Do I eat too often?

swimmermama

Some background on me: I am 5'8" and about 125 pounds. I know that is slim, and I am trying to maintain, not lose any more weight! I originally started using MFP to lose some baby weight but have stuck around because it helps me make smart choices about what to eat to get enough protein, vitamins, etc.

I am pretty active. I work out about five times a week. Plus, I have a job and have a four-month-old so even when I'm not at the gym, I am constantly moving. I am also breastfeeding my little one - there go more calories!

Still, I feel weird about the fact that I eat CONSTANTLY. I wake up around 6am, have breakfast around 7am, morning snack around 10 or 11am, lunch about 1pm, a snack around 3pm, another snack around 5pm, dinner around 7pm, and a snack around 9pm because I feel terrible when I go to bed hungry. I eat 7 times a day! When people are with me for more than a few hours, they seem shocked by how often I need to eat. It is almost all low-calorie, healthy food - lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, and dairy.

For example, my husband asked me last night after I came home from dinner at a friend's house and inhaled a bowl of cereal if I was sure I wasn't pregnant again. You can imagine how that made me feel! But the fact was that he had at least a couple hundred more calories with dinner than I did.

I guess the point is that I prefer to eat multiple healthy snacks during the day (okay, all day!) than have fewer high-calorie meals. I drink lots of water and green tea to keep myself feeling full but I start to feel terrible if I don't eat every couple of hours. What do you think? Is that kind of eating weird or unhealthy?

123456654321

I think this kind of eating is great as long as you are making healthy choices. If you were eating too much you would be gaining weight. I too eat about 7-8 times a day, if I don't eat every 2 hours I get crabby....lol I feel like I'm eating all the time, but I'm clearly not because I'm the same height as you and also a bit underweight. Don't let other people make you feel bad about your eating habits as long as they are healthy (and it sounds like they are.)

featherweight221

You sound like my husband. If he doesn't eat every 2-3 hours he feels terrible and gets grumpy. He has a very high metabolism and low blood sugar. He's got to eat dense, healthy snacks often to get through the day. Everyone is different and you're eating the right way for your body! Good for you!

kwardklinck

The kind of eating you're doing is really much healthier than the way most of us eat. It keeps your blood sugar levels on an even keel and keeps you from feeling hungry enough to overindulge. Good for you!

Womanofheart

I don't think it's a bad thing that you're eating 6 or 7 times a day. It sounds like the portions are controlled and the things you're eating are healthy. My personal trainer told me that I should be eating about that many times a day, especially since I'm slowly moving up to longer and more intense workouts.

Eating only two or three times a day isn't going to cut it, and it isn't healthy. People seem to confuse eating smaller portions more often with overeating.

DreaMartinez

I agree. You're doing what is right for you and your body, and I think it's odd anyone would mention that. You know what's right for you and your metabolism. I have found that I eat less calories a day if I eat more often/healthier because if I wait to have big meals I overindulge. I wouldn't worry about what other people say and just keep doing what's good for you!

bmcmforfun

How you are eating is exactly how the Nutritionist told me how to eat. She said to make sure each time you eat, that you eat a protein and a carb but the protein should be eaten first. The protein will help you feel satisfied longer if you eat it first.

aippolito1

No, that's great! My typical day looks like this:

Breakfast
School/Snack
Gym
Protein bar/shower
Lunch
Work
Dinner/Small snack

I used to 5-6 times per day but now time only allows me for 3-4 because I have a completely different schedule. You eat as often as you need to or are hungry to. If you are going over on calories, then you have a problem. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. They SAY the more frequently you eat, the faster your metabolism is, but some people just can't do that and I've seen them lose weight just fine.

Elle408

I too eat 6-7 times a day and find now that as i'm on around 1400 cals and do an hours work out each night, if I don't eat every 2-3 hours I get crabby and shaky and weak! It's working for me though, I rarely have cravings and find it easier to stick to, knowing that every two hours i'll get to eat!

Also, the past few days i've been looking in to the 'right' way to train and nearly every website you look at (maximuscle etc.) tell you to eat smaller meals every few hours! If it's good enough for them it's good enough for me!

swimmermama

Thanks, everyone! I guess because I am slim, everyone feels comfortable remarking about how much/often I eat. As if it won't still make me self-conscious! It is hard to have such different eating habits than my husband, who prefers to eat fewer, more calorie-dense meals.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one who eats like this. bmcmforfun, I always try to eat my protein first. Glad to know there is a good reason to do that!

JennLifts

I eat at least that much. Some days i feel like I go from one snack to the next.

chubswonky

I actually planned my weight loss around eating x number of low calorie meals per day rather than your standard three big meals. I eat breakfast, two lunches, dinner and a snack all for around 1200 calories