Eating 3 meals a day?

shababa2809
shababa2809 Posts: 12
edited September 22 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm concern about how many meal a day should i eat? i usually only eat breakfast and lunch, i dont eat after 7.
What i'm basically trying to ask is how many meal a day should someone on a diet eat. i would eat like for example cheerios with milk,an egg or two. then i would eat for lunch chicken and broccoli and that is it. i sometime do snack on cheese sometime chocolate if available. is this healthy? should i eat three medium calories meal or two large calorie meal a day? i would really appreciate the advice. thanks =].
oh and by the way i do eat fruits and vegies like 3-4 times a week.

Replies

  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    Eating smaller meals more often will boost metabolism and help you lose. I find I can stick with it longer if I have food coming in more often. Also - I don't want to pig out because I am starving! I go back and forth between 5 meals (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 1 dinner) and 3 meals - both with snacks in between.
  • It is recommended that you eat more frequently and smaller portions when on a diet. Numerous resons for this but essentially, i find the most important for me is that it cuts out snacking on rubbish i shouldnt be eating. I work a 9-5 so find it difficult soetimes but spoke to my boss and he allows me to have a small meal/big snack while working too so i can allow myself breakfast, 11'sies, 2pm lunch and 5:30 dinner. If i still havnt filled my calorie count ill usually have a big bowl of veg or something around half 7.

    Don't have a clue if knowing that helps you at all but basicly try to get a routine of more smaller meals is the basis of it :)
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
    I don't know if there is an exact formula, and if and when you exercise. However I do mini meals. This morning I ate two kiwi fruit and then had my coffee & skim milk. (150 cal). Later I if I am going to go work out I would probably eat one or two scrambled eggs with onion & peppers. (250 calories 11am ish) Lunch might be some grilled zuchinni with salad & pumkin seeds. (200) More fruit maybe a cup of tea w milk (50-100) for an afternoon snack. For Dinner I am thinking of having the gluten free version of Kraft dinner if my husband isn't home by then. If he is then bison steaks and salad/veg. (500ish) I eat more when exercising, but eating fruit/small snacks often keeps me from cravings or over eating at dinner. Herbal tea is my substitute for snacking in the evening. It's about figuring out what you need. A little experimenting, and knowing when you week times of day are. Hopefully you will get lots of replys and some of their ideas you will adopt. Keep it up.
  • fiftyandfit
    fiftyandfit Posts: 349 Member
    I try to eat 5 or 6 small meals.....revs the metabolism, and no blood sugar drop
    breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack
    I should mention, breakfast, lunch and dinner are all small meals, just enough to
    put something nutritious and filling in to fuel
  • Amarillo_NDN
    Amarillo_NDN Posts: 1,018 Member
    Every one is different, you have to do what best for you. In my case, I eat 6 times a day and I rarely get hungry.
  • millerll
    millerll Posts: 873 Member
    In general, most people recommend eating several small meals throughout the day. You still take in the same amount of calories, but you just spread them out over the course of a day. The benefit to this is that your blood sugar stays more constant, helping reduce cravings and binges, and supposedly boosting your metabolism. Also, it would be better to eat fresh fruits and vegetables every day, not just 3-4 times a week. Your body needs the nutrients in them every day. Try adding some fresh fruit to your breakfast, and veggies to your morning eggs, plus veggies with your dinner. Good luck!
  • k_eye
    k_eye Posts: 18
    Well, 1st thing is that you have to think of this not as a diet but as a change of lifestyle.
    I mean, obviously what i was doing before was not working for me!
    I TRY to eat mtpl smalls "meals" throughout the day vs 3 big meals. I dont have the i need a nap feeling I usually get after a small meal vs the big ones.
    You also have to realise that you also have to do what you can with your current schedule. I eat better when I'm at work vs when I'm at home. ( I work 12 hour shifts, easier to snack throughout the day) but when I'm at home I just lounge around and remember I have to eat.

    It's a hard change at 1st but one very much worth it, Since I have to plan for my meals I have less tendency to eat junk.

    Kitty :)
  • binary_jester
    binary_jester Posts: 3,311 Member
    Well...not necessarily. A university of Ottawa study showed that eating small meals throughout the day didn't promote weight loss. People consumed a reduced-calorie diet with meals served 3 or 6 times a day for 8 weeks (caloric intake was the same). Both groups lost about 5% of bodyweight, but the frequency of the meals had no effect on weight loss. British Journal Nutrition published online Nov 30, 2009
This discussion has been closed.