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The amount of calories you consume almost always outweighs the calories you burn digesting. However, you have to consider overall calories. Eating six meals a day means you're eating twice as many calories overall - calories vs calories.
So in the end how often you eat doesn't make as big of a difference than overall calories. Frequent meals and snacks can also mean frequent calories and higher calorie intake overall. You cannot "wake up" your metabolism with food. It is always going, working to pump blood to your organs and tissues, expand your lungs for breathing, and supplying energy throughout your body for survival.
If you really want to increase your calorie burn, adding more muscle mass aka gaining weight may be your best bet, as well as increasing your physical activity. There are a number of factors that can influence appetite and how often you eat might be one of them. However, the best approach can differ from one person to the next.
Why Eating More Might Actually Be the Secret to Losing Weight
It is commonly thought that eating a large meal right before you go to bed is going to cause you to gain weight or store more fat. Well, the thing is your metabolism doesn't shut off just because you went to bed. And your body is going to use whatever energy you provide it, no matter what time it is - as long as you aren't going over your daily calorie needs. The time of day you eat has not been shown to promote more fat storage than excess calories alone 14 , However, some studies do suggest that those who tend to eat later at night, tend to consume more calories overall which can lead to weight gain 16 , 17 , And late night eaters tend to make poorer food choices Create an eating plan to control your calories and make sure you're eating balanced meals and snacks.
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A consistent eating pattern will control your energy level, appetite, cravings, blood glucose and insulin levels. Plus--eating regular meals and snacks help you practice portion control and fuel your resting metabolism. Be aware of your personal needs. Your resting metabolic rate can be roughly estimated by multiplying your body weight in pounds by This is the minimum number of calories that your body needs to lose weight. Consuming fewer calories than your resting metabolism is counteractive. Your total daily needs are your resting metabolic rate plus the calories burned in everyday living and in exercise.
Divide your calories evenly throughout the day so that you fuel your body every three to five hours. Start the day with a well-balanced breakfast that includes a lean protein-rich food along with whole grains and veggies or fruit. High-quality protein at breakfast will help control your appetite all day. Breakfast starts your metabolic engine and is associated with successful maintenance of weight loss.
Without it, you are prone to overeating later in the day. Even when mornings are rushed, choose one of these tasty, quick breakfast ideas. A well-timed snack will prevent that late afternoon crash and overeating at meal time. Plan to snack. Keep healthy options accessible to avoid the candy dish. Healthy but high-calorie snacks such as nuts and dried fruit should be consumed in small amounts.
Prepare these snacks ahead of time so that they are ready when you need them. You can also burn energy through activity such as sports and working out and also through digesting your food.
Non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, is the energy that you burn while doing everything that is not digesting, breathing, eating, or doing any sports-like activity, according to Jordan Mazur , a registered dietitian. It's all of the small activities that you do outside of the gym that can help you burn more calories in the long run," he explains.
How to eat more and lose weight
Even gesticulating counts as NEAT, so people who talk with their hands might have that one-up on more reserved speakers. Apparently fidgeting also has heart-health benefits. In fact, people with more NEAT in their daily lives tend to be leaner.
So what does that have to do with eating more? Some people may experience weight gain when they increase their calories and NEAT if that extra NEAT doesn't quite compensate for the calorie increase, especially if they're already eating plenty. But if you're feeling super lethargic and you're eating a very low amount of calories, it might be worth considering increasing your calories and prioritizing movement.
Regardless, trying to incorporate more NEAT into your day can promote weight loss-provided you have an adequate calorie intake to fuel it. By Julia Malacoff August 15, Save FB Tweet ellipsis More. Image zoom. Comments 25 Add Comment. March 21, Losing weight is not so difficult with the right guidance and methods.
March 14, Lost 41 pounds and 4 dress sizes. I am in the best shape of my life. March 13, No words to say about it.
Eat More to Lose Weight | ACTIVE
March 1, A breakthrough Yoga Program that melts away flab and reshapes your body in as little as one hour a week. December 17, December 7, November 16, October 18, In January , I weighed lbs, which is quite overweight for a woman my height. In my teenage years, I weighed only pounds and I felt much healthier and happier. I strived desperately over the years to get back to this weight. But with a stressful and busy work life, I struggled