Eating Every Two Hours or Three Balanced Meals?

  Diet-induced thermogenesis or 'grazing' (eating every two hours) as it is called in the West, is a popular tool for weight loss. The reason this approach also emerged on the weight loss scene was because:    (a) it was used for diabetics to maintain their blood sugar levels.

(b) People started moving away from eating three basic, balanced meals a day.

(c) Some overate at regular meals.

While this technique has helped many, you can also eat three meals and also take a snack between meals when you are hungry. Follow the approach i am putting forth in this book and make sure if it's for weight loss, you have some form of concentrated protein at each meal. If you are going to eat two hours, please do the the following:

1. See what your food choices are: it should not be processed foods like biscuits or toasts ( made of white bread- maida). Instead go for a brown rice poha, whole wheat crackers with hummus, carrot sticks, and fruits (see snack section).

2. Chew. That's something that most people miss while 'grazing'.

3. If you tend to have maxi snacks, then have mini meals at meal time. So be mindful of the quantity consumed at those times.

The decision to have three meals a day, two meals a day, or 'graze' every two hours is entirely your call. My experience with this approach has shown me that if you eat a balanced breakfast, lunch, and dinner- then eating between meals is not necessary unless you get really hungry.