Eating Suggestions With Sample Menu

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Eat around the clock
Maureen Callahan
If you want to boost your energy, lose weight, and lower your cholesterol, it's time to upgrade those 3 square meals.
THREE YEARS AGO, magazine editor Tracey Pepper zipped through four Pilates classes a week, pumped a little iron on the side, and hoofed it all over Manhattan. But something wasn't right. "I was in shape, but I was always dragging," she recalls. "Also, I'd be happy one minute, then crabby for no reason. My moods were all over the map."
A visit to a dietitian offered Pepper, 37, now a senior editor at NATURAL HEALTH, a prescription for her flagging energy and intermittent blues: Eat six times a day. "I've been eating five or six small meals every day now for three years, and it has changed my life," she says. "It takes discipline at first. But once you start feeling the results, you don't go back." You're likely to see the results, too. "Grazing," as some people call this eating strategy, is far more effective for weight control than ordinary "deprivation diets," says mini-meal proponent Jorge Cruise, author of The 3-Hour Diet. Studies show that consuming small meals keeps your blood sugar on an even keel and ramps up your metabolism.
It's pure physiology, explains Seattle sports nutritionist Susan Kleiner, Ph.D., R.D., author of Power Bating. After a meal, food is broken down into sugar, which travels through the blood, providing energy to your entire body. "It takes two to three hours for the whole process--for blood sugar levels to go up and then back down again," says Kleiner.
little meals, big results
EATING A LARGE MEAL dumps huge amounts of fuel into your system at once--with the excess stored as fat--but frequent, small meals deliver manageable amounts of energy over the course of the day. Here's a quick look at the many health benefits of a six-a-day menu:
1) Sustained energy
Food supplies the body with energy; the body then burns that energy to function. But it's easy to upset this delicate balance by skipping meals or waiting too long to eat. "When blood sugar levels are up, you feel energized. When they drop, energy levels plummet," says Kleiner. "So if you eat frequently to keep your blood sugar levels steady, you'll feel more energized all day long."
2) Speedier metabolism
Your body is genetically programmed to conserve energy when food intake ceases. "Blood sugar fluxes every three hours, so if you don't eat something to raise the blood sugar, metabolic rate can slow down," says Dan Benardot, Ph.D., professor of nutrition, kinesiology, and health, and co-director of the Laboratory for Elite Athlete Performance at Georgia State University. Benardot has found that three-meal-a-day female athletes tend to have lower resting energy expenditures and higher body-fat percentages, which he suspects is due to the extended time between food intake.
3) Easier weight loss
It's tough to lose weight when your metabolism is slowing down and your body is trying to hang on to every calorie. In addition, long gaps between eating lead to poor food choices, which can quickly turn weight loss into weight gain. "One of the stimulants to hunger is low blood sugar," he says. "If you let yourself get really hungry and find a bag of unpeeled carrots or a ready-to-eat pound cake in the refrigerator, which would you choose?"
4) Mood stability
Science shows a strong connection between food and mood, and eating more often can actually alter the brain chemistry, says Kleiner. The key is to include complex carbohydrates like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, all of which help maintain levels of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical in the brain. "It's what anti-depressants are all about," says Kleiner. "These drugs work to elevate serotonin levels or at least keep them from dropping too low. The right foods accomplish the same thing."
5) Reduced cholesterol
In one study at the University of Toronto, switching to multiple small meals reduced participants' total cholesterol levels by about 8 percent and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels by 12 percent. The meal schedule kept blood sugar more even, helping to eliminate insulin spikes that can stimulate cholesterol production, according to lead researcher David Jenkins, M.D. "Eating frequent small meals is a tremendous idea," he says, "though it's going to mean a major lifestyle change for some people."
how to go small
CHANGING YOUR EATING HABITS is easier if you tailor your diet to suit your needs and preferences. "The goal is to eat every two to three hours," says Kleiner. "You can try six equal-sized small meals or three small meals with two or three snacks each day."
When meals are smaller, quality really counts. Make sure to include protein, high-fiber complex carbs, and healthy fats, says Kleiner. Protein and fiber help you feel full; complex carbs digest slowly without spiking blood sugar; and the fat, which also digests slowly, delivers a spurt of energy long after it's consumed.
You may need to redefine your sense of portion control so you don't take in more total calories each day. In restaurants, order a hearty appetizer as your main course, or before digging into your entree, reserve half of it to take home in a doggie bag.
A great snack is as simple as a handful of nuts and a few pieces of dried fruit. Spread a bit of almond butter on apple slices or whole-grain bread. Or wash down a hard-boiled egg with a glass of tomato juice garnished with a stick of celery. The body craves variety, says Kleiner, so mix things up a little.
To limit your portions, remind yourself how bloated you feel after overeating, advises Pepper. "Ask yourself before you fix your meal if you really want to down both halves of that double-decker sandwich and chips when you know you'll be nodding off at your desk a few hours later," she says.
It's also useful to devise a complete day's menu, and place the food in plastic containers you can take to work or have waiting for you when you get home. (For sample plans, see pages 75 and 76.)
The simplest way to turn three meals into six, says Benardot, is to divide your normal breakfast, lunch, and dinner in hall and then eat the second half three hours after you eat the first.
It may take some trial and error for a few days, but the rewards are substantial--and go far beyond vanity. Last spring, Kleiner shepherded a group of volunteers who tried the multiple-meal system. After a week, the participants stopped obsessing about their weight and began crowing about their well-being. "I kept hearing the same sentiments over and over: 'I have more energy. I feel so much better,'" she says.
For her part, Pepper swears she will never go back to three squares. "I sleep better. I don't have mood swings. My energy levels remain even throughout the day," she says. And she likes that she gets to eat more often. "You're not eating big quantities, but you get to snack six times a day. If you love food, that's a beautiful thing."
6-a-Day Meal Plan 1

BREAKFAST

1 1/2 cups bran cereal
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 cup strawberries
1 cup 1% milk or soymilk

MIDMORNING SNACK

1 hard-boiled egg
2 rye crispbread crackers
8 ounces tomato juice

LUNCH

Tuna Tabbouleh (recipe on page 79)
1 stick reduced-fat string
cheese
1 cup baby carrots
2 tablespoons guacamole

MIDAFTERNOON SNACK

1 large apple, sliced
1 tablespoon almond or
peanut butter

SUPPER

Sesame Grouper with
Bok Choy Rice [pictured)

NIGHTIME SNACK

1 cup 1% milk or soymilk
1 whole-grain
oatmeal-raisin cookie

6-a-Day Meal Plan 2

BREAKFAST

1 cup cooked oatmeal
1 apple, sliced and lightly
sauteed with cinnamon
3 tablespoons toasted
walnuts
1/2 Cup 1% milk or soymilk

MIDMORNING SNACK

Sliced tomato, grainy mustard,
and 2% milk cheddar cheese
on whole-grain bread,
melted in the broiler

LUNCH

Citrus Chicken Salad
sandwich (pictured)
1 small bunch red grapes

MIDAFTERNOON SNACK

Extra-small banana
1 tablespoon cashew butter

SUPPER

Filet mignon, 4 ounces
1 small baked sweet potato
1 cup steamed broccoli
and carrots
Spinach salad with 1 tablespoon
olive oil and a splash
of red wine vinegar

NIGHTTIME SNACK

1/4 cup roasted red pepper
hummus
1/2 whole-wheat pita, toasted

Citrus Chicken Salad

Serves 4

Poaching keeps the chicken moist
and tender. Serve as a sandwich
on a sliced whole-grain baguette.

1 pound skinless boneless
chicken breasts, about 3

1/3 cup light mayonnaise

2 teaspoons frozen orange
juice concentrate, thawed

1 teaspoon finely grated
lemon zest

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped
fresh basil

1 tablespoon chopped chives
118 teaspoon fresh ground
pepper

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup thinly sliced almonds,
toasted

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1. Fill a Dutch oven or large
saucepan with water and add
chicken. Bring to a boil; remove
from heat, cover, and let stand
15 minutes or until chicken is
opaque throughout. Remove
chicken with slotted spoon and
pat dry. Cut into 1/2-inch chunks.

2. Combine mayonnaise, juice,
zest, basil, chives, and pepper in
a bowl. Whisk to blend. Stir in
celery, chicken, almonds, and red
onion. Toss gently to mix. Cover
and chill until ready to serve.

Per serving (2/3 cup): 241 calories,
38% fat (lo.1 g; 1.5 g saturated),
13% carbs (7.8 g), 59% protein
(29.0 g), 1.7 g fiber, 259 mg
sodium.

Feta-Pimento Dip
with Veggies

Serves 8

Using cottage cheese offers a
high-protein boost not found
in sour-cream dips.

1 cup 1% reduced-fat cottage
cheese

1/3 cup (light) tub cream cheese

1 (3.5-ounce) package reduced-fat
feta cheese crumbles

1/4 cup thinly sliced green onion

1/4 cup bottled pimento
peppers, drained

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground
black pepper

2 pounds assorted raw vegetables,
trimmed (sugar
snap peas, baby carrots,
matchstick-cut yellow bell
peppers, sliced cucumbers)

1. Place cottage cheese and
cream cheese in a blender or
food processor and blend until
smooth. Add feta and next
5 ingredients (green onion
through pepper) and pulse
to blend. Spoon mixture into
bowl; cover and chill 1 hour to
let flavors blend. Serve with
vegetables.

Per serving (1/4 cup dip and 4
ounces vegetables): 106 calories,
29% fat (3.5 g; 2,3 g saturated),
39% carbs (lo.4 g), 33% protein
(8.9 g), 2.5 g fiber, 455 mg
sodium.
HEALTHY SNACKS
Keep a stash of nourishing munchies in your desk, the office refrigerator, or your pantry. Since it's easier to make healthful choices with advance planning, here are some well-balanced mini-meal ideas to get you started.
* Handful of pistachios and dried apricots * Peanut butter spread on a small banana * Hard-boiled egg and a few spoons of tabbouleh * Sliced turkey and grainy mustard wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla * Thin slices of ham rolled around cooked asparagus spears * Shrimp with cocktail sauce or salsa * Diced ham and canned white beans drizzled with olive oil and mustard * Deviled eggs and celery sticks * Slice of mozzarella cheese with a few whole-wheat sesame sticks * Cup of low-fat cottage cheese with sliced strawberries * Roasted red pepper hummus on whole-wheat pita bread * Cashew butter on a whole-wheat English muffin * Salted peanuts and raisins * Canned salmon drizzled with lemon on rye crackers * Greek yogurt with honey and sliced almonds
10:00 a.m. Tropical-Almond Granola Bars (recipe on page 100)
noon Tuna Tabboueleh (recipe, opposite)
3 p.m. Feta-Pimento Dip with Veggies (recipe on page 77)
6:00 p.m. Black Bean Wraps (recipe, opposite)
Black Bean Wraps

Serves 8

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups thinly sliced onion

2 cups chopped yellow and
orange bell peppers

2 cloves garlic, minced

1-2 teaspoons minced seeded
jalapeno

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1 (15-ounce) can fat-free
vegetarian refried beans

1 (15-ounce) can black beans,
drained

1 (28-ounce) can fire-roasted
tomatoes

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro,
divided

1 (8-ounce) package reduced-fat
shredded Mexican cheese

8 corn tortillas

8 tablespoons fresh salsa for
garnish (optional)

8 tablespoons low-fat sour
cream (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375[degrees]F.

2. Heat oil in a large nonstick
skillet over medium heat. Add
onion and bell peppers and
saute until tender, about 6 minutes.
Stir in ingredients from
garlic to salt. Cook 1 minute. Add
refried beans, black beans, tomatoes,
and 3 tablespoons cilantro.
Cook for 5 minutes or until
warmed through. Layer half the
bean mixture into a 9-by-13-inch
baking dish; top with half the
cheese, then the remaining
beans, then the last of the cheese.

3. Cover; bake at 375[degrees]F for 15
minutes. Uncover and bake for
8 to 10 minutes or until bubbly.

4. Steam tortillas in the microwave
4 at a time for 30 seconds,
wrapped in paper towels. Stuff
tortillas with bean mixture, roll
up, and garnish with remaining
cilantro. Serve with salsa and
low-fat sour cream if desired.

Per serving (1 wrap): 287 calories,
31% fat (10.7 g; 3.5 g saturated),
47% carbs (36.3 g), 21% protein
(16 g), 7.8 g fiber, 612 mg sodium.

Tun a Tabbouleh

Serves 4

1/4 pound fresh green beans,
trimmed and cut into thirds

1 cup fine- or medium-grain
bulgur

2 cups water

1/2 cup lemon juice, divided

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

3/4 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon crushed red
pepper flakes

1 (12-ounce) can albacore
(white) tuna, drained

1 cup chopped parsley

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 cup minced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped
fresh mint
freshly ground
black pepper to taste

1. Steam green beans 4 minutes
in a small saucepan; drain and
immerse in ice water to keep
color bright. Return saucepan to
heat and add bulgur, water, and
2 tablespoons lemon juice. Bring
mixture to a boil over high heat;
boil 1 minute. Remove from
heat; cover and let stand 5 minutes
or until liquid is absorbed.

2. Place bulgur in a bowl. Add
remaining lemon juice, then
ingredients from olive oil to black
pepper; toss gently to mix. Cover
and chill until ready to serve.

Per serving (1 1/2 cups): 365 calories,
39% fat (10.2 g; 1.6 g saturated),
37% carbs (34.6 g), 24%
protein (22.5 g), 8.8 g fiber,
639 mg sodium.

Sesame Grouper with
Bok Choy Rice

Serves 4

2 tablespoons peanut or canola oil,
divided

2 cups chopped bok choy

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, divided

4 (6-ounce) grouper fillets, about
1 1/4 inches thick

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black
pepper, divided

1 tablespoon each black and light
sesame seeds

1 tablespoon flour

1 1/4 cups water

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 1/2 cups instant brown rice

1. Preheat oven to 375[degrees]F.

2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large ovenproof
nonstick skillet over medium heat.
Add bok choy and saute for 3 to 5 minutes
or until tender-crunchy. Stir in garlic and
1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute. Remove
to plate.

3. Sprinkle fish with remaining salt as well
as 1/8 teaspoon black pepper.

4. Place black and light sesame seeds in a
shallow bowl. Stir in flour. Dredge one
side of fish in sesame mixture, patting
gently to make seeds stick.

5. Pour 1 teaspoon oi1 in the skillet and
heat over medium-high heat. Place fish,
seed side down, into skillet and cook for
2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned.
Turn fish and place skillet in oven. Cook
at 375[degrees]F for 6 to 9 minutes or until fish is
opaque throughout.

6. Place water, soy sauce, and remaining
oil in a medium saucepan and bring to a
boil. Stir in instant rice. Remove from heat;
cover and let steam 5 minutes or until
done. Stir in the bok choy mixture and
remaining pepper; cover for 3 minutes or
until mixture is warmed through.

Per serving (1 fillet and 1/2 cup rice): 354
calories, 30% fat (11.6 g; 1.8 g saturated),
33% carbs (28.3 g), 37% protein (32.3 g),
2.5 g fiber, 725 mg sodium.

Tropical-Almond
Granola Bars

Serves 16

This deliciously honeyed snack also makes
a quick breakfast. Look for puffed kamut
in the natural-foods aisle of your market.

1 cup old-fashioned roiled oats

3/4 cup blanched slivered almonds
2/3 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons almond butter or
peanut butter

1 egg

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup puffed kamut or other puffed
grain or rice cereal

1 1/2 cups chopped dried apricots and
pineapple

1/4 cup shredded sweetened coconut

1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest

cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 375[degrees]F.

2. Place oats and almonds in a large skillet
over medium-high heat and cook for 4 to
6 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly
toasted. Remove to bowl.

3. Place honey, brown sugar, oil, and
almond butter in the skillet and cook over
medium-low heat, stirring occasionally
until sugar melts and mixture is well
blended. Remove from heat and cool to
room temperature.

4. Stir in egg, ground flaxseed, almond-oat
mixture, and salt. Fold in kamut, dried
fruit, coconut, and zest; spoon mixture (it
will be sticky) into a 9-by-13-inch baking
dish coated with cooking spray. Moisten
fingers and press mixture even]y into
dish. Bake at 375[degrees]F for 12 to 16 minutes or
until firm and lightly browned around the
edges. Place dish on a wire rack and let
cool completely.

5. Cut lengthwise to divide mixture in
half. Cut 8 times across to form 16 bars.

Per serving (1 bar): 219 calories, 39% fat
(9.9 g; 1.2 g saturated), 55% carbs (31.7 g),
7% protein (3.8 g), 2.5 g fiber, 61 mg sodium.
COPYRIGHT 2005 Weider PublicationsCOPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group

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