Help needed please

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smilesalot1969
smilesalot1969 Posts: 392
in Food and Nutrition
After talking to my trainer today he has recommended i eat six small meals per day as a pose to the three i have always eaten before. The problem is i have no idea what or how much to be eating at any of them. i figured out i can easily break it down to eating at 7.30am, 10.30, 1.30pm, 4.30, 7.30 and 9pm but is it 3 meals and three snacks or is it meant to be three actual meals?? i could really use some help here please if anyone would mind??

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  • stronglikebull
    stronglikebull Posts: 402
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    you should probably ask your trainer to clarify what he meant and ask him for more specific information, as he is the one that knows what he meant.
  • christinedeckert
    christinedeckert Posts: 2
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    What works for me is not being so regimented in your eating...think of it as 'grazing' throughout the day, small items other than your meals to snack on (nuts/ fruit/ yogurt). This keeps your metabolism working contantly and will help with weight loss:)
  • DawnB86
    DawnB86 Posts: 99 Member
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    Six meals a day means 3 regular meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and three snacks, 1 after breakfast, 1 after lunch and 1 after dinner.
    A meal is any time you eat, be it a large meal or an apple. Very different way of thinking but it helped me a lot. I'm not as hungry throughout the day and my energy level is way up. Good luck!
  • whiteheaddg
    whiteheaddg Posts: 325 Member
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    I aim for five (unless you count a nightly glass of wine as meal #6). Basically, I toned down B/L/D and added the calories back to a snack between the major meals. I also prepare nearly everything the night before to help keep me on track for the next day. This works for me and was simple to implement.

    Best of luck!
  • jpohoney
    jpohoney Posts: 66 Member
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    What i have done is 3 meals that take more work and then 3 snack like meals like veggies and humus, apple and almonds. but always a lean protein with a complex carb is kind of how I break it down.
  • iowamamaof3
    iowamamaof3 Posts: 9
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    I like to take my 1200 cals and divide it by 6. I try to eat around 200 cals each time. Or do about 300 for a meal 3x and then in between eat a 100 cal snack.
    If I eat carbs I do it earlier in the day and by end NO carbs.
  • rrhaigh
    rrhaigh Posts: 1
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    Just divide your total calories for the day and figure out what you want to eat to stay within those calories. Then figure out what you want to eat at each of the six times. That works for me. You can have 3 meals and 3 snacks or six equal meals. However you want to divide the calories up.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    I read something recently that said the difference between meals and snacks is in the macros... a meal should have protein, fat and carbs. So instead of, say, just fruit and veg (no protein), or chicken breast and fruit (no fat), eat something with all three.
  • smilesalot1969
    smilesalot1969 Posts: 392
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    thanks everyone i think i'll go with the three meals plus snacks option i'll get too confused trying to divide it all down into 6 actual meals. Its just a way to reset my metabolism so that my body knows food is always going to be coming :D its a bit different but i can try it
  • vinstevel
    vinstevel Posts: 63
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    I have noticed I eat smaller portions and more often if I only eat one thing at a time. (or one thing an a piece of fruit) So I guess I mean that I eat 6 snacks a day. For me its a mental thing. a "meal" means eat a lot in my head. Now I just try to eat when I am hungry or if I have gone more than 4 hours without something. Seems to be working.

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