In the media, there’s always hearsay about eating this way or that. It’s ever-changing and ultra-confusing, especially if you are trying to follow along with the latest hype.
But there is one habit that will help you blast fat and slim down that has withstood the test of time. And when I say time, I mean super ancient, as in from the origins of Ayurvedic medicine, which stem back at least 5,000 years.
What have we all been told in the past to “rev up our metabolism?” Eat little meals during the day, which purportedly keeps your blood sugar balanced and your metabolism fired up by forcing your body to start digesting whatever food you eat.
But is this way of eating really benefiting you…? Or is it making it harder for you to lose weight?
In The Beauty Detox Solution, I lay out how eating often is actually aging you faster because your body has to kickstart digestion every time you eat, which burns your body’s natural supply of enzymes. That’s just what it is — a supply. Your enzyme reservoir is not infinite, so you want to use them wisely and intelligently, like poker chips that are worth a lot, which they essentially are!
I’ve always taught that eating often happens to also be fattening for most people because it compiles the food in your system before being properly digested.
Barring a medical condition like having a blood sugar issue (in which case your doctor may advise you that you have to eat often. Though be sure to read on as well!), you can do much to balance your blood sugar and energy by eating a fiber-rich diet of mostly plant foods (remember only plant foods contain fiber!), thereby maximizing the times you do eat, and avoiding having to eat all the time. Fiber creates a feeling of fullness and a sustained release of nutrients into your system so you don’t burn out or crash.
As I’ve started to dig really deeply into my Ayurvedic studies (I’ve committed to a 6-year program to become an Ay.D (Ayurvedic Doctor) and am finishing up my first year this fall), I am constantly and pleasantly amazed at the many similarities between the Ayurvedic belief system and our Beauty Detox philosophy. I truly think I must have lived in India and been an Ayurvedic practitioner in some of my last lives!
As it turns out, Ayurvedic philosophy also agrees with me on this point. It teaches us not to snack in between meals, but to eat enough fiber-filled foods so that you can last to the next meal (sound familiar?!). Sure you might have to snack in the afternoon if you have a long stretch to dinner or are active and worked out (as I do sometimes), but it is the constant grazing that is A) fattening B) aging. Hence it must stop!
Dr. Suhas G. Kshirsagar is a celebrated Ayurvedic physician whom I met where we were both speaking at a recent medical conference at the Chopra center. He is not only knowledgeable, but animated, kind and I enjoy hearing him speak and talking with him very much. As he writes in his recent book, The Hot Belly Diet:
When the body is fed every two to three hours, it uses fuel from those meals rather than burning its fat stores. So the body adapts to being spoon-fed consistently without needing to dig into its fat storage. Conversely, when you eat three meals a day and don’t snack in between, the body is forced to turn to fat. When your body uses fat as active fuel, you will experience increased energy, ability to focus, stable moods, better sleep, fewer cravings, and of course, effortless weight loss.
The New York Academy of Sciences published a report in 2002 stating that grazing all day, as opposed to eating a few set meals, puts one at risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes[i]. Another study, from 2013, presented at the American Diabetes Association conference, revealed its results that those with type 2 diabetes that consumed two large meals a day lost more weight than when they ate six smaller meals with the same total amount of calories.[ii]
My clients that are pregnant and nauseous of course have to eat often to help appease the pesky morning (or day long) morning sickness. That is a very special circumstance for these and other sorts of conditions…
But if you are not pregnant, and are trying to lose weight, or got down to your ideal weight and want to maintain it (especially after all that work!), try applying this to your life:
1. Start your day with a fiber-filled Glowing Green Smoothie ®. If you are still hungry, have some oatmeal made with water about 25 minutes later (also rich in satiating fiber).
2. Have a nutrient-packed lunch with a huge salad, veggies, soup, avocado, etc. To bulk up your lunch, try a veggie wrap, an Open-faced Avo Beauty Sandwich, some quinoa or brown rice avocado sushi. If you have a long stretch until dinner and want to add a Power Protein Smoothie post-lunch, mid-afternoon that would be okay also. Smoothies digest fantastically well.
3. Aim to eat dinner a few hours before bed. Bake or cook some veggies, add some salad, a great soup, some animal protein if you eat that (once a day max is enough of this, which is acid-forming and does not have any fiber, and is a lot slower and more work to digest). Chew well and enjoy!
As you can see, the key is that when you do eat, you make the best possible choices packed with fiber and nutrients. This keeps you feeling great and sustaining your energy. And if you need recipe ideas, we got them for you! Check out that section of the blog. :)
Let your body digest one thing thoroughly at a time.
Think about how you do best when you perform only one task (playing with your kids, talking on the phone, writing a thoughtful email) at a time, and lovingly let your body digest the best it can too, and it will respond by doing what you want, burning that fat!!!
Try eating smarter, not more often, which is the way to increase your natural beauty, which is your birthright!
You will also think more clearly and have more energy to boot.
Try it for yourself, and let me know how you do. :)
Have a great day, and see you back here soon.
With love and gratitude,
Kimberly xx
Resources
[i] Kshirsagar, Suhas G. The Hot Belly Diet. Atria Books. New York, NY. 2014.
[ii] Ibid.
Out of all the articles I have read here- which are a lot, this is the most helpful one so far to me, and they have all been good. I haven’t been able to do the smoothies, as I get dizzy from them and feel foggy, but if I can focus on what you just have said, maybe I can still feel better and lose weight. Thank you for this, Kimberly.
seems like the right thing to do — the eating 6 small meals thing always confused me because it goes against the whole “eating when you are hungry” idea . My body will tell me everything I need from fats to more green veggies to fruit/ @Kimbery Snyder thank you — You have enlightened me and taught me so much. It is a dream of mine to teach others !! Thank you
Dear Kimberly,
I love what your doing and I own all 3 of your books. I am starting again after failing to keep straight with the blossoming beauty regime. I am going to continue this time. I really want to say keep up the great work, because I need you!! Congratulations on your cont’d study of becoming a (Ay.D (Ayurvedic Doctor). You will be great at whatever and keep going…….
Love this :) I naturally have found I feel much better and much less bloated if I have nice meals, and usually one small snack mid afternoon as opposed to constant grazing during the day. I have even found that during the week I feel much better than on weekends if I am at home and there is constantly food available. it helps to pack up my food and take it with me so that I know that I have breakfast, lunch and one small snack (if i need it) which is all i will eat during the day.
I would also be very interested, Kim, to see how you feel about nutrition after you finish your Ayurveda course. I know there are a few key differences to BDS (dairy, meat etc) and most notably the emphasis on warming foods as well as lunch being the main meal of the day. I love BDS, however I struggle with cold, raw foods as my touchy stomach much prefers cooked, warming foods and spices. I completely agree with your plant based, lower fat stance, which has helped my stomach INCREDIBLY! (although I do still eat eggs, fish and chicken) but increasing my greens and decreasing my fats has been a godsend to my poor digestive system! (although, I have found I have an allergy to avocado!!)
Thank you Kim, as always your guidance is appreciated :) X
Hi Kimberly,
The GGS is making me feel bloated, and sometimes even constipated. I find it strange that I am more constipated during the times I especially watch what I’m eating: GGS, salads and veggies until the evening and ‘regular’ dinner (but as healthy as possible) at night.
What am I doing wrong?
Oh my sorry to hear your going through this. I do remember kim.saying sometimes with increased fiber intake suddenly this can happen. I do not remember her advice per say but i believe she said continue and it will pass. As your digestive system is degunking (if that’s a word lol) so you might have old food debris making its way out of your system. A well done professional colonic is really helpful. Increasing water and taking kim’s magnesium oxide at night helps with the constipation. Many people experience uncomfortable even flu like symptoms as they detox and toxins and old sludge are trying to make their way out of the body. Best of luck and keep reading her old articles and listening to her podcasts to help you further on your journey!
Her product for constipation is called detoxy its here on her site under shop. Extremly helpful by bringing in healing oxygen into your digestive tract to help gently push things out and get you regular again. This really helped me when i started. Im pregnant now and constipation is a common problem so im ordering them again! ????
Hi Kimberly,
from my basic knowledge of Ayurveda each dosha needs a different approach to a diet I believe a Vata or Pita need more meals a day than a kapha. I am only asking cause I am a data/pita and I’m extremely confused when it comes to my diet and on which approach I should take. I don’t feel healthy with my food cause maybe I don’t eat enough. I have a bloating problem that keeps coming back.
Awesome article! I have been on all sort of diets pretty much all my life. Still 30 lbs overweighted. I also was vegan few years but got out since I didn’t loose any weight. Later I found out I was what is called- junk vegan. Still I think that was one of the best food regiment I have been on. Eating all day small portions is one of the worst since by the end of the day you probably end up overeaten anyway and still feel hungry. My best success is whole food regime. Kimberly’s books motivates me to get back in filtering even more anything bad from my diet. My biggest challenge besides food is that I am super critical to myself and I totally agree food and body should be in a complete harmony and not work against each other! Thank you Kim!
What an amazing share Dana! So happy to hear you are figuring out what is best for your body and appreciate you reading my books. You Beauties are my motivation. Lots of love to you! ;)