There is much debate about which meal is the most important – in the United States it is typically thought of as breakfast, but in different parts of the world, the emphasis is also placed on lunch and dinner.
But secondly Meghan Stoops, RD but there are no children, that is, no land. Instead of eating the traditional three large meals, the best eating habit to help having and keeping a flat stomach is to eat between five and six smaller meals a day.
“It helps to keep your metabolism running at its best and you don’t eat too much throughout the day,” says Stoops. “This is a simple way to cut your overall intake while still being satisfied.”
Read on, and for healthy eating tips check out 4 Ways to Eat and Still Lose Weight.
This change can be difficult to make for people who are more accustomed to eating three large meals a day. To ease the transition, Stoas suggests that they eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, but they should be smaller meals and include two snacks during the day between meals.
He also says it’s important to include good sources of protein, as well as sources of fiber, at each meal to help maintain a feeling of fullness. In addition to the benefits of eating more frequent, smaller meals, including regular sources of high-protein foods in your diet, will also help to contribute to a flat stomach, according to a 2018 study in the UK Study says that a high-protein diet can be “an effective weight loss plan” because it reduces hunger and energy expenditure is increased.
One of the things that can keep your stomach from getting bloated is bloating, and Stoops adds that eating smaller meals more often helps keep you from getting bloated because it avoids the heavy digestion that burns bodies after a big meal.
“If you are prone to bloating, choosing small, frequent meals can help to avoid the heavy burden of digestion often caused by a large meal, thus eliminating the discomfort of bloating and gas,” says Stoops. “It’s a lot gentler on the stomach.”
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In addition to helping to relieve bloating, it is gentler on the stomach itself, and by helping in the effort to have and maintain a flat stomach, eating several smaller meals per day is also associated with better heart health, says a 2019 study.
The study concludes that eating more than four meals a day can improve cholesterol levels, which ultimately leads to better heart health and a lower chance of developing cardiovascular disease.
So, if you want to try this method of eating, pick one of your favorite snacks to have on hand between meals and give it a try!
Erin Yarnall
Erin Yarnall was a reporter from the Chicago area. Read more
