What is your daily diet like? Do you begin the day with a buttery croissant and coffee with cream and sugar? Is your mid-morning snack a bag of chips from the vending machine or a doughnut from the break room? And at lunch, do you go out for burgers or pizza? And when that mid-afternoon lull comes, do you hit the vending machine yet again? And does dinner consist of several courses of heavy foods, possibly a vegetable, and then dessert? Do you have a snack right before bed?



If that sounds like you, then you probably do not feel very good most of the time. Aside from the doubtful nutritional value of the foods you are eating, you might consider the time at which you are taking in meals and snacks. When it comes to diet, it's not just what you eat, but when you eat it. It is difficult to break the 3-meal a day cycle.

In order to maintain a proper weight, you should only eat when you're hungry. Avoid eating when you are bored, happy, or sad. Emotional eating can lead to obesity. Food is fuel for the body, and cannot provide emotional sustenance.

Emotional eating is a learned response to the stresses in our lives. It is important to assess why you are eating, and find other ways to channel that behavior. In time, you will find that you are only eating when your body needs energy.

Eating often does not mean overeating, and does not necessarily lead to weight gain. Eating 5 or 6 smaller meals per day consisting of the right foods can actually speed up your metabolism, and help you lose or maintain your weight. This type of eating requires planning and preparation, in order to avoid impulse eating.

These smaller meals should scattered throughout your day, 3 to 4 hours apart. Your metabolism will remain high, as well as your energy levels, and you will burn a consistent number of calories all day long.

Some people think that skipping breakfast can help them lose weight. In fact, an investigation conducted in 1999 found that 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast. Eating a healthy breakfast is the key to weight loss. It jumpstarts your metabolism, provides you with the energy you need, and gets your day started right.

Late-night snacking is a big culprit that undermines weight loss and management. Your body will likely store the calories instead of burning them. Often, nighttime snacks have little to do with hunger, and more to do with boredom. Making a change in your nighttime habits may help to keep you from snacking right before bed.

Changing your eating habits will likely be very difficult. You are accustomed to 3 square meals a day, your mother likely taught you that. But making the change to more frequent, smaller meals throughout the day will induce a noticeable change in your attitude, your energy levels, and your waistline. With time, you will find that it is a style of eating that you can live with and enjoy for the rest of your life.