10 answers to common questions

Celo24

Great info!! Thanks for posting.

DowntimeDesigns

Fat is what we are fighting, not weight.

THAT is great thing to keep in mind!!!!

waverly9876

Thank you! bump~~

stacielynn1

thanks wonderful post more ppl should read!!!

therobinator

Bump (so I can read it later).

therobinator

7) Q: Is eating multiple small meals during the day is better than eating three big meals?
A: Biologically no. There is no physiological reason that this is any better. It may seem better to you because eating food and filling the stomach can relieve symptoms of hunger, but eating throughout the day DOES NOT "fuel your metabolism". The metabolism is pretty much set. The only way to increase it (in an otherwise healthy person) is to decrease fat and increase muscle mass (along with eating proper nutrition which can help to heal damaged organs and allow them to work more fully).

I am not saying you are wrong, because I truly don't know one way or the other, but even some of the best nutritionists, dieticians and fitness guides would disagree with you and have been known to state the opposite -- that frequent meals *do* increase your metabolism (or at least they let us assume that, but they never tell us *why* they suggest frequent meals). I am wondering why the difference? (This is not a shot at your or them; I am looking for education here). Thanks!!

ETA: I guess what I am saying I see your point totally, but why do those that disagree with you disagree with you? What is their "proof" that it's better? What are their reasonings? Etc.

Cyndi146

REALLY good info! Thank you!

SHBoss1673

I am not saying you are wrong, because I truly don't know one way or the other, but even some of the best nutritionists, dieticians and fitness guides would disagree with you and have been known to state the opposite -- that frequent meals *do* increase your metabolism (or at least they let us assume that, but they never tell us *why* they suggest frequent meals). I am wondering why the difference? (This is not a shot at your or them; I am looking for education here). Thanks!!

ETA: I guess what I am saying I see your point totally, but why do those that disagree with you disagree with you? What is their "proof" that it's better? What are their reasonings? Etc.

I'll try to dig up some of my citation, I have it somewhere, quite a few studies that prove my point out. It's good info though. Might take a bit to find it though, as I gotta work around my work schedule, and this week's been a bear.

therobinator

I'll try to dig up some of my citation, I have it somewhere, quite a few studies that prove my point out. It's good info though. Might take a bit to find it though, as I gotta work around my work schedule, and this week's been a bear.

Awesome, thanks! Could you also email it to me? (Just in case bt he time you can get to it this post disappears from my My Topics list.) You're the best!

SHBoss1673

ok, here's some citation.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/85/4/981.abstract?sid=4ea2edcb-9c76-43ca-b891-3f158bc63b5c

http://www.ajcn.org/content/24/4/465.full.pdf+html?sid=4ea2edcb-9c76-43ca-b891-3f158bc63b5c

http://www.ajcn.org/content/57/3/446.full.pdf+html?sid=c0d6aad1-d2cd-48bd-a99d-6f3b8103eabd

there's a lot more out there, these are the ones I found immediately.

granted you are required to do a little light deductive reasoning with most of these studies since they don't actually measure "energy metabolism" which isn't a very simple or easy thing to measure in a test situation. They mostly study, in stead,
glucose and other nutrients for changes, which will indicate energy levels. I'll say this, it seems, in some studies that changing the meals you eat can have an effect on LDL and total cholesterol levels (for the good), but that's beside the point for this topic, as I'm going to assume that if you're on MFP and reading this, you're making every attempt to eat foods that reduce Cholesterol anyway (if you need to that is).

LadyPersia

Thank you

therobinator

ok, here's some citation.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/85/4/981.abstract?sid=4ea2edcb-9c76-43ca-b891-3f158bc63b5c

http://www.ajcn.org/content/24/4/465.full.pdf+html?sid=4ea2edcb-9c76-43ca-b891-3f158bc63b5c

http://www.ajcn.org/content/57/3/446.full.pdf+html?sid=c0d6aad1-d2cd-48bd-a99d-6f3b8103eabd

there's a lot more out there, these are the ones I found immediately.

granted you are required to do a little light deductive reasoning with most of these studies since they don't actually measure "energy metabolism" which isn't a very simple or easy thing to measure in a test situation. They mostly study, in stead,
glucose and other nutrients for changes, which will indicate energy levels. I'll say this, it seems, in some studies that changing the meals you eat can have an effect on LDL and total cholesterol levels (for the good), but that's beside the point for this topic, as I'm going to assume that if you're on MFP and reading this, you're making every attempt to eat foods that reduce Cholesterol anyway (if you need to that is).

Thanks!

Without reading them yet, I assume you are giving citations for your side of the "argument?" But do you happen to know what basis/support is used by those who think frequent meals heighten the metabolism?

kent4j

Bump thanks

juliapurpletoes

thanks - really appreciate

SHBoss1673

ok, here's some citation.

http://www.ajcn.org/content/85/4/981.abstract?sid=4ea2edcb-9c76-43ca-b891-3f158bc63b5c

http://www.ajcn.org/content/24/4/465.full.pdf+html?sid=4ea2edcb-9c76-43ca-b891-3f158bc63b5c

http://www.ajcn.org/content/57/3/446.full.pdf+html?sid=c0d6aad1-d2cd-48bd-a99d-6f3b8103eabd

there's a lot more out there, these are the ones I found immediately.

granted you are required to do a little light deductive reasoning with most of these studies since they don't actually measure "energy metabolism" which isn't a very simple or easy thing to measure in a test situation. They mostly study, in stead,
glucose and other nutrients for changes, which will indicate energy levels. I'll say this, it seems, in some studies that changing the meals you eat can have an effect on LDL and total cholesterol levels (for the good), but that's beside the point for this topic, as I'm going to assume that if you're on MFP and reading this, you're making every attempt to eat foods that reduce Cholesterol anyway (if you need to that is).

Thanks!

Without reading them yet, I assume you are giving citations for your side of the "argument?" But do you happen to know what basis/support is used by those who think frequent meals heighten the metabolism?

yeah, it's a valid argument for the mental aspect of food, and to fight off the "feeling" of hunger, which can lead to eating issues, all I was saying was that physically, eating lots of smaller meals doesn't do anything to your metabolic rate but it will affect your mental aspects so it does have value, just not in the way many trainers like to talk to.

charlene77

Awesome, thanks for the great post and taking the time to post it!

missmeagan89

Bump! Amazing info! Thank you!

therobinator

yeah, it's a valid argument for the mental aspect of food, and to fight off the "feeling" of hunger, which can lead to eating issues, all I was saying was that physically, eating lots of smaller meals doesn't do anything to your metabolic rate but it will affect your mental aspects so it does have value, just not in the way many trainers like to talk to.

So, they're not saying it actually *heightens* the metabolism (maybe the collective "we" have just been assuming that'swhat they've meant) -- but rather they're saying it simply keep us from overeating?

chazspk

Boom Boom... Thank u...

Izzy62

Fabulous info - thank you