How often do you eat?

Lourdesong

I'm more of a nibbler, eating many small "meals" and snacks. I do a lot of home cooking too, but still prefer eating small portion of whatever I made and then having another small portion several hours later, as opposed to eating a larger portion in one sitting.

I did try for about a week to switch my eating pattern to a more structured 3 meals a day and no between-meal snacking pattern, since there are quite a few successful people who are advocates of eating that way around here. But restricting myself to 3 meals (eating only 3 times a day and balancing my calories this way) was very difficult for me.

Since the new year I decided to try out something like 18:6 fasting. Which for me basically amounts to eating my breakfast protein bar about 4 hours later than I would normally and stopping eating about 2 hours earlier than I would normally, or to put it another way, shortening the window where I nibble all day by roughly 6 hours. I'm finding this fairly simple to do, it adds a bit of structure that I definitely lacked, and I'm enjoying getting in more calories in a shorter window while still being able to keep the flexibility of my nibbling pattern of eating. What's difficult is waiting for the eating window to begin again by delaying breakfast, which is kind of ironic given that the difficulty is not due to being hungry, it's due to simply liking to eat a little something right away after waking and not doing so is jarring.

*Meal timing and meal frequency are more about preference and strategies that can help with dietary adherence, whatever way a person goes is not really a means to manipulate one's metabolism.

VintageFeline

Depends on the day and what's in the fridge in all honesty! I am not a planner. So some days it will be three meals, some days two meals and lots of nibbling, some days maybe just one big meal with a few snacks. Works for me and that's all that matters. Today for example I've had breakfast and lunch and a couple of small snacks. Will have another snack soon before bed.

Bonny132

I eat when I am hungry, sometimes this means 2 meals and some snacks, at other times 3 meals and 2-3 snacks.

mbaker566

i am a grazer. i eat throughout the day. but I also measure it all and try to fit it in my allotment

StacyChrz

It really depends on the kind of day I am having. Usually 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks but sometimes I'll eat bigger meals and fewer snacks. As long as it fits my goals I'm pretty happy.

johnnakrob

I came from Weight Watchers, where I ate three times a day then dessert. I lost 40 pounds in 7 months doing this.Then I left WW after they changed in November as I was afraid I was not learning to eat healthy for life.

I did a 21 day metabolism make over with Food Lovers. Which is where I got the snack between meals system. Eating this way I am never hungry, lost 2 pounds in 4 weeks, plus I think I have gained muscle. But eating this way I feel I spend more time thinking about food then I did on WW. I do not like thinking about food so much.

I now work out 5 days a week, 40 minutes walking on treadmill and 20 minutes free weights or resistance training. I switch every other day on free weights and resistance training. So eating every 2 to 3 hours makes sure I the fuel I need to do this.

Francl27

When I'm hungry, lol. So anytime from one hour to 6 or more...

ryanbrowning115

johnnakrob wrote: »

Hello,

I have been try to eat every 2 to 3 hours through out the day. I am wondering if anyone else does this? I eat 6 small meals a day and find I do not ever get hungry eating this way.

Thanks for opinions.
Johnna

Perfection!

ilex70

5 to 7 times a day. Depends how hungry I am and/or if I have a big meal.

As far as extra work, most of my meals are pretty darn simple- a Quest bar, string cheese, apple, popcorn, Greek yogurt- easy stuff.

Merrysix

five or six small meals a day, with healthy amount of protein for me -- I can stick to my macros and exercise program when I don't get too hungry, keep my blood sugar even.

callsitlikeiseeit

i go in phases.

generally, though 3 meals and leave room for 2 snacks and a drink :P

the snacks are more when im actively working on losing and not eating at maintenance.

ZombieSlayer

Eating before 11-ish makes me nauseous, so usually it's lunch around noon, dinner around 5:30, and dessert (or just snack) around 8ish.

_lyndseybrooke_

Throughout the week, I typically eat 4 meals, 1-2 snacks, and dessert - so I eat 6-7 times a day. No reason for this other than I like to eat as often as I can. Since I'm bulking and eating 2660 calories a day, my meals are fairly large. When cutting, I alternate between three large meals and dessert (I never skip dessert) and several small meals, depending on what I think keeps me the least miserable. Cutting is miserable either way, but I do what I can.

I pre-log, so there's never any surprises at the end of the day. I know I'll be able to get all my meals in and be within my macros.

Cahgetsfit

5 - 6 times a day.

when on higher calories 5 times + a snack

when on lower calories 6 times and sometimes a snack

kommodevaran

I don't understand the concept of snacks/snacking (where I live, "snacks" is a salty, crunchy, fatty junky food like chips/crisps, peanuts, biscuits or pork rinds) - but I eat four meals a day and my metabolism is just fine Today I was very disciplined and had breakfast at 11.30, lunch at 14.30, dinner 17.30 and supper 21.30.

AmigaMaria001

Breakfast: 10am
Lunch: 3pm
Dinner: 7pm
no snacks

robingmurphy

3 meals, one snack: 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm

BioQueen

Usually 3 times a day, if I snack then I find it is much easier for me to overeat (even though I log) and I don't think about eating as much.

rainbow198

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner from about 11am - 6pm. No snacks.

SyllyReth

Sometimes 2, sometimes 3, sometimes 6. It depends on when I am hungry. I track everything I eat and pay close attention to how I feel. Sometimes I have 2-3 larger meals in a day and sometimes I have 6-7 small meals and snacks.