Eating every two hours: Fact or fiction?
Replies
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Yeah well it works for me. Not only does it prevent binging, it also speeds up your metabolism. What do the other answers have anything to do with my personal experience?
personal experience does not defy the laws of basic metabolism. Meal frequency and metabolism have zero relationship. I am glad that eating six meals a day makes you not binge..however, a calorie deficit made you lose weight, not meal timing...0 -
If I eat every two hours (from 6am to 6 pm) can I 1) increase my metabolism and 2) eat less calories and avoid starvation mode?
During the week, I generally eat six times a day- a big breakfast, light lunch, moderate dinner, moderate snacks- because it keeps my blood sugar level. I also do strength training and serious cardio in the mornings before work, so I need to make sure my body is properly fueled.
On the weekends, i will usually have three bigger meals and then a light snack, maybe two, because my schedule is different.
I don't know if eating any way increases my metabolism, but eating more frequent meals works well for me.
Oh, I think starvation mode is a whole other story.
The problem is that people equate psychological feelings and behavioral cues with peer-reviewed research on metabolism and weight loss.
The issues are: does frequent eating prevent "starvation mode"; does more frequent eating 'increase metabolism"; and does more frequent eating result in greater weight loss than traditional meal frequency/timing.
The answers are all NO.
Auto-suggestion and individual behavioral tricks might "work" great for an individual. While there is no proven benefit to increased meal frequency, there is no disadvantage to doing it either--so there is absolutely no reason for anyone who follows that practice to stop doing so. However, those types of personal anecdotes are not "proof" of efficacy, nor do they disprove the results of the science in any way.0 -
Ahh, thanks for the feedback. I have found that eating every couple of hours helps reduce the urge to binge eat.
About starvation mode, I heard the body can start to slow down metabolism if a male starts eating less than 1600 kcals a day for too long (at least at my size). Is this true ?
At your size (if I remember your previous thread) the chances of you going into "starvation mode" are close to zero, regardless of how much or how often you eat.0 -
Was it explained why? And have you actually researched on whether or not it was credible to do?I was told to eat every 3 hours. I guess it depends on what type of training you're doing.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Like to see the peer reviewed clinical study supporting this. NOT an article, blog or opinion from some "guru", but an actual clinical study. If not, then you've been misinformed.Yes. It's a fact. Eating more small meals throughout the day speeds up your metabolism more than eating 3 meals per day.
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
I will wait with you
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A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol0 -
Yes. It's a fact. Eating more small meals throughout the day speeds up your metabolism more than eating 3 meals per day.
No. No it is not. Check out the links above.0 -
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
Just a wannabe copy cat.
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Yeah well it works for me. Not only does it prevent binging, it also speeds up your metabolism. What do the other answers have anything to do with my personal experience?
How exactly are you determining that it speeds up your metabolism?0 -
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
Just a wannabe copy cat.
Totes. The SideSteal of old had some mighty fine abs on him....this guy though...pfffft...0 -
Bwahahaha! Looks like he had plastic surgery to emulate the body of the original OP too.:laugh:
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
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 nutrition0 -
Bwahahaha! Looks like he had plastic surgery to emulate the body of the original OP too.:laugh:
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
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
Cr@ppy job though...I would ask for a refund.0 -
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
Just a wannabe copy cat.
Totes. The SideSteal of old had some mighty fine abs on him....this guy though...pfffft...
Srsly.0 -
Bwahahaha! Looks like he had plastic surgery to emulate the body of the original OP too.:laugh:
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
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
Cr@ppy job though...I would ask for a refund.
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:0 -
I don't do it and I'm losing ok. It would also drive me up the wall if I had to eat something in between school lessons. Ain't nobody got time for that.
On weekends when I sleep late I often only have two meals which is awesome because all the calories I don't use for breakfast go right into making a dinner I wouldn't be able to afford otherwise.0 -
My cousin has been eating every 2-3 hours for years to control her blood sugar. She has never been over weight in 64 years. It also depends on what you eat.0
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The sole and only reason I tend to eat so often is to keep my hunger levels controlled and I find that I am less likely to go on a craze-induced binge. That, and it keeps my mind juiced for studies...0
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True: I did lose 110 lbs over 12 months subscribing to the "frequent small meals" and " OMG, Starvation Mode!" theories.
True: I did regain 60 of those lbs (slowly, over the next three years) subscribing to the "frequent not so small meals" and "thank god I have out-witted Starvation Mode" theories.
I have since come to the conclusion that I have been a p****y dieter, afraid of a fable and liking that I could eat all the time and whatever I wanted (within the given parameters) whether I lost weight or not.
Truth be told, I am (was) a 300lb woman. Stavation mode is at least 150lbs away and probably on the plains of Africa for me.
I'm embracing restriction. It's the one tact I've never tried. Weightloss is not supposed to be fun, easy, etc. However, once you make up your mind about these things, it becomes a walk in the park, and the occasional hunger pang serves to remind me that I"m doing something good for my health and my soul.
I fast 2 days a week. On the other five days, I eat a balanced 2000-2200 cals. I also have cake once in awhile. Or pizza. But I've cut the amounts of those foods in half, and fill in with lots of raw veggies and hummus, boiled eggs, fruit, etc. I lost 8lbs in my second week.
The theory behind fasting is that it undoes insulin sensitivity. I don't yet know if this is true or not, but I do know that I've never seen losses like these, and I am a career dieter.
All that said, eating often to control hunger, bingeing, etc, there is nothing wrong with that. Do what works for you. But do it because it works for you.0 -
Bwahahaha! Looks like he had plastic surgery to emulate the body of the original OP too.:laugh:
A more recent one..the OP of which obviously tried to steal the original OP's username.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/820577-meal-frequency-rev-up-that-furnace-lol
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
Cr@ppy job though...I would ask for a refund.
LMFAO0 -
Since I cleaned up my eating, currently on 1600 plus exercise, maybe 2100 cals on a gym day, split into 3 meals I find hard to consume that quantity of calories unless I incorporate some junk.( which I did today with a big ice cream and 2 slices of pizza)
On a normal day I prefer to eat 6 smaller meals. I am less likely to get hungry, I am a foodaholic, I don't like to wait hours between meals, I don't want to eat huge meals in one sitting as I feel bloated. So 6 times a day works better for me. As per previous posts, do whatever is working for you :-)0 -
Increasing your metabolism, I don't think so. I find eating smaller planned meals (6) in a day is helpful. I find when I am eating healthier (celery' carrots, etc.) as snacks, my body processes them faster, so I get hungry quicker. I do believe that when you start eating, it takes a while for your body to realize you are full, so starting a meal, and not feeling like you are starving is helpful to not overeating. This works for me, may not work for everyone.0
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There was a study done and the subjects' metabolisms did not slow down even after three days of fasting.
Meal frequency is a good tool if you are prone to overeating or bingeing once you get hungry, or if you're trying to even out your intake (popular for weight lifters to constantly give their body nutrients to build muscle). Spacing out protein intake I'd guess is beneficial but not necessary.
Personally, I'd be hungry all the time if I ate every three hours like they say. Hunger perceived by your body is your stomach shrinking too quickly, so constantly filling and emptying drives my body crazy.0 -
If I eat every two hours (from 6am to 6 pm) can I 1) increase my metabolism and 2) eat less calories and avoid starvation mode?
1. Sadly no, eating every two hours will not increase your metabolism.
2. Eating every two hours may very well help you eat less. For some, spreading out their meals helps stave off binging while others find the constant preparation of meals too much to bother with.
My own experience, having tried both, is this... they both work. I prefer eating fewer, larger meals (2 to 3 per day) for two reasons...
1. I like bigger meals. Small meals are a tease for me and I find I am never satisfied.
2. I hate having to prepare all those meals...
Avoiding starvation mode is pretty easy, since it is pretty hard to get there in the first place. Under-eating will not cause starvation mode... CHRONIC under-eating will cause starvation mode.0
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