Question: 3 meals a day or several small meals a day?

mtngirl01

Which is better? I have heard both ways are beneficial. It is hard to not go over my daily calorie goal if I do several small meals a day. Any tips as to which was is better? Thanks!

eldesteragonchic

I've heard smaller more frequent meals are better for you because you're spreading out your calorie intake, allowing time to digest, and then being active between meals. I prefer a small meals with low calorie count and protein bars and fruit in between.

SideSteel

Which is better? I have heard both ways are beneficial. It is hard to not go over my daily calorie goal if I do several small meals a day. Any tips as to which was is better? Thanks!

I would choose whichever one gives you the best:

1) enjoyment/personal satisfaction
2) gym performance
3) ability to adhere to your end-of-day nutritional goals.
(and if you have any medical need to use a certain meal frequency that obviously you should include that in your criteria)

Factors outside of the above aren't likely to matter to any significant degree. (At least, none that I can think of)

alpine1994

I eat several small meals only because it's a preference. I have to work out on a nearly empty stomach otherwise I get nauseous, so if I eat large meals it's really hard for me to get through a workout. It also keeps me from getting REALLY hungry and overeating when I finally can eat again. My coworkers must think I'm nuts since I'm walking to the kitchen every 2-3 hours, but it's the only way that I can stick to my calories and fitness goals and I've lost weight successfully.

devilwhiterose

I eat throughout the day. Not necessarily a "meal" per se.

I eat an on-the-go breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack.

melsinct

There is no "better". Contrary to myths that people keep perpetuating, little meals are no more beneficial to weight loss than 3 meals a day. Go whatever route keeps you more satisfied.

I personally am a 3 meals a day plus a snack or two kind of girl.

rosesamantha43

The last time I counted calories I lost 30lbs very quickly..............I am just stating again after i had my daughter and have alot more then that to lose...............what worked best for me and my sister was eating 3 small meals with healthy snacks in between.....it keeps your metabolism going strong all day....and the health snack in between meals makes up for being hungry soon after a small meal................................here is an example........say you wake up at 8 am and have one cup of special K cereal and a banana.....at 10am you eat a yougurt.......Noon you have luch.....lets say a turkey sandwich and a fruit (or any meal 300 to 400 calories)...2pm you have a little snack....(100 calories or less).........and at 5pm you have a healthy dinner.........................you are eating all day but still under your calorie intake and ur matabolism will be kicking strong

psuLemon

It doesn't matter.. See below.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985

"We conclude that increasing MF does not promote greater body weight loss under the conditions described in the present study."


ps- I eat 6-8 times a day.

T1mH

I'm a constant eater. Trying to make healhy choices.

fightininggirl

this!
I've heard smaller more frequent meals are better for you because you're spreading out your calorie intake, allowing time to digest, and then being active between meals. I prefer a small meals with low calorie count and protein bars and fruit in between.

janet0513

Whatever makes you happy and will keep you on track. I tend to be a muncher during the work week and snack a lot. On the weekends, my food tends to be just at meals.

BurtHuttz

I eat around five times a day. Each time, it's when I start feeling hungry, so that I don't get too hungry, and then eat a walrus. You know, this time of year, it's the holidays, people are always bringing sea-bound mammals into the office to share, and you're always like, jesus christ, debbie, not ANOTHER walrus, and she says it was a leftover walrus from the houseparty she had last week, and doesn't want it to go bad, ugh. I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

fitacct

What has worked for me is three small meals a day with three snacks, mid-morning, afternoon, evening.

runfatmanrun

I prefer 6 meals a day. But like I have seen posted already, it really doesn't matter. As long as you meet your cal goal.

ChristyRunStarr

I'd probably be a b!tch if I only ate 3 meals a day lol This is what I do:

before or after I work out (sometimes both depending on what I'm doing that day)
breakfast
a morning snack
lunch
afternoon snack
dinner

Everyone's different so do what works for YOU not what others report in articles

edited cause i forgot b!tch gets edited lol

markpmc

Meal timing is pretty mush a discredited approach. 5-6 meals/day does help keep you from feeling hungry when running a deficit IMO.

Eat when you're hungry as your schedule allows.

anfernyy

personal preference imo. i believe in feeding your body when you need it rather than have a set time for every meal unless you are prepping for a competition. eatting every couple hours can be very inconvenient so i prefer to eat when my body needs food or when i get hungry. example for me would be breakfast,preworkout meal, post workout meal, dinner. but meeting your calorie goal for the day i feel is the most important

devilwhiterose

I eat around five times a day. Each time, it's when I start feeling hungry, so that I don't get too hungry, and then eat a walrus. You know, this time of year, it's the holidays, people are always bringing sea-bound mammals into the office to share, and you're always like, jesus christ, debbie, not ANOTHER walrus, and she says it was a leftover walrus from the houseparty she had last week, and doesn't want it to go bad, ugh. I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

Literal LOL.

amonkey794

I only eat between like 7pm-11pm. It really doesn't matter.

happilyeveractive

I guess it depends on your schedule. I'm a teacher so it really makes it hard to eat several small meals when you constantly have kids and tutor before/after school. In the summer I eat several small meals when I do part-time summer school and tutoring. During the school year 3 meals is what works with my life.

links_slayer

I personally am a 3 meals a day plus a snack or two kind of girl.

Same here....except the girl part.