Why You Should Stop Eating All The Time

We’ve long been told about the necessity of three square meals and two snacks a day, breakfast being the most important and the need to eat immediately upon waking if we want to kickstart our metabolism. But for nutritionist Ailsa Hichens, this couldn’t be further from the truth. “For years, we were led to believe that keeping blood sugar under control was the secret to feeling satisfied and fewer sweet cravings – and that constantly grazing was the way to do this. Over the last ten years, scientists have learnt a lot more about fasting. Being in a constantly ‘fed’ state prevents the body from performing crucial tasks, one of which is known as ‘autophagy’, which literally means ‘cell eating’, a type of housekeeping the body does to get rid of dead cells. It also affects digestion and sends your blood sugar into a spin.” For nutritionist Petronella Ravenshear, we should be eating three meals a day, at the most, for better health. “Many of us are in a constant state of inflammation due to constant grazing, which affects immunity and saps our energy.”

Whether it’s a bag of popcorn at 11am or a couple of energy balls before an evening workout, many of us are guilty of grazing round-the-clock. “Healthy individuals don’t need snacks,” continues Petronella. “In fact, snacking ultimately makes you fatter and tired, especially if you sit at a desk all day.” It all comes down to how snacks affect insulin levels. “If energy is exerted shortly after eating, the dietary fats and sugars you just ingested will be processed and used immediately for energy. If not, the excess glucose is stored as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells, or as body fat,” adds Sophie Chabloz, co-founder of Avea Life.

If you get hungry throughout the day and feel the urge to snack, look at what you’re eating at mealtimes, says Sophie. “If you feel the urge to reach for sweet snacks to boost your energy throughout the day, then it’s likely you’re eating too many carbs and not balancing those carbs with protein and healthy fat, which causes a blood sugar spike and crash. If this sounds familiar, think about increasing portion sizes at meals, being sure to include adequate amounts of protein, healthy fats, starchy vegetables and satiating complex carbs – think quinoa or sweet potatoes. This is especially worth doing if you want to lose a few pounds. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a while but can’t seem to progress, look at the timing of your meals and what you’re eating. Space out your meals, include all macronutrients and experiment with intermittent fasting to kickstart your metabolism.”

If you’re the type of person who reaches for a snack at the first rumble of hunger, it’s important to understand that hunger may not always be what it seems. “Hunger is quite conceptual,” continues Ailsa. “Feeling hungry is sometimes a sign from your body that something is different rather than a need to eat. Hunger comes in waves, and if you start experimenting with fasting, your body may try to tell you ‘something is different’ in the form of hunger pangs. Ignore these pangs as the wave will pass – you don’t always have to have a snack.” If you are fasting for 12 or 14 hours, it’s worth giving some thought as to what your first meal will be, Ailsa advises. “Always have this planned out rather than wait until you’re hungry then undo the good work by making poor food choices.”

If the thought of going without snacks fills you with fear, Caroline Hind, registered nutritional therapist for Vitaminology says the body is quick to adapt. “Start by including a protein-rich food at every meal – whether it’s a generous amount of Greek yoghurt for breakfast, a scoop of protein powder in a smoothie, or a chicken or salmon fillet with lunch and dinner, as well as plenty of vegetables and a portion of olive oil or avocado,” she advises. “It may take a week or two for your body to adjust, but you’ll soon notice your blood sugar is steadier as you won’t feel the urge to re-fuel immediately upon waking in the morning and you’ll be able to go for longer without food. If you do anything, experiment with pushing your breakfast time a little further into the day – you’ll be surprised at the results.”