5-6 meals a day?

SMorris1970

I really am motivated by a certain weight loss reality show on tv, and I went to their website. Their nutritional guidelines state that all their contestants eat 5-6 small "meals" a day, like a piece of fruit. Of course this is nothing new, I'm sure we've all heard it before, but I guess it makes sense. It seems to me that when I get home from work I'm so ravenous (even though I've eaten lunch) that's usually when I go over my calories for the day. I get a morning break, a lunch break, and an afternoon break so it's possible for me to do. I guess my question is does anyone else do the 5-6 small meals a day thing, and how does that work out for you? What kinds of things do you eat for these meals? Do you find that doing this makes it harder or easier to stay within your calorie limit?

angieleighbyrd

I get hypoglycemic and I also have an eating disorder. I am a binge eater. When I get symptoms of hypoglycemia it triggers a binge. (not the only trigger just one of them) I have to eat every few hours. It's the only way for me to avoid the symptoms. I eat whatever fits in my calories.

northbanu

In all honesty, it makes no difference in your weight loss when or how many time you eat, as long as you don't exceed your calorie goals.

The nice thing about many small meals, is that it MAY help you feel less hungry through the day. Some find that to be true. I don't.

I eat a small breakfast (sometimes) and a small lunch (always) because I really enjoy a big dinner, and grazing at night. But I'm really not all that interested in food until my workday is done.

But by all means try it. The key is to find a way to stay satiated, remain at or under your calorie goal, while eating foods that you enjoy and meet your nutritional requirements.

SMorris1970

that is soooo hard to do!

amcook4

I tried multiple meals a day once, I felt like I was always eating and always hungry, needless to say, for me, it was not a good idea.

A lot of people on MFP just eat whenever they are hungry, and it it working fine.

There is nothing wrong with trying multiple small meals a day, just know it doesn't work for everyone. Figure out what works for you (both now and what you can see yourself doing in maintenance mode, aka, the rest of your life) and stick with that,

Aine8046

I do not think it matters. For me two large meals are better. With 5-6 small meals I never felt full and always wanted another snack. Now I have 2 large meals and some days I have small snacks in between. But for some people 5-6 meals work. Try it and see if it works for you.

northbanu

that is soooo hard to do!

I promise it gets easier when the habit/boredom eating stops. You do become accustomed to a lesser amount food, just as you become accustomed to larger amounts of food. I wasn't able to eat a large pizza and an order breadsticks by myself untill I became accustomed to it with hard work and training, by eating more and more food.

It gets easier I promise.

healthyfoxx

It made it easier for me, as long as I made sure every "meal" included some protein and some fat. Otherwise, I'd still feel hungry right after eating.

After a while I was able to ween myself off of so many small meals and used the calories to go towards dinner or lunch. Now I just do breakfast, maybe a snack right before noon, a late lunch (2ish), and then dinner right when I get home. I usually have something small an hour or so before bedtime, too. I guess it is still eating 5 times a day but the snacks are much smaller and totally optional. I no longer feel like I need them to get through the day - I only eat them if I'm hungry earlier than usual.

Scythe5

Everybody is different. Personally, I eat about 5-6 times a day.

So...I try to eat about 1600-1800 cals a day, but only healthy stuff. I also work out 5 days a week. I think the biggest thing for me is to make sure I am eating foods that actually make me feel full (Oatmeal for breakfast, for example).

Will it work for you? I dunno. Everyone has to find their own method. If you are more comfortable eating less meals, but more calories per meal, do it.

lorib642

I have heard that, too, about eating 5-6 meals. I am trying different things now, mainly watching the calories. My schedule varies throughout the week so I am eating when I have time and am hungry.

tjohnoconnor

I eat six times a day. Three meals @ 431 calories, Two snacks @ 273 calories and a combination pre and post workout meal @ 223 calories. A total of 2062 calories a day. It is technically true that as long as you don't exceed your calorie count for the 24 hour day you can still lose weight, so in some sense it doesn't matter. But eating multiple meals during the day can aid in satiety. It can also help to keep your blood sugar from spiking and dropping during the day. A more constant level in blood sugar without spiking or dropping can keep you burning calories longer and at a more steady rate. At the end of the day, it is all up to you and what fits your lifestyle.

Kalikel

Today I had four meals:

HUGE taco salad (and cottage cheese, which IMO goes with everything) - 283 calories

Hot dog and beans - 173 calories

Rice, chicken and veggies (giant pile!) - 261 calories

Pasta with a smidgity smidge of cheese and (God help me) a wee bit of butter - 306 calories

...And! A little fruit in between. - ~100, give or take a few. I had a handful of grapes that I didn't get a chance to log due to a screaming squirrel.


I still came in under 1200. And I've finished the day stuffed.

MysteriousDreamer

I'm trying 5-6 small meals a day because I can not control my weight. I'm a binge eater so I am hope it helps. It also helps my hypoglycaemia.

anna_jewel

Everybody is different but I am on 1200 calories a day, exercise and i get more. I set me food counter to times cause I eat small meals through out the day. I find it keeps me full longer because I am eating something every couple hours, that way I am not starving by main meal times.

Sarauk2sf

Structure your meals in a way that allows for adherence (including satiety), personal preference and energy levels. The number of meals you split your calories up into has no appreciable, if any, direct impact on weight loss.

stevejill91

I eat anywere from 1 to 3 times. I find that when I eat correctly Im not as hungry and can go longer. Im not sure of the benefit of that many meals or if it is hype or someones fix to hunger on a more sugar loaded diet. I dont know if people 1000 years ago ate 5 times a day or just one time. I tend to think that they did not eat that often though. I do believe in snacks through the day though if you consider that a meal.

stevejill91

One add-on. If your eating a lower carb diet your sugar wont spike and you dont have the ups and downs. If you have a high sugar diet you may need to eat mor meals. Low fat foods tend to have high carbs in them, all the good stuff was removed. I believe in whole and foods with little to no modifications. Your body responds to them better.

susannamarie

If it works for you and you feel less hungry there, great.

I hate eating like this because I constantly feel peckish. Also I wake up in the night feeling hungry.

I prefer to eat twice a day, once in the early afternoon before workout and once in the evening after workout. That way I get to go to bed satiated and I sleep much better that way.

kkimpel

Everyone is different I guess.. I don't normally need a mid morning snack, but sometimes I do. It may be boredom, not sure.

I generally eat Breakfast, Lunch, snack, go home, iced tea and celery/humus, workout, very light snack or my salad for dinner (if needed) because we eat dinner late then dinner .. and tea with cocoa nibs

I like eating

sandymayhew2014

I too eat 5-6 meals a day. If I don't have a snack in between I get too hungry. I also down at least 8 glasses of water a day to help curb the hunger pangs. My snack may be fruit or low fat cheese sticks. I works best for me

JoolieW68

I don't know if I'd consider eating an apple a 'meal' but that's just me. If I get too hungry I get nauseous, so I try to plan for something small between meals, be a protein bar, fruit, baked chips, or whatever.

YouHadMyCuriosity

I have found that for me personally, I like to eat small meals during the day, since I sit at a desk and it takes the place of getting a bag of chips and unhealthy snacks like I used to- usually have Greek yogurt, fruit, Zone bar, leftover small portion from whatever I made the night before, but I save enough calories to have a 600-700 calorie dinner in the evening. Mostly because I really enjoying cooking something for myself and my husband, but also because I don't feel very satisfied without that one larger meal. Like people on here say, it's a lifestyle change, so I found a method that I can live with in the long term. Try different things and find what works for you

boku70

I've gotten into a thing where I break up my meals over time. For example, lunch is vegetables, an entree, and a (medical) shake. But instead of eating them all at once, I space them. Stringing it out like that has proven to be helpful.

stephiedee23

It doesn't make a difference when it comes to weight loss, it's just about what works best for you and your schedule. I work from 4am to 2 or 3pm, usually 6 days a week, so for me eating throughout the day is necessary. I have small snacks/meals throughout my shift and eat a regular dinner when I get home, plus a snack before bed. If I had a more regular schedule I'd probably eat three larger meals a day because I prefer it, but it's about making it sustainable for your lifestyle.

2718maria

I noticed I lost more eating 5 meals a day. What I found eazy for me was preparing my food ahead of time. That way I can enjoy my meal more instead of worrying in preparing it n having a little time in eating n enjoying it.

megsmom2

if it works for you, and helps you stay in control of your choices, then do it! I don't think it makes a huge difference unless you have problems with blood sugar levels--then it could definately help you. I think for me, it would lead to eating too much over the course of the day. You have to find your own perfect balance.

F00LofaT00K

I usually have 3 small meals and several snacks (or 2 small meals and one bigger meal and fewer snacks). If I never let myself feel hungry, then I typically stay within my goals. If I skip a meal, which happens from time to time, my stomach growls and I end up overeating. So for me, it's easier to stay within my goals if I eat smaller portions throughout the day.

Ithlilian86

Isn't the point of eating more meals supposed to be to amp up your metabolism? It's said that going longer between meals slows your metabolism. That's why I've been eating more often, to boost metabolism.

ccbulldog83

I typically split what I'm eating for breakfast and lunch and eat the rest a few hours later..plus eat dinner and a snack...I think it helps to avoid the binge. Good luck!!!

Sarauk2sf

Isn't the point of eating more meals supposed to be to amp up your metabolism? It's said that going longer between meals slows your metabolism. That's why I've been eating more often, to boost metabolism.

No. That is a myth. Your metabolism only slows after about 72 hours of not eating.

itsbasschick

i eat 6 small meals per day, but i never eat just a piece of fruit. each of my meals is only about 200 to 250 calories but contains at least 10 grams of protein - usually more. on the one hand, i have type 2 diabetes that's easier to control will smaller sugar spikes from smaller meals. on the other hand, it's a great way to keep from getting hungry, and works really well unless i have a super intense workout, in which case i'll have a little fat free greek yogurt to tide me over.