Is it better to eat three meals a day?

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GTOgirl1969
GTOgirl1969 Posts: 2,527 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Or to eat six small meals of about 200-250 calories, spaced evenly throughout the day? I've heard that eating smaller meals thru the day is better, but I want some other opinions before I alter my eating habits. I'm on a danged plateau and I'm ready to shake up my diet and exercise plan, because I want to see results!

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  • faithjobes
    faithjobes Posts: 104 Member
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    Most nutritionist will tell you to eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks. However, I am diabetic and my DR. told me to eat 3 meals a day to keep my sugar levels from staying high all day. I want to weigh 150 lbs, so I should eat 1500 calories a day. I could split my calories up between all 3 meals but I usually eat 250-300 for breakfast and 600 for lunch and 600 for dinner. I've heard you take the amount you want to (or should) weigh times 10 to get your total number of calories for the day. And remember to eat "good" calories, food that will fuel your body instead of "bad" or empty calories so you don't feel tired. Good luck!
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Hey GTO, how ya doing?

    I have noticed when I eat at 7am,10am,1pm,3pm,5pm,7pm I am never hungry. The trick for me is to have complex carb and protien at each mini meal.

    My biggest issue was picking between meals, and would leave me with 200 cals for dinner and starving by 7 and then I would gouge on a hunk of bread or cookies.

    This way I do not crave sweets at all.

    Good luck!!:drinker:
  • GTOgirl1969
    GTOgirl1969 Posts: 2,527 Member
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    Doing fine..made it thru the Memorial Day weekend without pigging out. Ate about 1300 calories today, made a cake and did not eat any of the cake batter or frosting when I was putting it together....I'm proud of myself for that. I think I'm going to try the mini meal thing and see how it works.
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
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    Good for you on the cals this weekend. Not me:tongue:

    But it is ok, because it wasnt horrible. I am going to preplan my 6 meals tonight and set them all up for this week.

    Good luck to us!!:flowerforyou:
  • MisoSoup79
    MisoSoup79 Posts: 517
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    I honestly think that there isn't an answer that fits everyone. Whether you see results and feel better on 3 square meals, or 6 minis will depend on your own unique body chemistry. Some people do great on mini-meals, grazing throughout the day, never feeling overly hungry or overly full. Others, (like myself), do better on 3 meals with some snacking. I enjoy the feeling of fullness after a hearty meal and the fact that I may be able to go 4-5 hours between meals if necessary. When I snack, it's to curb creeping hunger before it takes away my willpower! I don't like grazing, because I am unable to control how much I eat when I eat so often. (my "full" and "hungry" switches don't always work so well!)

    But it totally depends on what works for your body and your lifestyle.
  • GTOgirl1969
    GTOgirl1969 Posts: 2,527 Member
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    I've eaten five or six smaller meals for the last two days and I've already lost a pound! And I don't feel as hungry because I know I get to eat in another hour or two...I'm getting in all my water and that's definitely making me feel fuller.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
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    I have 3 meals and 3-4 snacks each day
    It definately helps me from snacking on the bad stuff and ofcourse all the water I drink since I absolutely refuse to drink my calories.

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