What is truth about eating times?

ValGogo

I eat when I'm hungry.

Good answer! Me too. But I like to drink coffee and *kitten* too. That's why I've taken to using sugar free non-dairy flavored powdered creamer. Yeah, boring. I just need to quit coffee.

libertychoury

Ah yes, I will modify what I wrote by saying that the only exception I would say is the post workout intake. I really like to have my protein shake after workouts.

Wetcoaster

My doctor always told me that I must have 3 normal size meals a day and 1 small snack in between that way your body is craving anything by the time you get to your next meal. I was also told that you should heat within that first hour of waking up so your body doesn't try to store fat if you don't have anything within that hour.

Your doctor is wrong.

ahoy_m8

I am a health professional and one of the biggest reasons suggested to eat every 2-3 hours is just to try an stave off hunger so you are less likely to overeat. We tell diabetics this because it helps them maintain their sugar levels.

NYT had an interesting article that contradicts "conventional wisdom" about diabetic meal timing. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/05/15/a-meal-schedule-for-diabetes/

It says, given equal caloric intake, 2 big meals is better for diabetics than 6 small meals.

ValGogo

My doctor always told me that I must have 3 normal size meals a day and 1 small snack in between that way your body is craving anything by the time you get to your next meal. I was also told that you should heat within that first hour of waking up so your body doesn't try to store fat if you don't have anything within that hour.

Your doctor is wrong.

'

Haha! Wet coaster, you cracked me up!

I never do what I'm told. Doctors.....just like anuses, they all have opinions. And they always vary.

I like to listen to my body, I don't like to follow food/eating/exercise trends. I like food, but I don't obsess over it. I like exercise, but I don't obsess.....no, that's a lie....I'm kind of obsessing over weight lifting lately. I really like it. I may have to make some changes though. If it's true that time doesn't matter, then I need to save some calories for night time eating.

Squamation

It helps me stick with my calories better if I eat 5 small meals during the day.

It's also shrank my stomach so that when I do have a cheat day/meal I literally cannot eat very much of whatever I'm indulging in.

For me it works. Don't care about if it is good for my metabolism or if it matters- it's what fits best.

*note: if I'm not hungry, then I don't eat and my calorie distribution isn't always even through my meals. But generally, I eat every 3 hours between 200-300 calories.

RHachicho

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

serindipte

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

Proof?

LolBroScience

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

Way to speak for others.

Shakeshackgirl

Thanks for the link! I will check it out. I think it is up to the individual which is why I said we suggest. Thanks again for the link!

nancy10272004

Timing is only somewhat important to me because I have blood sugar issues and when I go too long without food, I get woozy.

Otherwise I don't think it really matters.

Athijade

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

Nope.

ndj1979

meal timing and metabolism have zero correlation

Aaron_K123

Timing your eating can help you lose weight in the sense that for every person in theory there is a meal schedule that maximizes how satiated you feel. Your body doesn't care when you eat but psychologically it can have an impact on how easy it is to hit your caloric deficit.

Personally I find that eating 5 meals spaced throughout the day helps me hit my calorie target without feeling hungry at any point. But its personal. If someone told me "I eat one meal a day and that works for me" I'd just give them the thumbs up and say "good on you".

The people who say you "must" eat 6 times a day for optimal weight loss are taking their personal experience and assuming it applies to everyone. I don't make that assumption.

Either that or they just think that eating more often somehow "stokes" your metabolism but I have seen zero evidence to substantiate that claim.

Aaron_K123

My doctor always told me that I must have 3 normal size meals a day and 1 small snack in between that way your body is craving anything by the time you get to your next meal. I was also told that you should heat within that first hour of waking up so your body doesn't try to store fat if you don't have anything within that hour.

Sometimes Doctor's tell patients to do things just to give them something to focus on. They treat the patients psychology as much as any physical ailment.

Or they are just wrong because they are just like anyone else, fallible and prone to unjustified opinions.

Also there is no one-size-fits-all solution to eating or dieting so its inappropriate to take advice given to you and try to apply it to someone else whole-cloth like it is the proper solution for anyone.

ndj1979

My doctor always told me that I must have 3 normal size meals a day and 1 small snack in between that way your body is craving anything by the time you get to your next meal. I was also told that you should heat within that first hour of waking up so your body doesn't try to store fat if you don't have anything within that hour.

sorry to break this to you, but your doctor is wrong...

kbmnurse

I eat every 2-3 hrs. Smaller meals/snacks. I usually eat 5-6 times daily. That is just the way it is for me.

sargessexyone

Calories can't tell time.

jjplato

Here's an excellent analysis of a number of different scientific studies on the subject of meal frequency:
http://www.jissn.com/content/8/1/4

As with all things having to do with nutrition and metabolism, there are still areas of uncertainty and some instances of contradictory results, but the preponderance of data suggests that:

- Meal frequency does not have a significant affect on body composition (except in athletic populations, see below)
- Increasing meal frequency, however, does have "a positive effect on various blood markers of health, particularly LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and insulin."
- Increased meal frequency does improve appetite control


With regard to athletic populations:
--- begin quote ---
Iwao and colleagues [51] examined boxers who were subjected to a hypocaloric diet while either consuming two or six meals per day. The study lasted for two weeks and the participants consumed 1,200 kcals per day. At the conclusion of the study, overall weight loss was not significantly different between the groups [51]. However, individuals that consumed 6 meals per day had significantly less loss of lean body mass and urinary 3-methylhistidine/creatinine as opposed to those that only consumed two meals [51]. This would suggest that an increased meal frequency under hypocaloric conditions may have an anti-catabolic effect.
...
In conclusion, the small body of studies that utilized athletes as study participants demonstrated that increased meal frequency had the following benefits:

• suppression of lean body mass losses during a hypocaloric diet [51]

• significant increases in lean body mass and anaerobic power [49] (abstract)

• significant increases in fat loss [49] (abstract)

These trends indicate that if meal frequency improves body composition, it is likely to occur in an athletic population as opposed to a sedentary population.
---- end quote

h7463

Here's an excellent analysis of a number of different scientific studies on the subject of meal frequency:
http://www.jissn.com/content/8/1/4

As with all things having to do with nutrition and metabolism, there are still areas of uncertainty and some instances of contradictory results, but the preponderance of data suggests that:

- Meal frequency does not have a significant affect on body composition (except in athletic populations, see below)
- Increasing meal frequency, however, does have "a positive effect on various blood markers of health, particularly LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, and insulin."
- Increased meal frequency does improve appetite control


With regard to athletic populations:
--- begin quote ---
Iwao and colleagues [51] examined boxers who were subjected to a hypocaloric diet while either consuming two or six meals per day. The study lasted for two weeks and the participants consumed 1,200 kcals per day. At the conclusion of the study, overall weight loss was not significantly different between the groups [51]. However, individuals that consumed 6 meals per day had significantly less loss of lean body mass and urinary 3-methylhistidine/creatinine as opposed to those that only consumed two meals [51]. This would suggest that an increased meal frequency under hypocaloric conditions may have an anti-catabolic effect.
...
In conclusion, the small body of studies that utilized athletes as study participants demonstrated that increased meal frequency had the following benefits:

• suppression of lean body mass losses during a hypocaloric diet [51]

• significant increases in lean body mass and anaerobic power [49] (abstract)

• significant increases in fat loss [49] (abstract)

These trends indicate that if meal frequency improves body composition, it is likely to occur in an athletic population as opposed to a sedentary population.
---- end quote

Interesting, but there is too little information about nutrition details, training frequency, water intake, supplementation, vital stats, etc. to determine if this can be applied to us 'common dieters'.....

PJPrimrose

I eat meals and snacks or I couldn't get down my kind of high maintenance calories. I don't eat 2 hours before I work out or I'll puke. Other than that, it's personal preference.

tedrickp

RHachicho

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

Proof?

Experience. It's only common sense if you eat all your calories at once you will then get hungry later. Your body isn't designed to be stuffed with a days worth all at once and then go without and you will end up with hunger cravings and excess calories your body just can't use at the time. But as I stated this is my opinion based on experience. When I space my meals evenly I lose more weight. I also lose more weight If I don't eat right before sleeping. So sure try and shoot me down if you like. You MFP Nazi's who think that you know the whole damn score when it comes to weight loss and fitness. But I will continue to give the advice that worked for me. And I don't speak for others I speak for myself. That's why I said IN MY OPINION.

You guys all seriously need to stop demanding proof and throwing groundless accusations every time someone disagree with your opinions. It's childish. You clearly can't stand the existence of contrary opinions so you have to shoot them down. Usually with one liners either demanding unreasonable amounts of proof in the situation or simple outright denials. Neither is tedrickp's little chart proof. None of you have supplied proof. So I find it hypocritical that you ask me to do the same.

PaulJRaymond

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

Proof?

Experience. It's only common sense if you eat all your calories at once you will then get hungry later. Your body isn't designed to be stuffed with a days worth all at once and then go without and you will end up with hunger cravings and excess calories your body just can't use at the time. But as I stated this is my opinion based on experience. When I space my meals evenly I lose more weight. I also lose more weight If I don't eat right before sleeping. So sure try and shoot me down if you like. You MFP Nazi's who think that you know the whole damn score when it comes to weight loss and fitness. But I will continue to give the advice that worked for me. And I don't speak for others I speak for myself. That's why I said IN MY OPINION.

You guys all seriously need to stop demanding proof and throwing groundless accusations every time someone disagree with your opinions. It's childish. You clearly can't stand the existence of contrary opinions so you have to shoot them down. Usually with one liners either demanding unreasonable amounts of proof in the situation or simple outright denials. Neither is tedrickp's little chart proof. None of you have supplied proof. So I find it hypocritical that you ask me to do the same.

That is basically the consensus from when I was a child. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but it doesn't strike me as bad advice.

tedrickp

Experience. It's only common sense if you eat all your calories at once you will then get hungry later. Your body isn't designed to be stuffed with a days worth all at once and then go without and you will end up with hunger cravings and excess calories your body just can't use at the time. But as I stated this is my opinion based on experience. When I space my meals evenly I lose more weight. I also lose more weight If I don't eat right before sleeping. So sure try and shoot me down if you like. You MFP Nazi's who think that you know the whole damn score when it comes to weight loss and fitness. But I will continue to give the advice that worked for me. And I don't speak for others I speak for myself. That's why I said IN MY OPINION.

You guys all seriously need to stop demanding proof and throwing groundless accusations every time someone disagree with your opinions. It's childish. You clearly can't stand the existence of contrary opinions so you have to shoot them down. Usually with one liners either demanding unreasonable amounts of proof in the situation or simple outright denials. Neither is tedrickp's little chart proof. None of you have supplied proof. So I find it hypocritical that you ask me to do the same.

Why are you calling me out???

I simply posted a helpful graphic that breaks down this study: http://www.jissn.com/content/10/1/5/abstract (full text: http://www.jissn.com/content/10/1/50)

And for the record, there is nothing childish about asking for "proof". In most discussions amongst adults, proof is widely accepted and expected.

ninerbuff

Timing only matters as it pertains to performance, preference, and dietary adherence.

If you're training, you might want or need to time your meals according to your training schedule.

Some people love to have a huge breakfast, while others aren't hungry at all until noon or later.

I, personally, find it easier to maintain a deficit when I eat one meal per day. I also prefer to train in a fasted state.

These are really the only reasons meal timing/frequency matters. Eating more frequently doesn't speed up your metabolism, eating late at night doesn't make you fat, etc. Calorie deficit is king if weight loss is your goal.

Absolutely this.

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

ninerbuff

According to the "Diet Free Life" you should never go more than 3 hours without eating, and I did that for about 6 months and I did loose. The downside is that it's hard to keep up with the time when one is out and about or working. My take is that it did work, but it's hard work.

Glad it worked for you. The "Diet for Life" program is just another diet program though and not a journal on medicine and science. There are many peer reviewed clinical studies showing that meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss.

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

ninerbuff

I was also told that you should heat within that first hour of waking up so your body doesn't try to store fat if you don't have anything within that hour.

Myth. You may disregard this information.

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

ninerbuff

Well honestly there are only a couple big mistakes you can make. In my opinion.

1. Loading most of your calories into one meal. This will cause the big meal to make you deposit more fat and cause you to be ravenous through the rest of the day.

Well, no.

2. Eating less than 2 hours before you sleep. This will marginally impact weight loss.

Only if you're in calorie deficit. Surplus at that time and BOOM. And also, no. One could eat up right up to going to sleep, stay in calorie deficit and lose weight fine. It doesn't work for everyone because some may have digestive issues or spill food in their bed.

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

ninerbuff

Another winner!

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