April 22, 2014
Do you want to make healthy nutritional choices, but keep finding yourself eating chips or chocolate right before bed? Attempting to put together a meal plan for a loved one? This guide for what to eat over the course of the day is a useful tool to help keep you on track with your goals by helping you understand what foods align with your intentions, will best maximize your results, and avoid the late-night snacking you only regret.
| Time of Day | Goal | What to Eat | Suggestions |
| 7:00 AM (Breakfast) | Feel full, kick off day | A balance of complex carbs, fats, and protein to satisfy your appetite and control it through the morning |
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| 9:00 AM | Focus on tasks | Antioxidants to promote brain cell production and improve memory and learning |
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| 11:00 AM | Take the edge off hunger, avoid unhealthy snacking | Protein that reduces cravings |
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| 1:00 (Lunch) | De-stress | Vitamin B6 to create mood-stabilizing neurotransmitters and aids nervous system function; magnesium to relax blood vessels and muscles; protein to satisfy hunger |
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| 3:30 PM | Beat an afternoon energy slump | Whole foods to provide real energy instead of merely a boost (Avoid caffeine and sugar!) |
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| 5:00 PM | Fuel up for a workout | Easy-to-digest carbs to adequately fuel your muscles; electrolytes to stay hydrated |
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| 6:30 PM (Supper) | Spike metabolism and control appetite | Flavor-rich ingredients that enhance a high-fiber, reduced-fat main course |
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| 10:00 PM | Calm down, fall asleep | Carbs that produce the amino acid tryptophan to assist the body in producing serotonin, which tells the brain to go to sleep; Calcium to help relax blood vessels |
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Content taken from “The Best Foods to Eat at Every Time of Day” via Woman’sDay. Download a printable version of this chart here.
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