I usually eat all organic and generally healthy foods, which does not seem to be enough to cut fat. I think my problem is not the quality but quantity of food. Should I be eating 3 or 5 times a day? If 5 times what size portions and what types of foods should be inserted into this plan? DJ [via Ask Questions]
Losing weight is all about changing your eating habits. Eating nutritious foods is obviously better than eating junk, but you are correct, if you want to lose weight, the quantity of food you consume daily matters, a lot.
Should you be eating 5 times a day? Yes and no. It is a good idea to spread your daily calorie intake throughout the day, but it requires planning and extra time, which some people do not have.
The bottom line is this: it does not really matter how many times a day you eat, what matters is your daily calorie intake. If you have enough time to plan and prepare 5 meals every day, go for it. If your time is limited, do not worry about it.
Figure out how many calories you need to consume daily to lose weight, and make sure that you stick with that number. In addition, remember that exercise is important.
As for the types of food that should be included in your eating plan, the basics always work best. Eat protein (fish, poultry, lean meats), complex carbohydrates (vegetables, fruits, whole grains), and good fats (fish oil, avocado oil, olive oil, and nuts).
Most important of all, do not lose the forest for the trees. What do I mean by this? Some people spend so much time trying to find a perfect diet plan. I will let me tell you a secret. It does not exist. But wait, here comes the shocker: it does even matter if you have a diet plan and it does not really matter what types of food you should be eating.
What matters most is what you are not eating. In other words, instead of trying to figure out what to eat, figure out what you should not be eating, everything else is a go. You should not be eating fast food, commercially made (often overly processed) packaged foods, and simple carbs. Do not eat that stuff and you will lose weight.