Some dieticians recommend eating every 2 hours (that's 6 to 8 meals in a day) for boosted metabolism. At the same time, others insist that you should eat 2 meals a day – without any snacks in between – to attain and maintain a healthy weight.
The jury may be out on the physical benefits of eating smaller meals more frequently, but if done correctly, under the guidance of a doctor or nutritionist, there is no harm in trying it; the psychological benefits of eating small meals every 2 hours may help some people lose weight.
Timing and Weight-Loss Takeaways
Overall, the takeaway here is this: while it's highly individualized, some general guidelines suggest that eating breakfast by 9 a.m., lunch between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., and dinner at least four hours before bed can set your body up for optimal digestion and absorption of nutrients.
You'll probably lose some weight if you follow the 4-Hour Body diet. However, it's not a sustainable long-term approach to weight loss. You could develop nutritional deficiencies by omitting entire food groups and unhealthy eating habits from binge-eating.
Eating every 3 hours doesn't necessarily help you lose weight. Weight loss depends mainly on eating fewer calories than your body burns. How often you eat throughout the day doesn't matter as much as eating the right number of calories overall. You don't need to choose between a 3-hour diet or 3 meals a day.
It's no more effective than calorie reduction.
Even if the OMAD diet makes you feel hungrier, it's unlikely to lead to more weight loss than if you simply reduced the number of calories you took in during the day.
While there isn't one magic food that will melt away belly fat, studies have reported certain foods have special belly-fat-burning benefits, such as avocado, artichokes, whole grains, kefir, green tea, eggs, peanuts and chickpeas.
The 4-4-12 method has a shorter fasting window—12 hours—but eliminates snacking between meals. The goal here is to fast for at least four hours between breakfast and lunch, four hours between lunch and dinner, and at least 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the next day.
The Weight Loss Medicine Clinic at the University of Alabama conducted the study of 90 obese adults between the ages of 25 and 75 over a two-year period. The trial found that those who stopped eating after 3pm lost about 5 pounds (2.3kg) more than those who ate throughout the day.
Research Highlights: Eating less overall and fewer large meals may be a more effective weight management strategy than restricting meals to a narrow time window, such as intermittent fasting, according to a study that analyzed the electronic health records of about 550 adults who were followed for six years.
Forget intermittent fasting for weight loss — eating smaller portions may be more effective, scientists say. If you want to lose weight, intermittent fasting may not be the best diet, a new study suggests. How much you eat is more important for losing weight than when you eat, the researchers found.
Regular exercise increases muscle mass and teaches the body to burn kilojoules at a faster rate, even when at rest. Drugs – like caffeine or nicotine, can increase the BMR. Dietary deficiencies – for example, a diet low in iodine reduces thyroid function and slows the metabolism.
Chronic diseases: Certain medical conditions such as obesity, hypothyroidism, diabetes or Cushing's syndrome can slow down metabolism.
Such fat-burning foods include eggs, nuts, and oily fish. The term “fat-burning foods” may apply to those that produce fat loss by stimulating metabolism, reducing appetite, or reducing overall food intake. All foods stimulate metabolism.
Eating once a day slows down your metabolism.
"It can defeat your efforts to cut back on calorie intake." Without a high-functioning metabolism, losing weight becomes a lot harder. Instead, focus on these 31 Healthy Meals That Boost Your Metabolism for Weight Loss.
Get active, stay active. While you can lose weight without exercise, regular physical activity plus calorie restriction can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can't cut through diet alone.