How often do I have to eat?

Eating regularly is important for everyone, also after a stomach reduction. Our feeling of hunger is largely determined by our biorhythm. In this blog you will read all about the frequency of food and how it is determined by our biorhythm.

First things first: our biorhythm

Our body always tries to stay in balance. In other words, we get hungry when:

1. Our stomach is empty
2. We are in need of energy or certain nutrients

The alternation between day and night forms the basis of our biorhythm. Here we have an active phase and a rest phase. The active phase is during the day, the rest phase is in the evening and at night. In the active phase, our body tells us when to eat. In the resting phase, we have no need for (extra) eating moments.

Unfortunately, our natural biorhythm can be disturbed. This can be caused by eating at irregular times, by eating at night, … . This disruption has a negative impact on our health, as it can lead to the development of type 2 diabetes, obesity, etc.

How many times a day should I eat?

We build on the explanation of the biorhythm. In order not to disrupt our rhythm, it is good to:

1. Plan the main meals (3x/day) at regular times
2. Not skip meals
3. Choose a healthy snack when hungry

So it is important to have the 3 main meals at regular times and to plan in 3 healthy snacks. Do take small(er) portions each time, as eating too much can fatten the liver. So it is important to eat 6 times a day for a healthy diet.

Are there any other advantages to eating 6x a day?

1. You give the feeling of hunger less room
2. You have less tendency to eat sweet/sugar/calorie-rich food
3. It gives you the chance to get extra healthy nutrients (e.g. fibre, minerals, vitamins)
4. The stomach is less burdened if the portions are spread out. So you have less chance of digestive problems
5. It provides a more stable blood sugar level
6. You generally have more energy and less fatigue/dips
7. You avoid binge eating
8. You avoid storing too many/extra calories and unnecessary kilos

So these are certainly enough reasons to eat a meal or snack 6 times a day!

Which snack should I choose?

When choosing a snack, it is best not to eat food rich in calories and sugar. The more sugar your body absorbs, the sooner hunger will strike. So it is best to choose vegetables, fruit, low-fat yoghurt or extra protein.

Take the following into account at each meal:

• Do not take:
  • saturated fats
  • Sugar
• Do take:
  • Fibre
  • Vitamins

No inspiration for healthy food? Then take a look at our recipe page!