how often do you eat?

LauriesTrying2BeFit

do you have just your set meals like breskfast, lunch, dinner etc
or do you eat small and often? if so how often?

im trying to work out the best way to loose weight im eating every few hours small amounts but im feeling so full! lol

neversettle

I eat 4 times a day.
Breakfast, lunch, pre-gym snack, dinner.

shovav91

I eat all day... It's not a normal approach, but it works for me I don't have real "meals", rather i graze throughout the day. At least I'm never hungry!

waxette83

I have a small breakfast, a light snack, sensible lunch, another light snack, and a dinner. All meals are around 350 calories and i try to keep snacks under 200. This works for me and I never feel hungry. Smaller meals and snacks are supposed to help keep your sugars levels even all day. This helps with cravings. I find that it worls well for me.

jacksonpt

I eat pretty much when I'm hungry... sometimes that's 2-3 times a day (bigger meals), sometimes it's grazing all day long.

You have to find what works for you though. Some people an get away with 2 big meals, some people need to eat 5-6 smaller ones. Try one way for a month and see how you do. You need to find what works AND what is realistically sustainable for you.

eeebee

Half my breakfast at 8am and then the other half (usually half a wheat and oat bagel with a boiled egg white or two) at 11am.

Lunch is at 2-ish

Snack at 4pm

Gym 5:15pm & maybe an egg white to tie me over till dinner after the workout

Dinner = whenever I get home and cook it - usually too late to mention!!

It works for me and I rarely get ridiculously hungry

Cslicemarie

I typically eat four times a day. Breakfast at 9am, lunch around 1230, first supper at 4 and second supper (very small meal) around 7pm. I like to spread it out so that I never feel like I'm starving. Going to bed hungry sucks so I make sure to save some calories for a small second supper.

HMonsterX

No breakfast.

Small lunch.

Big Dinner.

Snacks as and when.

Secret_Agent_007

I eat constantly. Well it seems that way to me. Somehow I've got to find a way to squeeze in 2000 cals with healthy food. Believe me when I say, my lunch box for work can't hold it all.

You're cheating yourself out of progress if you're skipping breakfast, IMHO. The earlier you eat, the earlier you'll be hungry again. Proof that eating starts your metabolism. Why wait?

Lesa_Sass

Typically 5 times a day. I will have a good breakfast, then a low calorie snack a few hours later, then a nice lunch then a snack a few hours later then dinner.

My sister made the comment this past summer, how do you stay so small and eat all day? I told her that is the secret.

Dr Oz just did a segment on eating every three hours to keep the metabolism up to lose weight. Most people I have met on here agree that eating is beneficial to losing weight.

HMonsterX

You're cheating yourself out of progress if you're skipping breakfast, IMHO. The earlier you eat, the earlier you'll be hungry again. Proof that eating starts your metabolism. Why wait?

Do you have said proof?

Sidesteal

do you have just your set meals like breskfast, lunch, dinner etc
or do you eat small and often? if so how often?

im trying to work out the best way to loose weight im eating every few hours small amounts but im feeling so full! lol

I would tailor this to personal preference and gym performance and nothing else. Eating breakfast or eating frequently does not jumpstart your metabolism -- it's a myth that hasn't diet out.

Thermic effect of feeding (TEF) is the energy expenditure that occurs from eating but it's based on caloric intake and to a lesser extent, macronutrient composition. It has nothing to do with frequency.

Shanna_Inc86

I eat pretty much when I'm hungry... sometimes that's 2-3 times a day (bigger meals), sometimes it's grazing all day long.

You have to find what works for you though. Some people an get away with 2 big meals, some people need to eat 5-6 smaller ones. Try one way for a month and see how you do. You need to find what works AND what is realistically sustainable for you.

This!

Sidesteal

im trying to work out the best way to loose weight im eating every few hours small amounts but im feeling so full! lol

In addition to my previous reply, I would like to add that if you are feeling full while eating at a deficit, this is a pretty good spot to be in. It's much better than being hungry all the time and consequently I would suggest you just keep doing what you are doing.

ludogx87

i eat constantly throughout the day, but will munch on carrots, jelly and apples and low cal things, veg soup etc, and then have a "breakfast" "lunch" and "dinner" (n usually toast b4 bed) lol but am usually always eating.... think i read somewhere it keeps your metabolisim working throughout the day x

DoubleE615312

3 "meals", 2 "snacks" most days.

meggersd

every two hours
8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm water water water

Lesa_Sass

You're cheating yourself out of progress if you're skipping breakfast, IMHO. The earlier you eat, the earlier you'll be hungry again. Proof that eating starts your metabolism. Why wait?

Do you have said proof?

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Said proof will be if you give it a try and see what happens.

But here is some information for you to read: http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/why-it-is-so-important-to-eat-breakfast.html

Please also feel free to google it yourself as well.

Donners185

I tend to eat five or six times a day, usually every 2 and a half to 3 hours. Usually about 300 cals per meal.

mallory3411

For me it varies based on which shift I'm working. I tend to pack a variety of small things for when I'm at work and I can just nibble when I am hungry. On my days off it's a bit more structured. Breakfast shortly after I get up, than either snack and dinner later on in the day or lunch/dinner earlier and a snack later on. Do what works for you... eating all depends on your daily activities and schedule.

Sublog

I eat every day between noon and 8 pm. Typically 3 meals, with the first two being within a 2 hour span. As sidesteal said, meal frequency is a personal preference thing and offers no metabolic benefit/detriment one way or the other.

The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.

Shannonnn92

1. pre-gym breakfast
2. post-gym breakfast / mid-morning snack
3. lunch
4. afternoon snack
5. dinner
6. snack (sometimes)
That's basically the layout of my meals, but if I get hungry I eat something and if I'm not hungry at any of those times I don't.

Acg67

You're cheating yourself out of progress if you're skipping breakfast, IMHO. The earlier you eat, the earlier you'll be hungry again. Proof that eating starts your metabolism. Why wait?

Do you have said proof?

Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Said proof will be if you give it a try and see what happens.

But here is some information for you to read: http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/why-it-is-so-important-to-eat-breakfast.html

Please also feel free to google it yourself as well.

::SIGH:: did you even read that link you posted?

Three to four hours after you eat, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine were to break out, leaving you without food for days. Since this is likely not the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds in an attempt to protect you from starvation! Eating breakfast communicates with your body the fact that you are healthy, well fed and not in need of extra fat storage.

^ that is a load of BS that is not supported by science

emmyvera

I eat 4-6 times a day. I eat 1,200 calories plus my exercise calories. I prefer smaller meals, but I do sometimes switch it up.

1. Breakfast 7-8 am
2. Morning Snack 10 am
3. Lunch 12-1pm
4. Afternoon Snack 3-4pm
5. Dinner 5-7 pm
6. Post Workout Shake (if I need the calories and/or I'm hungry after a hard workout)

MattGetsMad

I eat every day between noon and 8 pm. Typically 3 meals, with the first two being within a 2 hour span. As sidesteal said, meal frequency is a personal preference thing and offers no metabolic benefit/detriment one way or the other.

The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.

I've been doing this too, most days. I've seen my weight-loss speed up too. Use to firmly believe it was very important to jumpstart your metabolism with food. Now I can see that is not the case.

As long as you are losing weight and gaining health, there really is no "wrong" way to do it. Dedication and patience above all else will make you hit your goals.

Good luck to all you!

barbiebarkley

i eat 4 times a day.3 meals and i usally eat something before working out!!!!

MB_Positif

For the most part I log 3 smallish meals and then everything else goes under snacks, which means I eat all day!

cheshirequeen

i am maintaining, but i eat every couple of hours. i work out doing zumba and it really works up an appetite, so i make sure i keep those meals keeping me going.

frugalmomsrock

I eat when I'm hungry. Sometimes I skip breakfast. Sometimes I eat three meals a day. Sometimes I have seven or eight little meals. Just depends on what my body says. No schedule.

tabrez1989

i have breakfast when i woke up within an hour. Then the rest of the day i just eat dont have a specific time.

raines_eric

7am - Breakfast
9am - Snack (usually a piece of fruit)
11am - Lunch
1pm - 2nd Snack (usually a piece of fruit)
3pm - 3rd Snack (not every day, only when hungry, probably twice a week on average... snack type varies)
5pm - Dinner