How to Use Small Meals to Combat BIG Hunger

“Eating more often to control hunger, planning meals and snacks, and eating more slowly are ways to reduce mindless eating habits, said registered dietitian Niki Kubiak. Taking time to eat, without the distraction of computers or phones, can help people notice and taste their food better, increasing meal satisfaction, Kubiak said.” – Omaha World-Herald (5/25/19)

Yaaaasssss. If any of you have talked to me about dietary matters before, you probably know that I am a huge proponent of 5-6 small, frequent “meals” throughout the day. There are SO many reasons why this is the case, but reduction in mindless eating is absolutely one of them. Hunger + lack of intentionality with dietary habits are both contributing factors to mindless eating. Eating more frequently resolves each of these concerns. Consuming significant amounts of protein and/or fiber at each of these meals is wildly beneficial in controlling appetite. Being intentional about eating every ~3 hours greatly reduces inclination to snack in-between these mealtimes, because you know the next time you “get to eat” is not far away. YAY for eating more often, and ultimately consuming less!

Eating more slowly is another great way to cut back on mindless eating. Not only does this allow time for you to appreciate the taste of the food, it also allows your body time to register cues that it is becoming full. This is beneficial for adhering to proper portion sizes. Removing distractions, especially of the technological-nature, is also helpful in slowing down your eating. When we are focused on something besides our meal we often a) don’t realize how much we are consuming, which can lead to over-consumption and b) don’t appreciate the food we have just eaten as we haven’t taken time to enjoy it. Aftermath: we often end up consuming MORE food in search of this satisfaction.

Moving forward, I encourage you to slow down and appreciate your food to a greater extent. This might mean turning off the tv, eating without your cell phone within reach, dining with others so that conversation helps slow the pace of the meal, or intentionally taking a sip of water in-between bites to further slow your pace. If you find any of these strategies to work for you, or devise methods of your own that work well, I would love to hear about your successes! 😊