Beginner's Fitness Programs

It is often said that we should eat six small meals instead of two big ones during the day to control body weight. The rationale behind this is that eating small meals throughout the day will keep blood sugar levels steady and the body won’t need to save extra energy as body fat. This also keeps metabolism high and, in the end, we lose more body fat.

This, however, is not quite correct. A recent study published in the British Journal of Nutrition showed no difference at all between eating 6 meals or 3
meals in a day as long the amount of total calories eaten is the same. The study showed no differences in weight loss, appetite control, or hunger level between
two groups.

Here is a similar popular belief with no scientific support: We are often told that we should drink 8 glasses of water a day to hydrate the body. It is a good idea to hydrate your body regularly, but there is, in fact, no solid scientific study which has determined HOW MUCH water we should drink. Many people who try to drink 8 glasses of water a day find that they get bloated and also need to go to the restroom every 30 minutes! The amount of water we need to drink differs from person to person, but that amount needs to be determined by you; just drink
enough water so that you are not thirsty.

The lesson here is that there are still many things that science cannot tell you exactly. Scientific “truths” can change when new facts are found. This is why you need to keep updating your knowledge constantly and seeking new information from good sources (like this one!)

Source: Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss in subjects who were prescribed an 8-week equi-energetic energy-restricted diet. British Journal of Nutrition 2010

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