How many meals a day.

dant4186

you hear a lot about how many meals a day you should have some say 3 some say 4 5 6 right now my calorie intake is is 2100 calories a day and I could split that up to 703 or go with the 4 5 or 6 I go online and they say it doesn't matter but I'm just kind of curious what somebody else's opinion is on this.
Thanks David

Ninkyou

Meal timing and frequency really don't matter. Do whatever works for you.

I, personally, eat 3 meals a day, with snacks in the afternoon and a small dessert after dinner.

jkwolly

Whatever works for you.

I usually do breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack!
I prefer eating more often vs. larger meals

Spliner1969

Pre-Workout
Breakfast
Mid-Morning Snack
Lunch
Dinner
Late Snack

5 or 6 for me. Late snack gets skipped if I don't have the calories left, but is typically used to finish out my fiber or protein macro for the day.

Tacklewasher

Personal preference. I eat 3 meals plus a mid morning snack. Tried to find some breakfast combo during the week that kept me from snacking, but haven't so I just include it.

prattiger65

Whatever works for you.

TangledThread

Whatever works for you.

I eat two times a day, sometimes a snack to push it to three. It turns out larger meals keep me full and happy for hours when eating small multiple times a day left me constantly hungry and hangry.

happyauntie2015

Do whatever you need to do as everyone is different

I eat 3 meals a day for the most part and if hungry between meals I grab a snack that fitsy calories.

Emily3907

I eat when hungry and have pretty much broken away from traditional meal times and schedules.

Some days I may not eat until 3:00 PM, others it may be a couple times a day. Just whatever floats my boat in the moment.

jessieleah

I'm a big proponent of "do whatever works for you". With my work schedule, I find it works best for me to get up at 5 am and have coffee. I eat a small breakfast (~200 calories) around 6:30 or 7 am. Around 10:30-11 I'm generally pretty starving, so I have "lunch" (~300-350 calories). When I get home from work around 2 pm, I have my snack -- which is like second lunch calorie-wise (~another 300-400). Then dinner around 5-6 pm (around 400 calories), followed by a small treat like a square of chocolate. Ideally this will all add up to 1350 calories for the day.

I'm a grazer and I work at a food joint, so I probably, in reality, add another 100-200 calories of snacking some days. Since I lowered my daily goal to 1350, it seems to have given me enough wiggle room to allow for these lapses in self control without sabotaging myself.

H_Ock12

Personally, I eat one meal a day...sometimes I'll add a small second meal if I'm socializing or invited out for coffee/lunch.

extra_medium

figure out what works best for you. Some people like a couple big meals, some people like several small ones. It doesn't make any difference other than what keeps you satisfied throughout the day.

__TMac__

Whatever pattern works...

For me:
Breakfast
2nd Breakfast (snack preworkout)
Lunch
Dinner
Evening Snack or Dessert

lulalacroix

I eat lunch, dinner, and one or two snacks afterwards. It works for me. You should do whatever works for you.

Machka9

2 meals
7 snacks ... sometimes 8 snacks.

Chieflrg

Other opinions other than do what works for you doesn't matter.

Do you.

bininj

No set mealtimes for me. I eat little and often. When I'm at work I take lunch but just pick at it throughout the day. A full meal makes me feel bloated.

EricaCraigie

5 meals

kgirlhart

Definitely personal preference so do what you want. I personally have 3 meals on weekdays and usually a snack after dinner. Weekends I sometimes just have coffee when I get up and then one meal. I may or may not have snacks, it depends on what our plans are and what we are eating later. I really just play it by ear on the weekends.

maybe1pe

I have 2.... lunch and dinner. With a protein shake as a snack in the afternoon because I like it. Sometimes I don't even have lunch. It depends on how busy I get at work and if I actually feel hungry

livingleanlivingclean

Do what suits you.

I generally do 2 big meals (lunch and dinner), dessert, and a mini snack pre WO.

Reaverie

I'm eclectic. All over the place. I can have bfast snack lunch snack dinner .. or skip everything till 2pm then have a snack before dinner and another after. Or skip breakfast and have no snacks at all but eat lunch and dinner. It depends on what I can handle at the time.

jessef593

It all depends on what works best for you. If you have a hard time getting it all in in 3 means, add another, still add another, if you end up overeating, take out one. A lot of use do 2-3 others 4-7. I myself have:
Breakfast(main meal)
Postworkout
Pre work
Coffee break meal
Lunch(main meal)
Second coffee break meal
Pre bed meal(main meal)

That's when I work nights. It changes a bit for days

HardcoreP0rk

How many do you have time for

arya8

3 meals and what seems like a million snacks a day.