fluctuations blood glucose levels, but also overeating during the day. In addition, breakfast will allow you to finally wake up, increase your efficiency, and create reserves of slowly released energy, so necessary to start the working day and maintain high speed metabolism.

Where does the morning begin?

Nutritionists recommend drinking a glass before breakfast still water. When we wake up, the body already needs an influx of energy. After replenishing the lack of fluid, it is useful to do while lying down breathing exercises- it will help start the drainage system,

strengthen intestinal motility and organize venous outflow. And this is very important for the natural cleansing of the body. After the exercise, stretch as much as possible in bed so that the body is enriched with oxygen and finally wakes up. In the first hour after waking up, you should definitely have breakfast, and it is the morning meal that should account for the most calories you consume during the day. Just try to eat breakfast slowly. The slower you eat, the more useful energy your body receives. And the higher his performance and endurance will ultimately be, and the feeling of fullness will last longer.

Breakfast and morning exercises create reserves of energy necessary to maintain a high metabolic rate. Photo: Legion Media

More oatmeal, sir!

What kind of breakfast can be considered ideal? Experts in the field proper nutrition It is recommended to rely on cereals without sugar. High level give energy complex carbohydrates- primarily from the composition of grains. They contain a solid supply of plant fibers, that is, fiber, vitamins, mineral salts and microelements, which will maintain the metabolic rate throughout the day. Fiber not only makes you feel full. It has a beneficial effect on intestinal function and provides natural cleansing of the body. Few people know that oatmeal regulates cholesterol levels and also helps increase

the level of serotonin, which affects our mood. And rolled oats are a storehouse of complete protein. However, if you eat porridge every day, you will soon get tired of it. Therefore, alternate porridge with protein dishes - for example, with low-fat unsweetened yogurt, natural 5% cottage cheese or an omelet of one or two eggs with herbs or vegetables. Lungs protein products They are perfectly absorbed in the morning and are a source of tyrosine, an amino acid important for brain activity. In addition, they have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the thyroid gland.

If your favorite breakfast is a couple of sandwiches with sausage, know that such food will not “accelerate” metabolic processes. Because foods containing a lot of fat increase the metabolic rate by only 2-3 %. But protein speeds up metabolism by as much as 30%.

An excellent healthy breakfast option is boiled or stewed vegetables, a hard-boiled egg, and whole grain toast. Such bread is a source of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber, which support our high performance. It is better to think through the breakfast menu a week in advance. For example, plan rolled oats porridge on Monday and Saturday, buckwheat - on Tuesday, omelet - on Wednesday, vegetables - on Thursday and Sunday, cottage cheese or yogurt - on Friday. The main thing is not to be lazy and buy the necessary products in advance.

Coffee dangers

Many newfangled diets that abound on the Internet suggest starting the day with a cup of black coffee without sugar (sometimes with a small cracker). We are reminded that caffeine energizes

the body uses energy, burns excess fat, relieves hunger, and so on. What's really going on? Yes, caffeine really helps you lose weight, but is it worth resorting to such “help”? Think about it: in order to burn, for example, 150 kcal during the day, you need to drink up to 12 cups of coffee! And this will certainly result in serious consequences for the body. And don’t forget that coffee stimulates the production gastric juice and increases appetite, satisfying which you can quickly regain lost pounds. However, if you can’t imagine your life without coffee, don’t torture yourself - just try to limit yourself to one or two cups during the day, drinking them before 12:00.

To make breakfast really beneficial, try to remember a few simple rules. Avoid buying food packaged in plastic.

Give preference to products grown without the use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides and other agricultural chemicals. If the origin of vegetables and fruits causes you concern, play it safe: place them in a solution of hydrogen peroxide (at the rate of

150 ml of 3 % peroxide per 850 ml of water) and then rinse with clean running water. Store food at home in glass, porcelain or ceramic containers. Drink only purified water. The juices in beautiful, bright packaging that we see on store shelves are actually drinks made from fruit concentrates and water. Among industrial juices, directly pressed drinks poured into glass jars are considered natural. But even from them - alas! - the benefit is small: with long-term storage vitamins disappear. So freshly squeezed juices can live up to our expectations. If during the day you experience periods of decline and rise in energy, give preference to fresh vegetable juices.

Breakfast with buckwheat

1. In the evening, pour into a thermos buckwheat boiling water

2. Add part of a celery stalk, finely chopped, to a thermos onion and some carrots.

3. In the morning, put the mix on a plate, add a sprig of herbs and a little olive oil.

You can add pieces of boiled beets and sautéed onions to the finished boiled buckwheat.

Another option is buckwheat with half a kiwi and two or three prunes pre-soaked in water.

Breakfast with rolled oats

1. To 3-4 tbsp. l. (with a slide) of rolled oats add 2 tsp. peeled sunflower seeds and pour boiling water over everything.

2. Cut the apple into thin slices or cubes.

3. Add 1 tsp. honey, a pinch of ground cinnamon and 3-4 drops of lemon or lime juice.

4. Mix the ingredients - delicious and healthy breakfast ready.

Breakfast during a fasting day

07:30. Drink an infusion of flax seeds prepared in the evening (1 tablespoon of flax seeds, steam 250 ml of boiling water overnight). In the morning, drink only liquid.

08:00. A serving of fruit salad (apples, pears, plums, apricots, berries) weighing 250 g or 1 glass of vegetable juice (cucumber, carrots, celery stalk and 1 tablespoon of alfalfa shoots).

09:00-09:30. 1-2 cups herbal tea(sage, chamomile).

10:00. Vegetable juice for peeling carrots, beets, celery stalks and fresh cucumber. One whole grain cracker.

For many people, their diet is regulated by appetite. What is appetite and how to treat it?

The question often arises: how to suppress appetite? Shown, that fractional meals(5-6 times a day) suppresses the excitation of the food center. In this case, sometimes one apple or a glass of kefir is enough. In order not to stimulate appetite, you should not eat spicy and salty foods and you must completely avoid alcoholic drinks. Alcohol not only poisons the body, but also has a strong, appetite-stimulating effect.

So, increased appetite may be harmful to health, but its complete absence is also undesirable. This often affects young children, whom loving mothers and compassionate grandmothers endlessly stuff with something “tasty.” As a result, the child loses his appetite, and frightened parents, instead of coming to their senses, try to feed him continuously.

Eating with appetite is always a pleasure. It takes time for appetite to develop. Eating breaks are absolutely necessary. IN childhood they should be shorter than in a mature one.

What should these breaks be? How much and what should you eat during a particular meal? In other words, what should be the diet of an adult healthy person?

The diet is based on four basic principles.

• Regularity of nutrition
• Divided meals during the day
• Rational range of products
• Physiological distribution of the amount of food according to its intake during the day

Meal times

The main criterion determining given time, is the feeling of hunger. It can be identified by the following sign: when thinking about unattractive food (for example, the image of a piece of stale black bread), saliva appears; at such a moment, the tongue, rather than the stomach, primarily needs food.

You can confuse the feeling of hunger with the following conditions: the stomach “fails”, the stomach “sucks”, cramps occur. All this indicates the unloading of the organ after overflow, the needs of the stomach and the food appetite center (a number of brain structures that coordinate the choice, consumption of food and initial stages digestive processing).

It is necessary to distinguish between the concepts of hunger and appetite when organizing correct mode nutrition. Hunger indicates the need for energy, appetite - the need for pleasure. The surest impulse to eat should be hunger, since the deceptiveness of appetite leads to excess weight.

Number of meals

The frequency of meals or the number of meals affects the metabolism in the body. Factors to consider when determining the frequency of meals:

• age;
• work activity(mental, physical work);
• state of the human body;
• working day routine.

Benefits of multiple meals (four meals a day):

Approximate meal schedule

A sample meal schedule might look like this:

• 7:00 - First breakfast.
• 10:00 - Second breakfast.
• 13:00 - Lunch.
• 16:00 - Afternoon snack.
• 19:00 - Dinner.

Breakfast- the most important meal of the day. Breakfast should be rich in proteins; you can include, for example, eggs, cottage cheese or other dairy products, and turkey sausages. If you can't do without carbohydrates, include them in your breakfast menu. fresh fruit or some muesli.

Lunch should be light and low carb. If you are not very hungry at this time, still try not to skip breakfast, but limit yourself to a glass of kefir or juice or some fruit.

Dinner should be balanced and include a source of protein (meat, fish or poultry) and some healthy carbohydrates, better only in the form of vegetables or grains. A little healthy fats made from olive oil, nuts or avocado will also benefit.

Afternoon snack may include carbohydrates, preferably only in the form of some fruit, porridge or, at worst, a whole grain bun.

Dinner, like lunch, should be complete and well-balanced. After dinner, the so-called “Danger Zone” begins. Eating at this time is caused only psychologically, not physiological hunger. Only the desire to cheer yourself up can draw you to the refrigerator. If you intend to lose weight, never eat in the Danger Zone.

Biorhythm - the secret of a proper nutrition schedule

The secret to a good meal schedule is understanding your mind set. internal clock your body, i.e. what are your biorhythms? Each person has his own specific pace of life and the body’s readiness to eat food is directly related to the time at which a person usually wakes up when he starts eating. active work, when he is resting and, finally, when he is getting ready for bed. If you are used to waking up no earlier than 11 am, you are unlikely to feel the desire to have breakfast at 11:30. However, by lunchtime your appetite will probably be quite good, and by dinner you will definitely arrive without delay. Those who like to watch the sun rise when they rise, on the contrary, have a wonderful appetite in the morning, but they may completely forget about dinner.

Start your day with protein foods. Breakfast should be rich in proteins. This will help you get a sufficient boost of energy and is guaranteed to delay the feeling of hunger until next appointment food. It is believed that it is best to have breakfast no earlier than 8 a.m. and within 1 hour of waking up. If you wake up much earlier than eight in the morning, then drink a glass of water, do exercises, take cold and hot shower, in order to delay breakfast closer to the specified time.

Eat at the same time every 3-4 hours. This will help control your appetite. To organize such fractional meals, you can distribute over time the intake of the set of dishes that you usually eat for lunch, for example. First - salad and first course, after 3 hours have a snack with the second course. Drink during snacks more water. Water removes toxins from the body.

Lunch at lunch is an important point in the meal schedule. It is at lunchtime that you can afford the largest amount of food, because... The average daily peak of gastric acidity is observed in the middle of the day. Lunch should be served before 3 pm.

Have dinner no later than 8 pm. Eating after 8 pm is overwhelming normal function pancreas and blocks the release of melatonin, necessary for sound healthy sleep.

Distribution of calories during the day

Preparing for a new day for the body should begin with a certain supply of energy. To work fully, a person needs calories. That is why the most useful and optimal diet will be one in which our body receives a little more than 70% of the total kilocalories consumed at breakfast and lunch. And less than 30% of the total amount remains for dinner and intermediate snacks. With such a nutritional schedule, a person receives enough strength for his activities without storing excess fat during a rich evening feast.

A gap of 4-5 hours between individual meals will be the most optimal and physiological. And the time from the last meal to bed should be at least three to four hours. Such a diet can replenish the energy costs of our life and control appetite without loading the human system with extra calories.

Compliance with these principles optimal mode nutrition and rational reception food, as well as previous rules healthy food will not only protect your weight from extra pounds, but also keep it from unnecessary problems with stomach and heart disease.

Almost every “fitness guru” praises these absolutely ridiculous eating patterns...

... "Eat six small meals a day and you will speed up your metabolism" ...

... "Eat several times a day to stay in an anabolic state and preserve muscle" ...

... “Never skip breakfast! This is the healthiest meal of the day!

Well, let me tell you one thing that is proven by science and has some real common sense:

Small meals will not affect your metabolic rate and growth in any way. muscle mass, the effect of such a scheme is no different from eating several large meals.

All these tips are about "several small meals a day" nothing more than a simple joke, and the reason why the entire fitness industry preaches this is very simple. They make money out of everything because when people realize that it's quite difficult for them to eat several small meals in a day, they come to the conclusion that they "should" buy protein powders and various meal replacement shakes to compensate. these “missed meals.”

Here's the real truth about portion sizes and meal sizes:

A few small meals a day will not harm your metabolism.

This is the “biggest weapon” or the main reason why the fitness industry says you should eat several times a day to lose weight.

The only drawback of this model is that it has no scientific basis...

And if you're looking for this common sense, then, after all, will they help? frequent appointments food to lose weight?

Here's what the science says about meal frequency and metabolism:

1. The researchers concluded that over a 24-hour period, eating more frequently but smaller meals had no effect on energy balance.

2. B 179 various studies It was found that frequent meals did not affect weight loss or metabolic rate.

3. One study found that eating smaller meals did not help control appetite. This means that claims like "You're hungry and that's why you overeat in the evening" have no reason.

4. Another study compared 3 different eating patterns: eating no breakfast, 2 large meals per day, and 6 small meals per day. All dishes had the same calorie content. As a result, the researchers found that the eating pattern consisting of 6 small meals a day had worse effects, and the metabolic rate was much faster in the other two patterns.

5. The study found that during the 24-hour period when calories are reduced, metabolic rate also decreases, but it also showed that meal frequency had nothing to do with this.

6. The study found that over a 36-hour period, among calorie-matched diets, the 3-meal-a-day diet outperformed the 14-meal-eat diet (by superior, I mean that metabolic rate was higher in the 3-meal-a-day group).

7. One interesting study found that if you fast for 72 hours, your metabolism does not slow down. In fact, researchers found that metabolic rate increased during fasting. After only 72 hours of complete fasting, the metabolic rate dropped by only 8%. This means that fasting mode exists, but it only kicks in after 72 hours of no calories, and in the end it's a very small reduction...

8. Another similar fasting study found that patients who did an alternate day fast (eating ad libitum during the day and fasting the next day) did not experience a decrease in metabolic rate during the 22-day study period (meaning they ate for 12 days and fasted for 12 days).

There are many more studies with similar conclusions, but I think I can now prove my point...

As you can see, eating several small meals a day has nothing to do with metabolism or weight loss, and it appears that eating less frequently and fasting increases your metabolic rate. Contrary to what anyone told you.

Meal Frequency and Muscle Building

Here's another thing that the fitness industry has invented and is working for it, since people now think that if they don't eat every 3 hours, their muscles will melt. Protein powders to the rescue!

No, seriously, again in the statement “eat every 3 hours to maintain muscle” there is no scientific proof.

I feel like the fitness industry has been lying to us all along (it's no secret that the fitness industry mostly gives us empty promises).

Here's what the science says about meal frequency and muscle building:

1. One good research clearly showed that intermittent fasting(fasting for 16-24 hours, and then taking total number daily calories over a short period of time) does not increase muscle breakdown.

2. Another study found that meal frequency really has nothing to do with muscle gain, it's all about how much you eat, not how often you eat.

Unfortunately, there isn't much research on the topic of muscle loss and meal frequency, but the studies above should make things clear: muscle mass is directly related to how much you eat, not how often you eat.

The fact is that millions of people (including myself) are now doing daily intermittent fasting and are still gaining large amounts of muscle, so the myth about meal frequency and muscle loss has already been dispelled.

In a nutshell: there really is no difference how often you eat. The most important thing for building muscle is how much you eat. (instead of thinking about daily calorie intake, think about weekly calorie intake). So to get big, you need to eat more, but you don't have to eat more often.

Eating food more often, but in small portions, is bad for your hormonal levels

This the real reason, why I do intermittent fasting daily, and why I fast for 24 hours several times every month.

The fact is that our testosterone levels decrease every time we eat something.

One study actually found that there was no difference whether it was just fat, just carbs, just protein, or a mixture of all three. However, every time you eat, your testosterone levels drop.

Another important fact is that every time your insulin levels increase, your testosterone and growth hormone levels will decrease. And if you eat small meals several times a day, your insulin levels will increase several times a day. Thus, you get a double whammy to your male hormones.

So what now? Do you need to stop eating altogether to increase your testosterone levels?!

No, this is not an option because when a lack of energy is created in the body, your testosterone level also decreases.

And we can't forget that we still need to eat a ton of food to get all the vital building blocks needed to build muscle and produce hormones.

So which one the best way minimize the decrease in hormones, while at the same time eating enough and getting all the vital nutrients for muscle building and hormonal health?

Answer: Intermittent fasting (no calories for 16-24 hours, then eating all daily calories within 4-8 hours), or alternative day fasting (eating nothing for one day, but for next day you eat twice the daily amount of food).

The above examples sound extreme, but they are actually very flexible and easy to follow, much easier than eating small meals several times a day.

So here's what will help you save hormonal health: eat less often, but not eat less food. This is why intermittent fasting and similar eating patterns are extremely beneficial for your hormones. One study found that intermittent fasting increased testosterone levels by 180% in healthy, non-obese men.

Breakfast isn't really the most important meal of the day.

“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day”- this is what all the mothers of the world say (and mine is no exception), but in reality it is not so..

And that's why:

When you wake up, you are already in a state of fasting (assuming you don't eat while you sleep).

So, you are full of energy, autophagy occurs - your body is cleared of waste, and your hormones are at their peak (testosterone levels are highest in the first half of the day).

What happens when you eat a bowl of porridge or muesli in the morning? I mean, that's right and healthy, isn't it?

A) Autophagy (the liver's cleaning of your body) stops or slows down dramatically.

b) when you wake up your SNS (sympathetic nervous system) is suppressed, which means your cortisol levels are suppressed too. But as soon as you eat something, your PNS (parasympathetic nervous system) is activated, making you sleepy, slow, and more resistant to fatigue and stress. Activation of the PSNS also decreases testosterone levels due to increased cortisol levels.

V) your body no longer burns its own fat for fuel, but instead uses the glucose from that food.

G) your internal biorhythms are interrupted (this is because the PSNS should only be active during sleep).

Although this may seem very complicated, in a nutshell it simply means that human body never accommodated for breakfast. And if you imagine a primitive man, do you think he ate breakfast and several small meals a day? I highly doubt it.

Our body still functions the same as that of primitive men, so why complicate everything with breakfast, which is completely unnatural for the human body?

NOTE: Kellogg and others large companies“Cereal and muesli makers pay hundreds of millions of dollars every year to promote the idea.” healthy breakfast" in mass media. This is the real reason why everyone thinks that breakfast is the most... healthy welcome food.

Conclusion

These are some of the reasons why I do intermittent fasting and why I've never been positive about the idea of ​​eating a few small meals a day.

There are absolutely no benefits to this regimen and it's actually quite unhealthy if we look at it from a hormonal perspective.

The translation has been completed
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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and should not be neglected.

Let's be honest: most people don't eat breakfast. And there are thousands of reasons justifying the absence of a morning meal. Some people are sorely short of time, some are afraid of gaining weight (and often prefer a hearty dinner to a hearty breakfast), some cannot wake up and “cram” anything into themselves other than a cup of coffee.

Meanwhile, breakfast - the most important meal of the day which cannot be neglected. And here are the reasons:

Reason #1. Breakfast gives you energy for the whole day. Breakfast is your energy for the whole day. “The body is “naked and barefoot” in the morning, so it needs a good boost of energy. In addition, it is not always possible to eat normally during the day, so breakfast allows you not to fall off your feet in the afternoon.”

It has been observed that breakfast increases productivity by 30%. Therefore, no matter whether you have a hard day at work or an easy one, having breakfast will help you get the job done faster and do it better. It is best to have breakfast before 9-10 am.

Reason #2. Breakfast lifts your spirits.Nothing lifts your spirits in the morning like tasty breakfast- tested on yourself, family, friends and neighbors. In addition, the morning meal in calm atmosphere helps you collect your thoughts and get ready for the day ahead.

Reason #3. Eating breakfast controls hunger throughout the day. American experts say that if you have eggs for breakfast, you will not be as hungry during the day and, as a result, you will eat less. The researchers concluded that eggs fill you up better than other foods and reduce your calorie intake throughout the day. It is healthier to eat eggs boiled rather than fried. If you have breakfast with rice, buckwheat or oatmeal, you will eat less fatty foods throughout the day, the same Americans say.

Reason #4. Breakfast improves memory and attention. Breakfast helps you concentrate better and remember information. It has been noticed that people who are used to having a good breakfast in the morning are less likely to get into car accidents.

According to nutritionists, breakfast should account for 25% daily ration(lunch - 40-50%, dinner - also 25%). This is about 370-500 kcal, depending on your gender, age, lifestyle and type of activity (a loader needs more kilocalories than an office employee).

Reason #5. Breakfast relieves stress. Doctors say that those who eat breakfast are not afraid of stress during the day.

Nutritionists believe that “For breakfast, products containing “slow” (complex) carbohydrates and fiber are best suited. Therefore, you need to have breakfast with porridge - buckwheat, oatmeal; eat well small portion salad, and from protein foods - fish, eggs, lean meat boiled, stewed or baked."

Reason #6. Breakfast saves you from excess weight. In the morning, the body has not yet woken up and the metabolism is slow. To speed up this process, you need to eat. If you don’t do this, then while your metabolism “swings”, you will acquire extra grams. Before lunch, the body is tuned to burn calories. If you don't have breakfast, he will burn much less than he could. And those extra grams will again remain with you. In addition, if you don't have breakfast, you risk eating more than you need at lunch. And the body itself will turn on the instinct of self-preservation and, just in case, accumulate more calories.

Reason #7. Breakfast helps you lose weight. If you eat porridge for breakfast, you can get rid of extra pounds, say British researchers. Dinner, unlike breakfast, must be “given to the enemy.” "After caloric and late dinner in the morning there may be no appetite, so the lighter and earlier dinner, the easier it is for the body in the morning." An appetite will appear before breakfast if you do gymnastics or jogging in the morning. Both of these, of course, also take up such valuable morning time, but they help benefit to the figure.