Are You Eating More Than Three Square Meals a Day?

How often do you eat? It wasn’t that long ago that three square meals was the standard. You know, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Maybe a snack and dessert.

But that’s not how most people eat anymore. In fact, only 59 percent of men eat that way today. And only 63 percent of women follow the three-meals-a-day plan.

When the American Heart Association took a closer look at the eating habits of adults in the U.S., they found that more and more people are eating around the clock, at all hours of the day.

Sure, 24-hour dine-in restaurants and quickie marts have been around forever. But in just the last few years, almost every fast-food restaurant has added late-night hours or 24-hour service. And more grocery stores are open 24/7, making it a lot easier to eat whenever you want.

And that’s a problem that can lead to weight gain, heart disease, diabetes, and other health problems. Any idea how many calories you consumed yesterday? If you’re a moderately active adult, somewhere in the 2,000-calorie range is reasonable.

But hit a drive-thru just once a day for a burger, fries, and milkshake, and that’s about how many calories are in a single fast-food meal. Top that off with other meals and snacking from dawn ‘til dusk, and it’s easy to consume too many calories.

What can you do to avoid overeating or consuming too many calories? Here are a few suggestions:

• Start your day with a healthy breakfast like the Denver Scramble with Diced Turkey Ham, Bell Peppers, Potatoes, & Pineapple.
• Drink plenty of water. Aim for 64 ounces a day. More if you’re highly active or live in a hot climate.
• Avoid eating while watching TV. It’s a distraction that can lead to overeating.
• Skip fast food, sweet treats, and processed meals for healthier fare made from fresh ingredients like the meals you’ll find on the Low Sodium menu.
• Keep track of what you eat. Use a food diary or mobile app to monitor your calories. You might be surprised by how much and how often you’re eating.