Is this normal?

lelaunt

Hey guys, I'm just started taking advice from the helpful community in here to eat 5 small meals a day.

And I've been noticing, that I'm feeling more hungry, eating 5 meals a day than i was before eating 3 meals a day.

Is this normal? I thought I was keeping my body out of starvation mode, but I can hear my tummy rumbling as I type this and I just had my snack. =(

AmerTunsi

It is most likely because your metabolism has speed up and burns through the food. Also make sure you watch your sugar levels and focus on consuming high fiber and high protein foods and this will help you stay full longer.

erins1990

I'm the same - I tend to eat more than usual and feel hungry with 5 meals a day. I think dieting and weightloss is a really personal thing, and it takes a bit of trial and error to figure out what suits you best. This regime works for some, and doesn't work for others. If five meals a day makes you hungry, then maybe change it back to the traditional three with one small snack.

I definitely find this works better for me.

Good luck!

haylz24

I felt like that when I started. My body is used to it now. Keep it up! Try tricking your brain, eat out of a bowl instead of a dinner plate. It looks like you're eating more. When I'm hungry I drink water after and if I still feel hungry after I've eaten, I have a cup of tea

SergeantSunshine_reused

It is most likely because your metabolism has speed up and burns through the food. Also make sure you watch your sugar levels and focus on consuming high fiber and high protein foods and this will help you stay full longer.

Eating frequently does not stoke some metabolic fiber.

SergeantSunshine_reused

then go back to eating how you were

from http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

1. Myth: Eat frequently to "stoke the metabolic fire".


Truth

Each time you eat, metabolic rate increases slightly for a few hours. Paradoxically, it takes energy to break down and absorb energy. This is the Thermic Effect of Food (TEF). The amount of energy expended is directly proportional to the amount of calories and nutrients consumed in the meal.

Let's assume that we are measuring TEF during 24 hours in a diet of 2700 kcal with 40% protein, 40% carbohydrate and 20% fat. We run three different trials where the only thing we change is the the meal frequency.

A) Three meals: 900 kcal per meal.

Six meals: 450 kcal per meal.

C) Nine meals: 300 kcal per meal.

What we'd find is a different pattern in regards to TEF. Example "A" would yield a larger and long lasting boost in metabolic rate that would gradually taper off until the next meal came around; TEF would show a "peak and valley"-pattern. "C" would yield a very weak but consistent boost in metabolic rate; an even pattern. "B" would be somewhere in between.

However, at the end of the 24-hour period, or as long as it would take to assimilate the nutrients, there would be no difference in TEF. The total amount of energy expended by TEF would be identical in each scenario. Meal frequency does not affect total TEF. You cannot "trick" the body in to burning more or less calories by manipulating meal frequency.

Further reading: I have covered the topic of meal frequency at great length on this site before.

The most extensive review of studies on various meal frequencies and TEF was published in 1997. It looked at many different studies that compared TEF during meal frequencies ranging from 1-17 meals and concluded:

"Studies using whole-body calorimetry and doubly-labelled water to assess total 24 h energy expenditure find no difference between nibbling and gorging".

Since then, no studies have refuted this. For a summary of the above cited study, read this research review by Lyle McDonald.

Earlier this year, a new study was published on the topic. As expected, no differences were found between a lower (3 meals) and higher meal (6 meals) frequency. Read this post for my summary of the study. This study garnered some attention in the mass media and it was nice to see the meal frequency myth being debunked in The New York Times.

Emma1903

It does not matter how many meals you eat a day, calories are e same whether you have 1 meal or 10! I know people that are below 10% body fat and only eat 2 huge meals a day. So it does not matter!

dogwhisperette

Hello,
I just took a look at your food diary and I would suggest eating more! You are very low on your calorie intake alot and your water is also low! I also noticed that you ate out alot on the weekend. You went from being under calories to over etc, you may be confusing your body.
Keep trying to find whats best for you and hopefully this may have helped.

awiggins1090

I am the same way! I always feel hungry but I am also normally under my calorie goal. I have a super fast metabolism though. Maybe you do to! I think if we stick to it for awhile maybe the body will get use to it