eating every 2 hours is it necessary

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poonamsonii
poonamsonii Posts: 64 Member
in Getting Started
Is it necessary to eat every 2 or 3 hours..to loose fat...anybody here who lost fat witjout eating every 2 or 3 hours...
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  • angiejones67
    angiejones67 Posts: 1 Member
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    I have always heard it's good to eat every two hours because it keeps your metabolism going.
  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Haha yes just about everyone. Do you wake up every 2 to 3 hours at night to eat? But yes, eat at your calorie goal and over time the results will happen if you are accurate about calories you're eating.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    It is not necessary.

    I eat every 2-3 hours because that's the way that I like to eat. Some people have just one meal a day.

    It all depends upon how you like to eat and what's sustainable for you over the long term. If you like a lot of little meals, eat that way. If you like 2 or 3 big meals with no snacking, eat that way.

    As long as your overall calorie intake is less than the number of calories that your body uses up during the day, you'll lose weight.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    It is not necessary to eat every 2 hours, nor is it even helpful. When to eat is entirely personal; some people snack throughout the day, others eat one meal a day. It makes no difference; eat whenever is appropriate for you (keeps you feeling full, prevents binges, gives you enough energy throughout the day, helps you stay within your calorie goal, etc.).
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    poonamsonii wrote: »
    Is it necessary to eat every 2 or 3 hours..to loose fat...anybody here who lost fat witjout eating every 2 or 3 hours...
    To lose fat, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Regardless of how many times or when you eat.
    If you ate every 2-3 hours and exceeded your TDEE, weight gain would happen.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png

  • DuckReconMajor
    DuckReconMajor Posts: 434 Member
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    i kinda go back and forth. Some day I'll only eat twice a day. Others I'll end up eating something every 2 or 3 hours. I have not seen either make a difference for me.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    While it might matter a tiny bit, it's not enough to worry about. Losing weight is 99.8 calories in/calories out. Too many people like to focus on the .2 though.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
    edited July 2015
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    angiejones67 wrote: »
    I have always heard it's good to eat every two hours because it keeps your metabolism going.
    Metabolism is ALWAYS going. Only stops when you're dead. The eating every 2 hours thing is broscience and followed by many competitive bodybuilders and figure/fitness competitors. Who many incidentally have their own issues with eating disorders.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    YES! You MUST eat every 2-3 hours, even throughout the night, or you won't lose a single pound. It's science.

    tumblr_inline_nqm3sjWlXB1tqpcl2_500.gif
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    I'd be bigger than a whale if I ate every 2 -3 hours. And horribly cranky after waking up all night long to eat.
  • victoriaamarie1330
    victoriaamarie1330 Posts: 39 Member
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    Does not matter if you eat 6 meals a day or 3. It is whatever works for you.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I'd be bigger than a whale if I ate every 2 -3 hours. And horribly cranky after waking up all night long to eat.
    When I've dieted in the past, I tried eating larger meals and avoiding snacks. I felt like I was starving all day long (except for right after meals) no matter how many calories I ate.

    This time around, I'm eating a little bit all day long, whenever I want. I eat right before I go to sleep and right after I wake up. When I'm awake, I eat every 2-3 hours. My "meals" are just slightly more calories than my snacks.

    I gained weight by eating frequently. That's the way I like to eat. If I have any hope of keeping it off, I need to do what works for me. Eating frequently while losing will transition well into weight maintenance.

    The best thing about MFP is that you can tailor your food intake to what works for you, no matter how and when you like to eat.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Just do whatever works for you.

    Personally, yeah, I eat something every 2-3 hours during the day and stop eating at about 7 p.m. But that's because it keeps my energy up and I don't get ravenously hungry at meals. By stopping at 7 p.m. it means I don't get acid reflux. But other people don't have those issues, so maybe they eat once a day or twice a day. Whatever works.

    Calories in/calories out is all that matters in the end.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    most of these kind of myths don't even pass a basic logic test...I'm always perplexed as to how they continue to be perpetuated.
  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
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    poonamsonii wrote: »
    seska422 wrote: »
    Ready2Rock206 wrote: »
    I'd be bigger than a whale if I ate every 2 -3 hours. And horribly cranky after waking up all night long to eat.
    When I've dieted in the past, I tried eating larger meals and avoiding snacks. I felt like I was starving all day long (except for right after meals) no matter how many calories I ate.

    This time around, I'm eating a little bit all day long, whenever I want. I eat right before I go to sleep and right after I wake up. When I'm awake, I eat every 2-3 hours. My "meals" are just slightly more calories than my snacks.

    I gained weight by eating frequently. That's the way I like to eat. If I have any hope of keeping it off, I need to do what works for me. Eating frequently while losing will transition well into weight maintenance.

    The best thing about MFP is that you can tailor your food intake to what works for you, no matter how and when you like to eat.
    You mean now u dont eat every 2 or 3 hous?
    I do. I eat when I'm hungry, which is about every 2 to 3 hours while I'm awake.

    I don't have set meal times. If I'm hungry, I eat something. If I'm not hungry, I don't eat. I eat any time, all day long, when I'm hungry.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Nope. Don't fancy persistent hyperglycemia
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    poonamsonii wrote: »
    Our indian dieticians advises ti better eat every 2 hours...some dieticians even eat 8 to 10 meals in a day....

    If they ate something more satisfying that would probably go away.
  • Cocoa1020
    Cocoa1020 Posts: 197 Member
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    it depends on your preference. some people like to only eat 2 or 3 meals a day. others can eat every 2-3 hours. it depends. I like food. i like to snack (tho i try hard to control myself) i eat breakfast then a protein shake, then a smaller meal, green tea, bowl of cereal with some fruit or some snack if i get hungry and if i go to the gym ill drink another protein shake. then i sleep and do it all over again.

    i also try to stop eating as soon as i dont feel hungry anymore. i also drink a lot of water to help curb the appetite. i dont wait until i am full... so if i served too much for dinnner. i dont finish it. but thats just me

    one of the reasons why I got to this point was that i wouldnt eat breakfast nor lunch and i would practically binge eat after. eating huge servings of food and getting seconds. Now I am working to control that by never letting myself get hungry to that point.

    like i said. its what you prefer :smiley:

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