Skip The Snacks: Prioritizing Proper Meals for Women

What I so often see is women who are grazing all day, nibbling on something here & there, and then feeling bloated, tired, & unhappy in their bodies.

The tricky thing is that this can be a vicious cycle. The more we snack, the more we want to snack and the less likely we are to actually sit down and eat a proper meal.

If we want to support…

• optimal digestion

• hormone balance

• & body composition

…it’s important to prioritize proper meals that are spaced out by 3-5 hours throughout the day.

For most people, that means 3-4 meals and maybe 1 snack.

There is a few reasons for this.

1. Blood sugar balance
   Constant snacking, especially on sugary or highly processed foods, can lead to spikes and crashes in blood sugar levels. This can leave you dealing with mood swings, energy slumps, and increased cravings because these rarely leave you satiated for more than 1-2 hours.

2. The digestive system likes to rest between meals
   If we’re constantly putting more food in our stomachs, it can lead to reduced stomach acid production and slower digestion, potentially hindering efficient food breakdown and nutrient absorption.
   
   I cannot emphasize enough how important it is that we promote good stomach acid production because if this piece of digestion is off, the rest will be too!
   
   On the other hand, eating larger, less frequent meals allows the stomach to empty its contents more slowly and efficiently. This slower pace gives the digestive system adequate time to process food and absorb nutrients effectively.
   
   

3. Food choices
   If we’re snacking, we’re likely not doing it mindfully and we don’t tend to make the best choices. More often then not, we grab what’s available, convenient, & appealing… and if we’re being honest that usually doesn’t compare to the nutritional value you’d get from a well put together meal.

There is a time and place for snacking but MOST of the time, you’ll probably be better off with a proper meal.

Top Tips:

• Make it a priority to have some food prepped ahead of time or have ingredients for meals that you can put together in 5-10 minutes if it’s a lack of time that puts you in this situation.

• Keep some healthy convenience foods on hand - canned fish, veggies, fruit, hummus, sourdough, GF crackers, protein powder, greek yogurt, high quality deli meats & beef jerky, cheese, etc.

• Prioritize meals that have at least 30g of protein (do this 3-4x/day) and include some protein if you do have a snack.

• Ditch the low calorie meals. If you’re finding you’re getting hungry shortly after eating a meal (you can’t last 3-5h) then chances are you not enough a big enough meal!

If you’re not sure where to start or how to go about planning your meals, I’ve got you covered!

Check out my ready-made meal plan which is packed with recipes that are built to nourish you and support your body.

If you have specific health & dietary needs and would appreciate a more personalized approach, I’d love to put a plan together that is made just for you.