Please note, we did not talk about eating six times a day, or treating ourselves to two sweet snacks in addition to our meals. “The idea: to distribute your food intake in several times, in a controlled manner, and while maintaining the same daily energy density”, explains dietitian Damien Galtier.
More meals, but the same calorie addition
The ideal is to take 5, 6, 7, sometimes 8 meals, during the day (but neither standing nor in front of your computer!). For example, break breakfast into two parts, the same for lunch and dinner: starter and main course on one side, fruit and dairy on the other. The diet will consist of small meals, with the same caloric addition and the same distribution in terms of proteins, lipids and carbohydrates. With advantages in many cases.
A good solution against anarchic snacking
“Snacking is characterized by uncontrolled food intake, outside of meals,” explains Damien Galtier. It is generally not linked to a physiological need (except when the food intake at the previous meal was not sufficient), but to stress, boredom or even a way to fill a void. »He encourages us to eat anything and everything, preferably fatty, sweet, salty foods: crisps, candies and other cookies providing empty calories, not participating in the overall food balance. These excess caloric intakes can lead to overweight with, as a result, obesity, cardiovascular illnesses or pathologies linked to overweight. Yes snacking should be avoided, meal splitting may be beneficial. “Fractionation is different from snacking: it is programmed”, explains our specialist.
By distributing food intake throughout the day, but around scheduled appointments, it allows you to better resist the urge to eat anything, anytime. A pulse of cookies in the morning? If you split your breakfast so that you have a piece of fruit or a dairy product to eat around 11 a.m., you will easily forget your desire for Granola. Likewise, having a snack around 5 p.m. will allow you to wait for dinner without wanting to attack the peanuts when you get home.
Smaller meals that allow you to digest better
“Initially, this feeding method was indicated for gastric and digestive surgeries, explains our specialist, but also for those aimed at slimming (bypass type), in order to find a gradual refeeding. “
Today, meal splitting is recommended to all those who need to facilitate their digestion, while having all the necessary contributions for balance. “This may be the case, for example, in the presence of bloating, difficulty in digesting or poor appetite, especially in the elderly”, specifies our expert. It is also beneficial for pregnant women, in whom the stomach is more and more compressed as the fetus grows. And the list of advantages of the fractional does not stop there: it would also be interesting for those who suffer from blood sugar problems, in particular diabetics, by helping them to keep a better blood sugar balance. According to a British study by the Medical Research Council’s Human Nutrition Research Unit in Cambridge, food fractionation would also have beneficial effects on arterial pressure and would be useful to reduce the cholesterol.
A very simple way to keep the line
Another good reason to eat in portions: it could increase energy expenditure, digestion requiring energy. So ideal when you want to lose weight. “Eating in a segmented way is positive for everyone, even for children, adds Damien Galtier, on the condition, however, that it is adapted to his lifestyle and socially feasible.” Because it is true that it is not always easy to take a break at a certain time as part of your professional activity.
“A contraindication concerns large nibblers,” continues our specialist, “ie those who nibble at several times of the day, almost every day. Indeed, contrary to what one might think, splitting meals does not necessarily help them since their food urges are not linked to a physiological need. In this case, it is essential to put your finger on the cause of these too frequent nibbling: is it boredom?
Find an activity that you like and that gets rid of your boredom! Is it more related to stress? Try meditation, yoga, the coloring or any other activity to relax you and distract you from your unwanted snacking cravings.
A typical day
Breakfast
1 hot drink
(tea, coffee …)
2 lightly buttered toast
11am
1 apple or 1 applesauce
1 piece of cheese (30 g) or 1 yogurt
Breakfast
Grated carrots
with coriander
Steamed salmon + brown rice + sautéed broccoli
5 p.m.
1 square of 70% chocolate
Some almonds and hazelnuts
Having dinner
Cream Of Zucchini
Omelet + salad + wholemeal bread
10 p.m.
1 pear
1 yogurt or 1 cottage cheese
Read also:
How to eat less without being hungry
I rebalance my sugar consumption
I rebalance my fat intake
