3 meals or 6?

Heeeev

Hi, I've been told different things about how many meals to eat a day. What's better, six small meals or 3 big meals? I was told to split my total calories/fat/protein/carbs by 6 but it's way too hard to plan meals with such specific macros.

Any advice?? I'm trying to plan my meals but getting stuck with macros.....

TyTy76

It doesn't matter.

Today I will have 1 meal..

bcattoes

It varies for me. During the week I usually eat 4-5 times, but I really only consider one a "meal". My evening meal is always considerably larger than the others. On the weekend I usually eat 2-3 times.

You don't have to split your meals or your macros any certain way. It's the total that counts, and even that can be an average over several days. Some people track calories/macros by the week rather than by the day.

BeachIron

As Ty said above, it doesn't matter.

I eat 2 to 4 meals a day depending on whether I eat breakfast and a late evening snack.

trogalicious

As Ty said above, it doesn't matter.

I eat 2 to 4 meals a day depending on whether I eat breakfast and a late evening snack.

yup.

MG_Fit

It doesn't matter.

Today I will have 1 meal..

Not that this hasn't been emphasized already.

imzadi481

I don't think it matters in the end. Do whatever leaves you satisfied. I noticed that I do a lot better when I eat 4-5 smaller meals, with my dinner being the largest.

fivethreeone

Consistency is the mother of progression.

Whether you are going to the gym or planning your meals, do something that's workable for you. The number of calories in a week is what matters most. If you want to eat three meals a day, 6 meals a day, one meal a day, it doesn't matter at all as long as you are consistently eating the right number of calories. If you're going to the gym, go in the morning, go in the afternoon, go at 11pm if that's what works for you. Figure out what works for you and do that, because there's nothing there that's objectively "better" -- stop sweating the details.

BlueBombers

I eat about 5-6 mini meals per day. I find eating 3 big meals just leaves me feeling so sluggish and bloated.

Chief_Rocka

4.5

89nunu

whatever floats your boat. I have anything between 4 and 6. But sometimes I start eating and just don't really stop until I go to bed. As long as it's lots of little things its quite possible to eat every hour

witmer1

It doesn't matter. Eat when you want.

timbrom

Whatever you can stick with that makes you happy.

Runner2533

Eating 5-6 times per day increases your metabolism and you tend to eat less at mealtimes. Some people do 5-6 small meals, but I personally do 3 meals focusing on a larger breakfast and lunch, with 2-3 light snacks (approx 200 cals) per day.

AndiGirl70

I eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. I find I don't binge and have less cravings and I'm not ever "starving" by doing this. The total calories at the end of the day is what matters so whatever works best for you.

BrianSharpe

Eating 5-6 times per day increases your metabolism .....

Sorry, that's a myth. Meal timing and/or frequency has no impact on your metabolism.

nino07110922

whatever floats your boat. I have anything between 4 and 6. But sometimes I start eating and just don't really stop until I go to bed. As long as it's lots of little things its quite possible to eat every hour

I like your thinking, Nunu

glin23

What ever works for you. 2, 3, 6, whatever. Just do whatever bets fits your lifestyle and circumstances.

bceltic

I read something on here a few days ago... They stated that when you do eat 6 meals a day, your body tends to be hungry most of the time after a while. Where as if you only eat 3, your body will get use to that, and you wont feel so hungry all the time. Ive tried both, and I think I have to agree. I personally am sticking to the 3x a day with healthy snacks in between like fruits , veggies, or nuts if I start feeling really hungry or just need something.

joshdann

Eating 5-6 times per day increases your metabolism .....

Sorry, that's a myth. Meal timing and/or frequency has no impact on your metabolism.

That's true, but the size of meals does have an impact on how full you feel after eating. For the same reasons that gastric bypass, stomach stapling, lap band, etc. work - eating smaller more frequent meals lets your stomach shrink naturally, enough to make you feel more full after taking in less food. You still need to and will almost certainly take in the same number of calories overall, no matter what pattern your meals fall into. More frequent meals just help smooth out the peaks of feeling full and the valleys of hunger pangs.

if you have good self-control or otherwise don't find yourself feeling hungry and tempted between meals... then it doesn't matter at all. On the other hand, if you end up eating more at meals, or eating too many total calories to satisfy your hunger pangs, then going to smaller, more frequent meals might help you.

In the end, it's mind over matter. To be truly successful, we can't just look to game the system at every turn. At some point we have to decide that we're going to eat right and sacrifice occasionally. For me, I just eat good foods when my body says it's hungry and don't eat any other time. it's working pretty well for me so far.

Maliberri

I would just do whatever works to you, sometimes I find it easier to just do 3 big ones though in case you have to eat out or something, and when I eat small meals can turn into big ones fast