How to Design a Mini-Meal Diet

Make sure the meals are really "mini" if you're watching your weight.

You may have heard that eating five to six mini-meals each day--instead of three big meals--can help you lose weight. There's no particular scientific evidence that this is true, but for some people, eating smaller more frequent meals prevents them from getting too hungry, which can lead to overeating. You can follow a specific mini-meal diet plan, or you can design one yourself.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Food
• Cooler

1. Make a list of mini-meals that you would enjoy and that are appropriate to the eating plan your doctor recommends. If your mini-meals should consist of a portion of protein and a portion of a healthy carbohydrate, plus a small amount of fat, a good option might include a turkey sandwich on whole grain bread. If your mini-meals are low-carb, a good option might include a couple of deviled eggs and a cup of mixed greens.

2. Understand portion sizes. The most important part of mini-meals is knowing appropriate portion sizes. Unlike regular meals, which fill an entire plate, mini-meals must be much smaller. If you're unsure of "how mini is mini," your doctor or nutritionist can advise you.

3. Prepare foods ahead of time. Since you'll be eating so frequently, it's important to have healthy, easy-to-grab meals that are prepared ahead of time. Prepare a large chicken salad or make a big batch of soup -- perhaps even dividing it intro appropriate portion sizes -- so a meal is always on hand.

4. Stick with unprocessed foods. This means foods that have undergone minimal processing and have not been drastically changed or altered by humans. A plain chicken breast is relatively unprocessed, but a chicken nugget is not.

5. Establish your mealtimes. For a mini-meal diet plan, you'll need to eat a small meal every two to three hours. Estimate when those mealtimes will be so you're certain they'll fit into your schedule. Once you've decided on the times you want to eat your mini-meals, begin eating on that schedule.

6. Plan for dining out. A mini-meal plan can be difficult to follow if you're dining out. Be prepared to eat only a portion of a restaurant meal. Take the rest home with you for another mini-meal later that day or the following day.

7. Carry foods with you. The very nature of mini-meals means that you'll feel hungry every three hours or so. If you're out running errands or shopping, it helps to carry food with you. Many people who eat mini-meals carry coolers of foods that can quickly become a mini-meal, such as nuts, baby carrots, fruit and hard-boiled eggs.

References

• New York Times: The Claim: Eat Six Small Meals a Day Instead of Three Big Ones