How Important Is Spacing Out Meals?

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mtzrose2001
mtzrose2001 Posts: 62 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I recently started tracking my foods again after a while of not counting calories at all. On a normal day (if I am not counting calories) I do not eat till after 3pm. Then, I cram all my calories into 3or 4 hours of one meal and a couple snacks. I am not hungry all day until 3pm. Plus I am actually at 1400 calories and my goal calories is 1800. I didn't even have to think about how much I was eating and I was still under.

On the other hand, when I start counting my calories and start spacing my meals out, I overeat and find it really hard to control my appetite. (After the first time I eat for the day, I am just constantly hungry).

Is it healthy when I am calorie counting to eat between those times and just lower my fat and sugar intake? I am thinking I might take an approach like this because otherwise it is so hard to stay within my calorie range and actually consume more calories than I would normally.

Replies

  • dlj1970
    dlj1970 Posts: 186 Member
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    It's impossible to say what is going to work best for your body; only you can tell this. But this seems contrary to keeping your insulin levels in check. I do know someone who only eats after 6 every day, and he is healthy, I will be interested to see what other people say. I happen to eat 5-7 super small meals a day. Best of luck!
  • mtzrose2001
    mtzrose2001 Posts: 62 Member
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    I always read the advice to eat throughout the day small meals but that just makes me hungry all day. I am really thinking taking a different approach might help me keep on track. I wonder however if my body is in starvation mode from not eating all day. But I have done this most of my life. When I was younger I never ate breakfast or even school lunches. I just ate when I got home from school for the day. So that is where this habit comes from and I have been eating on this schedule for a long time.
  • mrdavidjk
    mrdavidjk Posts: 105
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    it is better for your body to eat smaller meals more often. eating lots in 1 go will just lead to fat being deposited
    supposing you eat 1500 callories a day.
    now if you eat them over 4 meals thats 375 callories per meal, and your body will use them over 3-4 hours, infact if you excercise you can use them in 1 hour.
    if you eat them all in 1 go your body will store the excess as fat.

    i know what you mean about feeling hungry, i recently started dieting, and after lunch i feel hungry.
    have you tried something like celery sticks or carrots as a snack.

    keep up the good work
  • jcl1981
    jcl1981 Posts: 60 Member
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    i eat several meals a day and personally do not believe anything is a snack, and everything is a meal. A typical day consists of a 400 calorie breakfast, 150 calories second meal about 3 hours later, 350 calories meal, 400 calories meal, 200 calorie meal. i try to have veggies or fruit with each meal, and a good dose of protein. This helps me to stay satisfied and has helped me lose around 95 pounds, as far as feeling hungry, i wear my hunger as a badge of honor so to speak, of my commitment to my own health.
  • dr4m4qu33n
    dr4m4qu33n Posts: 19
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    Food is fuel for your body so it's important to keep it going all day. Eating 1 meal a day will lower your metabolism. To raise your metabolism you need to eat small meals all day. I saw this show on this lady that was very very obese and bed ridden. She would only eat one meal a day to compensate for the fact that that meal was high calorie. Her dr said because of her habit she had no metabolism! which is how she gained sooo much and became bedridden. :/ But any ways, its pretty important to eat all day if you're looking to lose weight. Hope I could help a little!
  • Suedre
    Suedre Posts: 435 Member
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    You have to try things until you find what works for your body. After months of trial and error, I've found for me, eating all day and not having any glocuse spikes or lows is the best plan. Here is an article that describes it better than I could:

    http://www.life-enhancement.com/article_template.asp?id=1877

    Good Luck!
  • supercatie18
    supercatie18 Posts: 82 Member
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    Although I do agree with all the posters and have heard the same things about spacing out meals being helpful to metabolism, I think that the most important thing is just how many calories you consume overall. I don't think it is really truly crucial to eat small meals I think it is just helpful for many people to not feel too hungry throughout the day.

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