Spacing between meals

jniece55

How long do you all normally space between meals and snacks? Do you all eat breakfast, two hours later snack, two hours later lunch?

Sidesteal

I typically eat my first meal around 1 to 2pm, then I eat the rest of my calories between 6pm and 10pm.

I would absolutely base your meal size and meal frequency around personal preference and lifestyle.

Total intake of calories and macronutrients is critically important. Meal size and frequency isn't.

herillusion

I typically eat my first meal around 1 to 2pm, then I eat the rest of my calories between 6pm and 10pm.

I would absolutely base your meal size and meal frequency around personal preference and lifestyle.

Total intake of calories and macronutrients is critically important. Meal size and frequency isn't.

See now I had a personal trainer who told me otherwise. I didn't stick with it long enough but I've seen other clients that have been successful. He said to eat meals no more than 500 calories. Have nothing with calories in it for 2 hours. Something about the body can burn off 500 calories in a 2 hour period with normal daily activity and that it will help you to not gain weight. And drinking lots of water when you feel hungry during those 2 hours periods.

confettibetti

I eat at around 8am,10am, 12pm, 3pm, and 6pm every day!

RGv2

I space about 2 hrs in between. A good rule of thumb is to eat for the activity that there will be in that 2hrs.

heygurlheyyyy

Do it however works best for your stomach and schedule. I asked my dietician about this a month or so ago since I've heard mixed things (eat 6 times a day, 3 times a day, etc.) She personally prefers 3 meals, 2 snacks, but said that other dieticians/nutritionists/trainers may have a different POV. I aim for 4-5 and it has worked out pretty well. Sometimes I make it 4 or 5 hours between meals/snacks and sometimes its more like 1-2. Depends on what I eat. And I drink TONS of water, so I guess that helps? I don't drink it to keep me from being hungry, but I suppose it may serve that function, too.

lauren3382

I love to eat, so I only have about 2-3 hours between my meals and each meal is about the same size. It's what works for me because I'm constantly eating so I rarely hit the point of being so hungry that I make poor choices.

Bonnyr1971

I eat 5 small meals a day as suggested by my nutritionist. I eat at 7am,10am,12:15pm, 2:15pm and then dinner about 6pm all each meal between 200-250 calories

trophywife24

It's easy for me to basically keep the same schedule because I stay at home with my kiddos but I typically eat 8am, 10am, noon, 3pm and 6pm every day. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, and sometimes a snack of scoop of protein powder if I'm hungry before bed. I hate to be hungry, it sort of turns me into the Hulk.

ZugTheMegasaurus

It's nothing more than personal preference.

For me, eating every few hours makes me miserable; I get irritable, depressed, and feel ravenously hungry all day. So instead, I usually eat my first meal around 12-1PM and my second around 8-10PM (depending on my schedule). In the middle, I'll only have coffee and maybe some fruit. That schedule wouldn't work for a lot of people, but it works incredibly well for me.

Do what works. There is no singular answer as to what that is for everyone. If you feel good and see the effects you want, do it.

Vansy

My daily schedule is basically:
530AM
830-9AM
1130AM-12PM
230-3PM
530-630PM

I try to keep about 3 hours between meals, and all my meals are approximately 300 calories, give or take a few. Dinner usually ends up with more than a 3 hour gap because of being busy after work (working out, running, walking, showering, preparing meals for the next day, etc.).

mamamc03

I eat at around 8am,10am, 12pm, 3pm, and 6pm every day!

Exactly this!! I have to, otherwise I feel ravenous and WILL make bad choices.

cjc166

I eat at 7AM, 12PM, 6PM, and I don't snack in between, also, I'm not hungry between meals. If you follow "Eat to Live", you will not feel like you need to eat as frequently because you're not detoxing from addictive foods in between meals.

BerryH

When you eat makes no difference whatsoever to your weight loss unless you leave it so long you're ravenous and make bad food choices.

robin52077

I would absolutely base your meal size and meal frequency around personal preference and lifestyle.

Total intake of calories and macronutrients is critically important. Meal size and frequency isn't.

this. 100%

FireBrand80

I typically eat my first meal around 1 to 2pm, then I eat the rest of my calories between 6pm and 10pm.

I would absolutely base your meal size and meal frequency around personal preference and lifestyle.

Total intake of calories and macronutrients is critically important. Meal size and frequency isn't.

See now I had a personal trainer who told me otherwise. I didn't stick with it long enough but I've seen other clients that have been successful. He said to eat meals no more than 500 calories. Have nothing with calories in it for 2 hours. Something about the body can burn off 500 calories in a 2 hour period with normal daily activity and that it will help you to not gain weight. And drinking lots of water when you feel hungry during those 2 hours periods.

That trainer has no idea what he's talking about.

vypeters

I like eating small amounts often. I eat 6 to 8 times a day but generally only three of these are more than 200 calories at a time. I don't eat anything that most folks would consider a full meal.

Now, a disclaimer: There's no scientific evidence that this way of eating is "better" or revs up your metabolism. I just like to eat this way.

Raynne413

I eat whenever I get hungry. Usually, that's about 9:30 am, 11-12, 2-3, and then I end up eating dinner around 8-9 (because I get off work at 4:30 and I'm working out from about 5:15-7:30).

jniece55

Thank you all for your meal schedules!

Athijade

It is ALL personal preference! So, do what works best for you.

There is no scientific evidence that meal timing and frequency have a long term impact on weight loss. Most of the studies out there might show a psychological difference. For example, some people find having multiple smaller meals keeps them from binging.... but not everyone HAS issues with binging so it wouldn't make a difference to them. Find what works for you and do that.

For example on my normal days I do:
Small Breakfast (<200cal) before my workout (usually a hard boiled egg and almond milk)
Lunch (300-600cal depending on pre logged dinner calories) at about noon
Snack (<300cal) at about 3PM (usually almonds and string cheese or fruit)
Dinner (calories depend on what's for dinner) at about 6PM
Snack (<250cal) at about 9PM (greek yogurt, ice cream, apple with peanut butter, or strawberries with whipped cream and graham crackers

But that is what works for me and I might skip breakfast if I don't work out or skip one of the snacks if I have a bigger dinner planned or I am just not hungry.

xshortiex

I eat when I get hungry, which is usually every 2-3, sometimes 4 hours. I keep each "meal" small, like a good-sized snack instead of a full meal. And I eat clean.