Meals that Satisfy
Anyone that’s worked with me knows they can’t escape a session without hearing me drone on about the evils of snacking. Despite the insistence of packaged snack companies (and the “authorities” they have in their pockets), there is no scientific benefit to grazing on small meals and snacks all day long. The human body, like those of most omnivorous and carnivorous animals, was not designed for a constant stream of energy inputs. Our ability to take in large quantities of energy and nutrients when we can get them, and then store the energy for times of scarcity, is at the crux of our species’ survival over hundreds of thousands of years.
When we ignore our body’s design and provide fuel every few hours, the body responds the only way it knows how - store, store, store! Each time we eat, insulin rises and our cells gobble up as much energy as they can stuff inside. Without long breaks in eating, insulin never drops back down. And as long as insulin is high, the body never gets the signal to retrieve stored energy. It’s a vicious cycle, especially when it goes on for years or decades.
My solution: three meals, no snacks. Eat. Stop. Eat. Stop. Eat. Stoooooppppppp (aka go to bed!). When my patients come back for their second visit, many will say they tried their best not to snack, but they were just too hungry. My response is always to investigate the meal they ate before they felt too hungry to make it 4-6 hours. It turns out that many people are in the habit of eating small, “healthy” meals, often with very little fat, or just very small in size. It’s no wonder they are hungry a few hours later! In order to avoid snacks, you have to design smart meals. I suggest checking off these three boxes at each meal to ensure a misery-free fast between meals:
Animal protein
Every meal should include a nice portion of animal protein. Protein is very satiating in the moment, and also critical for muscle growth and maintenance. And while it does cause a rise in insulin, it does not spike blood sugar. The less processed the better, and of course avoid deep fried proteins as much as possible. Chicken, beef, pork, turkey, other mammals and poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt and whey protein are all good sources of animal protein. Tofu is the best option for plant-based protein, but it doesn’t stimulate muscle growth as well as animal protein does.
nutrient-dense plants
Plants and animals are a match made in heaven. While animal foods offer the best protein and a set of vitamins and minerals that aren’t available in plants, plants offer their own unique set of nutrients. First of all, they are the only source of fiber in the diet. And, like animal foods, they have a laundry list of vitamins and minerals that aren’t available in animal foods. But perhaps most importantly, they contain chemicals called phytonutrients. These bioactive compounds are produced by plants for protection against microbes and insects. Not surprisingly, we can reap a myriad of benefits from them as well. While some plants seem to have more of these compounds than others (blueberries, cloves, turmeric, cherries, etc.), the reality is that eating a wide variety of vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, fruits, herbs and spices is the best way to get everything plants have to offer. I always recommend whole food plants that still resemble what they looked like when the were harvested. Roasted veggies count, but Cheerios do not.
Satisfaction factors
I used to stop with just the two categories above. Technically most of the required nutrients are covered. But over time I realized something was still missing. People were still getting hungry between meals. And that’s when it hit me: the satisfaction factors. First, there’s physical satisfaction - avoiding an obnoxious stomach rumble in your 4pm meeting. And hands down, the best way to make a meal “stick to your ribs” is fat. I strongly recommend that my patients add overt sources of fat to each meal. Avocado, nuts, peanut butter, cheese, cream, olive oil, butter, mayonnaise, creamy dressings, bacon. A little bit goes a long way with these foods, so think of them as a topper, or a little add on.
The other satisfaction factor is mental satisfaction. Many of the most palatable foods on Earth are categorized in our minds as snack foods - things like chocolate, chips, popcorn, nuts, fruit, crackers, etc. Let’s say you work in an office and they have a free snack drawer in the break room. And in that drawer is your favorite thing ever - peanut butter stuffed pretzels. You used to go have five… or ten of them every afternoon around 3pm. You really looked forward to it! But now Tera says no snacking :( What if, at lunch, you went and grabbed five of them and had them WITH LUNCH. You avoid a 3pm insulin and blood sugar spike, but you don’t have to spend all afternoon will-powering yourself never to eat peanut butter stuffed pretzels again. Small change with a big biological difference. You don’t have to avoid snack foods, you just have to avoid snacks.
Curious if you can quit the snack habit? Give it a try for a week and see how you feel. Need more individualized help? You know where to find me!