Fractional nutrition - the essence and menu for the week

Initially, this technique was developed by doctors for the complex therapy of diseases of the digestive system. Fractional nutrition normalizes the evacuation of bile, reduces gas formation and the aggressive effect of gastric juice, maintains normal intra-abdominal pressure.

Now this diet is used everywhere, including by athletes for weight loss and muscle gain, as well as one of the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle.

The essence of fractional nutrition

This way of eating is indicated for athletes with an increase in physical activity. It will help CrossFitters prepare for competitions when they need to significantly increase the amount of food they eat and ensure its maximum absorption.

For those who want to lose weight, the diet allows you to achieve the desired result, not excluding your favorite foods from the menu and often snacking. Compared to other diets, the fractional meal menu for every day is more varied.

The essence of fractional nutrition is extremely simple - eat often and in small portions.

As practice shows, most people, having got to a feast with an unlimited amount of food, eat much more than the body requires. People do the same by looking into their own refrigerator in the evening in search of something tasty. The result is known to everyone - overweight, problems with the figure, moral dissatisfaction.

Fractional nutrition minimizes temptations in the form of huge portions and relieves the digestive tract, removing lunches and dinners in the traditional sense (so to speak, the first, second, third and compote). In accordance with the principles of fractional nutrition, portions are reduced, the frequency of snacks increases, but there are no strict prohibitions on foods or their combinations.

For muscle growth

Many nutritionists believe that this diet is optimal for bodybuilders and lean people looking to build muscle mass, since the diet allows you to eat more without burdening the digestive system, and also maintains optimal insulin levels.

This hormone is known to work in two ways. With an excess of fats and carbohydrates, it accumulates subcutaneous fat, and with a high intake of protein, it promotes muscle growth. Fractional nutrition adjusts the “work” of insulin in the second, useful direction. At the same time, it is enough to focus on nutritious protein food, and increase the daily calorie content by 500-1000 kcal, while maintaining small portion sizes and frequency of food consumption.

Slimming

It is believed that eating at regular intervals makes the body understand that there is no need to accumulate adipose tissue. However, the principle of equal time intervals is also true for three meals a day.

A logical question arises: does fractional nutrition for weight loss work? Definitely - yes, but the only condition under which fat deposits are spent in conditions of fractional nutrition will be an energy deficit: the body receives fewer calories than it spends. The rest of the factors are secondary.

Fractional food is comfortable for people who are used to snacking often. But for it to lead to weight loss, you need to keep a strict calorie record and ensure the correct ratio of nutrients. The amount of fast carbohydrates with fats is minimized, the calorie content is reduced by about 500 calories from the recommended norm. At the same time, physical activity increases.

Advice! Fractional meals are used for weight loss, but the approach to the diet must remain reasonable, otherwise it will lead to exhaustion. This method is combined with intense training for more noticeable and faster results.

Pros and cons of the approach

Despite all its popularity, this diet still does not have a solid scientific basis, and its effectiveness has not been fully confirmed by any research. Nevertheless, we can talk about many positive aspects, supported by practical experience and feedback from people who have already tried this diet.

Benefits

So, the indisputable advantages of feeding on a fractional system are in the following points:

• The system does not require significant restrictions and allows you to leave your favorite foods and dishes in the diet.
• Appetite is controlled by several snacks.
• The body adjusts more easily to limits by gradually dropping calories rather than dramatically.
• Although the desired results do not appear as quickly as we would like, they are more persistent.
• Many athletes who practice the fractional nutrition system note an increase in vitality after a couple of weeks: daytime sleepiness disappears, efficiency increases, and night sleep improves.
• A properly selected diet according to the fractional nutrition system has no contraindications. Moreover, such a diet is indicated for various diseases of the digestive system (gastritis, ulcers, cholelithiasis, colitis, pancreatitis, etc.)

Difficulties and disadvantages of the regime

• Fractional eating requires patience, responsibility, and some kind of pedantry. You will have to regularly plan your diet, keep track of calories, prepare portions of food and look at the clock.
• Regime is not always easy to combine with lifestyle.
• Snacks throughout the day increase the volume of saliva and hydrochloric acid - increasing the risk of tooth decay.
• Fractional meals are not suitable when quick results are needed. Losing weight is complicated by the illusion that you can eat everything all day long and lose weight at the same time.
• Don't expect noticeable results in one week. You will have to adhere to a low-calorie regimen for at least a month, sometimes longer.

Do not forget about individual perception. Any diet or regimen should not cause discomfort, depression, fatigue, or other negative emotions that are more likely to lead to a "breakdown."

Fractional food for weight loss (3 options)

The principles and rules of each of them are slightly different, but the essence remains the same, as does the drinking regimen. You need to drink 1.5-2 liters of water a day. When eating fractionally, it is important to chew food thoroughly, literally 40 times.

So where to start fractional meals? There are three options.

Option 1. Guideline for hunger (grazing)

The fractional meal option, also called grazing, is suitable for people who like to snack often or cannot afford regular meals due to an irregular daily routine.

The nutritional principles in this case are extremely simple:

• Snack every time you feel hungry.
• The portion of food and calorie content are minimal. One meal, for example, can consist of a slice of bread or one piece of fruit.
• The intervals between snacks are not strictly regulated, but it is desirable that they be at least 30-45 minutes.

This eating regimen is suitable for a very limited number of people and has several disadvantages. First, with a chaotic meal, it is difficult to develop a balanced and healthy diet and create a normal menu for fractional meals. As a result, many people stop controlling the number of meals they eat and exceed the daily calorie intake. Secondly, the gastrointestinal tract, working non-stop, does not have time to rest and experiences overload. In this case, food will be incompletely digested.

Option 2. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks

This option of fractional nutrition is the most optimal, convenient and rational.

Its basic principles are as follows:

• A complete diet for the day includes 5-6 meals.
• The nutritional value of breakfast, lunch and dinner is about the same, snacks are low-calorie.
• Serving sizes are small - about a handful or one glass.
• The maximum interval between meals is no more than 3 hours.

The diet will easily fit into any daily routine and will allow you to follow the compiled menu. Due to the reduced portions, there is no danger of overeating, but the pronounced feeling of hunger during the day does not bother.

Option 3. Eating on time

When calories and nutrient ratios are calculated correctly, this type of split meal is perfect for athletes who need to reduce their body fat percentage, but retain muscle mass due to their high protein content. The option is also suitable for those who aim to lose weight.

At the same time, the basic nutritional rules look like this:

• The daily diet is divided into 8-10 meals.
• Serving sizes are 1⁄2 or 3⁄4 of the usual.
• The interval between snacks is no more than 3 hours.
• It is better to divide the daily diet into equal parts.

With any of the methods, a vivid feeling of hunger does not arise, but there is no habitual feeling of satiety. At least for the first time, until the body gets used to the reduced volumes.

How to create an individual menu?

Fractional nutrition does not bind hands with rules and strict restrictions in the preparation of the menu. At the same time, it is combined with different life principles, therefore it is suitable for both gourmet or vegetarian, and raw food or vegan.

Make a list of dishes and products in advance that you will eat with pleasure and without difficulty during the day. Using various ready-made tables, it is easy to calculate their calorie content.

Next, adjust the diet: reduce or increase portions, add or remove individual foods. At the end, divide the dishes from the list into 5-8-10 receptions, depending on the chosen method, and get an approximate menu of fractional meals.

Diet Tips

1. Food should be familiar, especially at the first stage, when the body is still adapting to small portions.
2. The composition should fulfill all physiological needs and provide the body with the necessary nutrients (BJU, vitamins and minerals).
3. The menu is made taking into account the daily calorie intake, which is calculated individually by weight, age and level of physical activity.
4. If fractional meals are selected for the purpose of losing weight, use the services of a nutritionist or the calorie table of foods.
5. The menu should be convenient and accessible. You should not add recipes for complex dishes to fractional meals if you are not sure that you will have the time and desire to cook them.
6. For lunch, it is better to provide for hot dishes, and for dinner, it is advisable to plan hot meat or fish with stewed vegetables.
7. Snacks should be as light as possible: low-fat cottage cheese, cereals, muesli, cereals, natural yogurt.

Not all vegetables or fruits in their pure form are suitable for snacks between meals - some of them, due to the acid content, only increase the feeling of hunger, but do not fill. Before adding any fruit to the menu, familiarize yourself with its properties.

Distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates

When composing a personalized menu, it is important to properly balance fats, proteins and carbohydrates. It is known that in the female diet, in order to avoid the onset of hormonal disruption, there should be slightly more fats than in the male.

Otherwise, the following rules apply:

1. Proteins are split roughly equally between lunch and dinner.
2. Fats should be predominantly of vegetable origin. It is better to give up animal fats altogether or reduce their amount to a minimum.
3. It is advisable to transfer most of the carbohydrates in the first half of the day. This means long-acting carbohydrates, and it is better to refuse fast carbohydrates (sweet, starchy foods) altogether.

When switching to fractional meals, it is advisable to compose the menu for a week in advance, and even better - for a month. This makes it easier to keep the food you need in the refrigerator. Go on a weekend diet in a relaxed environment.

Menu for the week (table)

Before going on a diet, many recommend keeping a diary and recording all meals, meals, and approximate calories. With the help of a “food diary” it will be easier to create the most comfortable menu and switch to smaller portions.

Use the fractional nutrition menu table for weight loss as a guide.

You can download and, if necessary, print the menu for the week at the link.

To make the final decision for or against the diet, read medical articles and reviews on split meals. And remember that eating on a regular basis has a beneficial effect on metabolism and overall health.

Watch the video: BODYBUILDING MAC u0026 CHEESE FOR THE WHOLE WEEK. High Protein Anabolic Weekly Meal Prep Recipe (January 2025).