“Three good meals a day is bad living.”
Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

Well, if Ben Franklin himself said three meals a day is bad living then it must be so. Right? After all he is Ben Franklin ! But as you and I know and have most likely experienced through a buffet of different diet methods ………..Not everything you read is true. So, Keep in mind there are probably as many opinions on what to eat and what not to eat as there are stars in the sky.

In this attempt on diet and weight management, It is my goal to introduce you to some basic ideas and hopefully give you a new perspective on diet.

Let’s begin with this - Food is not the enemy. Food should be nourishing and help you manage your stress levels and definitely should not be creating more stress. If you think your being “strong” by ignoring your cravings you can not be farther from the truth. Ayurveda ( Eye-your-Veda) tells us that food cravings are a signal that something is wrong and or missing. Your body is trying to bring the issue to your attention. As I have said and believe- If you listen to your body you can heal most all your aliments . When you have these signals from your body , such as craving sweets or salty things, etc. It means that your system is out of balance and is lacking a particular kind of nutrient. This is why it is important to include the six tastes in EVERY meal .

The six tastes are :

Sweet, Sour, Salty, Pungent, Bitter and Astringent. Now each of these six tastes are also related to the five elements :

Sweet = earth and water

Sour = earth and fire

Salty = water and fire

Pungent = fire and air

Bitter = air and ether

Astringent = air and earth

All foods, herbs and spices have an effect on the body and mind.

I can not go into detail on the six tastes here . However, if you wish to know more or would like a lifestyle and weight management consultation please contact me.

Food is energy and the energy of food will effect our bodies and our minds.

It is important to mention that not every ones genetic constitutional type is the same. This is why one diet that has worked for your friend may not work for you. You must take into account your emotional and physical type.

One note on loosing weight, you should keep in mind is that for every year you have had the weight on -

Give at least one month for every year it has been on your body.

As a general rule you should eat at least five to six small meals a day . If you are only eating three meals a day , the traditional breakfast , lunch and dinner here is what happens. The chances are you will end up OVER eating at each meal. Because you become hungry in-between meals you tend to eat more and you tend to eat FASTER. Eating fast is not good for proper digestion. We will discuss digestion in a little while.

Some of you skip meals . Breakfast is often the one skipped and is the worst one to skip. .If you had to skip a meal- dinner would be better than breakfast. But skipping any meal will not lead to better health or faster weight loss. Eating at regular intervals will keep your metabolic rate up. When you go longer between meals your body goes into survival and starvation mode. What happens is your metabolic rate will slow down, and your body will conserve energy and expend fewer calories. To maintain normal functioning the brain needs glucose and going with out eating will deprive the brain of glucose. Lack of glucose to the brain leads to - irritability, dizziness, and fainting, as well as hypoglycemia. And many other longer term affects.

Skipping breakfast will result in poor memory, mood swings, and bad mental performance. Eating a little something is better than nothing at all. But also listen to your body. How is your energy level? Is your mind clear and focused? Maybe you will do fine with out breakfast. Remember everyone is different and has different needs. Learn to listen to your body.

You need energy to start your day effectively. A balance of protein and carbohydrates would be a good choice. Fruit, whole grain bread and some protein.

Enough on breakfast.

Balance is the key and including the right types of food at the right intervals is what will make a successful diet. Larger meals take more time to “burn off” and smaller meals more frequently will help you burn more “fat” calories instead of “energy “ calories.

PROTEINS are important. Free from antibiotics and pesticides and hormones. These are known as “clean” proteins. Add this every three hours can help keep blood sugar levels from dropping. If you do not eat meat you can get plenty of protein from sources like legumes, nuts, seeds, yeast, and freshwater algae. Some vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains all have protein.

FATS are important .You need essential fatty acids to burn body fat! Fish oils and essential fatty acids such as flax, borage, lecithin, and pumpkin seeds are necessary for skin, hair, nails, and fat metabolism.

Carbohydrates are important. You need carbs in order to function because they provide energy to your body. Good carbs are brown rice, whole grain products, vegetables, fruits, and nuts. Bad carb examples are white breads, refined sugars, most breakfast cereals, potatoes and any product made from white flour.

Digestion. If you are unable to process your food properly you end up absorbing it. Improper digestion which leads from improper eating and eating at the wrong intervals results in constipation, bloating, gas, colitis, reflux and overall sluggishness.

Chew your food properly. If you don’t your stomach has to work harder to digest particles that are larger than it should be handling. Adding fiber will help you move your bowels once to twice a day which is the recommended amount for healthy digestion.

To sum it up here are is an overview and tips for maintaining energy, healthy weight levels and proper digestion.

• Eat breakfast. With a balance of proteins and carbs. Limit caffeine to one to two cups. Try decaf.
• Eat a second meal three to four hours later. This should be a light meal that may consist of something as simple as yogurt and fruit or a hand full of carrots and a fiber bar?
• Have your lunch and if possible make this your largest meal of the day. Salad and soup, half of sandwich would be an example.
• Three to four hours later an apple , handful of nuts may be a good choice.
• Dinner should be eating at least two to three hours before going to bed. Keep this meal lighter and try not to eat breads and pastas late in the evening. Avoid caffeine late in the evening as this will disrupt your sleep ( for most people) .
• Finish the evening with a healthy snack and like popcorn ( no salt and butter) celery and peanut butter ?

Be sure to include at least 8, 8 oz glasses of water a day. Water helps flush the system of toxins and also adds in weight loss and feeling fuller. I sometimes add lemon and or honey to my water. Honey adds calories but it has also been shown to help with weight loss in some people.

When ever possible to maximize good digestion - After your larger meals. Lunch and dinner for example- take a “easy” walk for about ten to fifteen minutes. Then sit and rest for about ten minutes. This will help in proper digestion and will leave you feeling healthier and lighter.

Be sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and clean proteins. Buy organic whenever possible. Try to eat foods that are in season.

Some people have experienced great results by fasting once a week. “True” fasting consist of nothing but water. Some other fasts include things like only fruit, etc.

Remember exercise is important for overall health and weight management. So be sure to include at least 30 min. of aerobic exercise two to three times a week.

Chet Covely III, Rh,CHHp is a certified Lifestyle and weight management specialist and offers E-mail based private one on one consulting. Check out www.covelyconsulting.com