Why 3 meals a day doesn't work...

ilovemybuggy

I've always heard you're not supposed to go more than 6 waking hours without eating something...True or False?

This is a serious question.... i'm new to this dieting thing and trying to figure out the best way for me. I've been led to believe I should eat 4 to 5 small meals per day 3 to 4 hours apart?

Just do what works best for you and your schedule. I eat 3 meals a day and a small snack between lunch and dinner because I found that's what works best for me. As long as you hit your macros and stay around your calorie goal, you're golden.

I feel like such a diet retard- it's not BAD if you're under your calories, right? Like by 100 or so? It's telling me I should eat around 1400 but sometimes I only get around 1250 to 1300 and I don't really like to eat super late at night.

dad106

I've always heard you're not supposed to go more than 6 waking hours without eating something...True or False?

This is a serious question.... i'm new to this dieting thing and trying to figure out the best way for me. I've been led to believe I should eat 4 to 5 small meals per day 3 to 4 hours apart?

This idea will always be around. You will have no advantage with 6 meals as you would with 3. Being at a caloric deficit at the end of the day is all that matters.

When bulking up and trying to keep your calorie intake a specific calorie range it may make it tough for some people to eat huge meals. Splitting meals is a perfect way to remedy that. Instead of eating 3 1100-1500 meals then why not eat 6 600-700 meals?

Because who really has time to eat 6 meals a day? Not everyone has that ideal where they can sit down every two to three hours and bust out a 600-700 calorie meal.

Plus eating bigger meals are pretty easy to do if you eat calorie dense foods. You can pack a lot of calories in with very little amounts of food that way.

ilovemybuggy

I only eat one meal a day, but it starts about an hour after I wake up and ends about an houre before bed... unless there is some extra bacon left, then it ends after I am already in bed... nom nom nom... bacon crumbs..

HAHA i LOVE bacon! :laugh:

dad106

I've always heard you're not supposed to go more than 6 waking hours without eating something...True or False?

This is a serious question.... i'm new to this dieting thing and trying to figure out the best way for me. I've been led to believe I should eat 4 to 5 small meals per day 3 to 4 hours apart?

Just do what works best for you and your schedule. I eat 3 meals a day and a small snack between lunch and dinner because I found that's what works best for me. As long as you hit your macros and stay around your calorie goal, you're golden.

I feel like such a diet retard- it's not BAD if you're under your calories, right? Like by 100 or so? It's telling me I should eat around 1400 but sometimes I only get around 1250 to 1300 and I don't really like to eat super late at night.

I always leave a hundred or so left over at the end of the day.. hasn't harmed me.

ZeroWoIf

I've always heard you're not supposed to go more than 6 waking hours without eating something...True or False?

This is a serious question.... i'm new to this dieting thing and trying to figure out the best way for me. I've been led to believe I should eat 4 to 5 small meals per day 3 to 4 hours apart?

This idea will always be around. You will have no advantage with 6 meals as you would with 3. Being at a caloric deficit at the end of the day is all that matters.

When bulking up and trying to keep your calorie intake a specific calorie range it may make it tough for some people to eat huge meals. Splitting meals is a perfect way to remedy that. Instead of eating 3 1100-1500 meals then why not eat 6 600-700 meals?

DEFINITELY not trying to bulk up- I have about 90 lbs to lose still! I want to be smaller and TONE...not bulky.

no doubt!

purplegoboom

I've always heard you're not supposed to go more than 6 waking hours without eating something...True or False?

This is a serious question.... i'm new to this dieting thing and trying to figure out the best way for me. I've been led to believe I should eat 4 to 5 small meals per day 3 to 4 hours apart?

Just do what works best for you and your schedule. I eat 3 meals a day and a small snack between lunch and dinner because I found that's what works best for me. As long as you hit your macros and stay around your calorie goal, you're golden.

I feel like such a diet retard- it's not BAD if you're under your calories, right? Like by 100 or so? It's telling me I should eat around 1400 but sometimes I only get around 1250 to 1300 and I don't really like to eat super late at night.

If you're only off by 100 or so, don't sweat it. I'm consistantly under by 100-200 and I'm doing fine right now. When progress stalls, then I'll reevaluate, but if it isn't broken, don't fix it.

ilovemybuggy

I actually started out with the Atkins diet- and found it really isn't for me. Not only do I not get many calories- but I feel like I'm depriving myself. So now i'm trying to take a different approach but trying to figure out the ropes, so to say.

capnwo85

Hey O.P.

ElizabethRoad

I've always heard you're not supposed to go more than 6 waking hours without eating something...True or False?

This is a serious question.... i'm new to this dieting thing and trying to figure out the best way for me. I've been led to believe I should eat 4 to 5 small meals per day 3 to 4 hours apart?

Just do what works best for you and your schedule. I eat 3 meals a day and a small snack between lunch and dinner because I found that's what works best for me. As long as you hit your macros and stay around your calorie goal, you're golden.

I feel like such a diet retard- it's not BAD if you're under your calories, right? Like by 100 or so? It's telling me I should eat around 1400 but sometimes I only get around 1250 to 1300 and I don't really like to eat super late at night.

It would be bad if you were way under on a regular basis, because you do need to get enough to fuel your body. If you're only under by 100 and you aren't feeling hungry, it shouldn't be a problem. Don't overthink it - just try to average around your 1400 most of the time and you'll be ok.

dinosnopro

ilovemybuggy

Thanks everyone!

ilovemybuggy

Hey O.P.

awww, not nice!

MizSaz

I'm delighted that you've found a plan that works for you, but not everyone is the same. Eating when I wake up makes me physically ill. Also, if I've put any food into my body, regardless of how long I wait, I get terrible cramps while I'm exercising. I do an 18/6 intermittent fast, and I've lost over 30 pounds doing so, slowly and sustainably. In the time I've been on this plan I've learned a lot more about vitamins, minerals, and proper nutrition in general.

Please don't tell people that unless they are doing it your way, they are doing it wrong. You could politely suggest that it's a helpful method to someone who is struggling, but your diet isn't gospel.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

False.

Meal frequency does not increase or decrease metabolism.

:drinker: It does if you consume regular doses of broscience.

ShaunMc1968

What happens to your metabolism if you read Horse manure?

cordianet

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9155494

BrianSharpe

At this point you have not eaten in 12 hours. So, your metabolism is far passed shutting down. Right now your body is quite literally eating itself (it has gone into a catabolic state, and been this way for awhile). It is doing this because it has to eat to stay alive. Your body is going to eat whether you feed it or not, and in a catabolic state the body is going straight for your muscle not for your fat. It will actually be trying to store more fat b/c it is in survival mode and is preparing for the next time you starve it.

absolute nonsense..............:huh:

Bobby_Clerici

3 meals sure won't cut it for me...I need 5 or 6.
I am not sure about the metabolism question, but it makes sense.
Maybe it's true.
Who cares?
I like to eat, and I need to have great food about 5 times each day, or I go nuts.
And I have science to back me up :drinker:

MissFit0101

:laugh:

imthelobster

LOL