5-6 meals / day. - anyone have success with doing this?

wdwgirl3

Hi there.
this week I changed the settings in my food diary to 6 meals / day.thought I would give it a try and see how it works out. I have a 1800 cal limit. I am hearing / reading such conflicting information on how to do this, how many hours in between eating, cal limit per meal., how it affects blood sugar.... It's Just a little confusing. I work out 3 times a week with my trainer and 1 to 2 days on my own . Lift weights, and cardio. Anyone currently trying this method and working, not working?? Any suggestions./tips would be great! Thanks

BurtHuttz

My diary is not set to reflect 5 to 6 meals a day, however I do eat about that frequently and log the in-betweens as snacks. 1800 sounds like a very healthy limit.

But really, the reason I eat five or six times a day is because that is how frequently I get hungry. Satisfying hunger keeps me from getting TOO hungry and then overeating.

Don't worry too much about hours between eating and calorie limits per meal, etc. Your body is your body and generic rules will only be so helpful. A little bit of trial and error over the course of a month or two should help you get into a routine you're comfortable with, and as long as you're at your daily target cals or below, you should see results.

glubben

I eat 6 times a day. I would call them all meals. 3 meals and 3 snacks. I try to eat every 2-3 hours to keep my metabolism going. it could be somthing a simple as an orange for a snack. The hardest part is remebering to eat when you get busy.

nexangelus

I prefer eating smaller and more frequently, it suits me perfectly and helps stop hunger pangs : )

jbdowns35

This is the only way I've ever been able to shed weight & get healthier. It just does the trick for me. I suggest you read Chris Powell's book - Chose to Loose. I recently started his plan which involves eating 5 times a day. You alternate High Carb days & Low Carb days & have one 'free day' each week. I'm really enjoying it. But even if you decide not to follow the plan, I still recommend reading his book. It has helped in my understanding of how our bodies work - how our metabolisms function in relation to how much we eat, what we eat & how often.

cprough

I do not eat 5 or 6 MEALS a day..... but I am a sncaker. I eat 3 meals (2 lite meals and 1 good one) but I have my snacks in between. I try to make the snacks healthy, like fruit, cheese or yogert. So, I guess it works out to about the same thing as 5 or 6 small meals a day.

cprough

good idea. I wm going to read the book. Need all of the motovation that I can get.

RangerJess

I would love to have 5-6 meals a day. Unfortunately I work with the public and we have a very strict "no eating in front of people" rule at work so I'm stuck with the 3 meals. I do snack a lot - probably more than I should!

jessicamc90

Yes I am the same I have 3 meals and try to snack healthy in between such as fruit

FullOfWin

miracole

my food diary is set up this way. I eat approximately 2000-2200 calories a day and average a 700 cal burn from exercise every day, so my MFP limit is set at 1500 cals.

This is my third week with this setup so far, I've dropped 4 lbs in the first 2 weeks and have been feeling a lot better in general, much more energy for my marathon training. Feel free to add me if you want to take a look at my food habits.

mizzie1980

I wouldn't say that I eat 5 meals a day. I eat the typical 3, but I do have at least 2 snacks daily, so it's really the same thing. The idea is that you 1) keep your metabolism going and 2) don't get as hungry so you don't have the urge to overeat when you do eat. It's really this second reason that I do it. If I don't eat anything between breakfast and lunch, I tend to eat the rest of my calories at lunch which puts me over after dinner.

The key to remember is that the 5 or 6 "meals" just means you eat 5 or 6 times. It DOESN'T mean 5 or 6 500 calorie meals. So long as you stay within your calories goals, it doesn't really matter one way or the other how often you eat it. Do what works for you.

SALSACHICA1

A long time ago I did the 6 meals a day and lost 10lbs in 2 weeks. I would say it works as long as you are eating GOOD food at each meal. I currently am good to get 3 in me due to time but I try to do my snacks when I can. How do you change it to be 6 meals on MFP?

jeanine89

When I first started I did the whole 5 meals a day for about a year. But as you go on for a long time on a diet you will then not have so many food cravings thru-out the day. I still have days when I eat snacks SMALL snacks. I have been dieting for a long time now its been a slow yet steady journey. Lots of stoping and starting back on the diet. It does work to eat like this but it's also sometimes hard to get that many times to eat during the day. GL
SW 286
CW 193

stonel94

I have my food diary as breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, post workout, and desert. So I have breakfast (yogurt or oatmeal usually), lunch (some form of protein), and then I have snacks, and I have a protein shake post workout, and then I have dinner, and I have some kind of dessert (chocolate, ice cream, fruit, whatever I want as long as it fits macros and calories). So I do eat pretty often, but not like meals, like I might have breakfast, lunch, then some almonds and fruit, then workout, and then have my shake, and then have some veggies and dip or popcorn or a yogurt or something, and then have dinner, and then a while after dinner have my dessert. This way I'm not getting hungry all the time and I'm not wanting to snack more or eat more at meals. But lately I've been busy and with friends, and it was my birthday, so I did more like the 2 or 3 bigger meals, and that was fine for me too. But I think eating more frequently, whether it really does help speed up your metabolism, is important because then you won't get really hungry and overeat. What I do is try to know what Im having for my meals, like at school I look at the menu for the day and choose stuff, and at home I find out what the options are for lunch and what is for dinner, and I add all that stuff in, and see what I need more of, and then design my snacks around that. If I need fat and or protein I have nuts, if I need carbs popcorn, if I need protein but no fat, nonfat yogurt. Stuff like this.

Sarauk2sf

Eat as many or few meals a day as you like based on adherence, energy levels and gym performance. From a direct weight loss perspective, intra-day meal timing is irrelevent.

wdwgirl3

This is the only way I've ever been able to shed weight & get healthier. It just does the trick for me. I suggest you read Chris Powell's book - Chose to Loose. I recently started his plan which involves eating 5 times a day. You alternate High Carb days & Low Carb days & have one 'free day' each week. I'm really enjoying it. But even if you decide not to follow the plan, I still recommend reading his book. It has helped in my understanding of how our bodies work - how our metabolisms function in relation to how much we eat, what we eat & how often.

Thanks for the tip ... I will for sure check t his book

FullOfWin

Eating several small meals to keep your metabolism going is a long ago debunked myth. Meal timing and frequency is irrelavent. Hit your macros and calories for the day every day in whatever manner you like.

wdwgirl3

my food diary is set up this way. I eat approximately 2000-2200 calories a day and average a 700 cal burn from exercise every day, so my MFP limit is set at 1500 cals.

This is my third week with this setup so far, I've dropped 4 lbs in the first 2 weeks and have been feeling a lot better in general, much more energy for my marathon training. Feel free to add me if you want to take a look at my food habits.

Thank you! I will

thecanface

I eat like this.. of course they're small meals and i make sure i'm within calories, but i prefer eating all day when i feel hungry, than eating a few times and thinking about food even when i'm not hungry.

taso42

Eat as many or few meals a day as you like based on adherence, energy levels and gym performance. From a direct weight loss perspective, intra-day meal timing is irrelevent.

this

marycmeadows

I have been doing this for two years. it works.

wdwgirl3

I would love to have 5-6 meals a day. Unfortunately I work with the public and we have a very strict "no eating in front of people" rule at work so I'm stuck with the 3 meals. I do snack a lot - probably more than I should!

That is too bad! I work from home, so it will be easier.

serenapitala

But really, the reason I eat five or six times a day is because that is how frequently I get hungry. Satisfying hunger keeps me from getting TOO hungry and then overeating.

I eat about five times a day for this reason. It works for me, but it probably wouldn't work for everyone. Follow your body.

Confuzzled4ever

I dont' know what I do. My "breakfast" means I ate it before 11am usually. lol. Usually take it with me to work and eat at my desk..

If i'm still hungry I eat more and list it as snacks.

Lunch is usually 12 30 or 1. i usually eat leftovers or something ith some protein in it. Usually dont' snack too much in the afternoon.. Of course if I'm hungry i'll have something.

Dinner is dinner and after the gym. I load up on protein and veggies.

Usually i'm satisfied after that and dont' want anymore.

So however many meals that is, that's my usual habits.

it's less about when and how often and more about what you eat.

Bravand

Everyone is different and 5-6 meals per day didn't work for me as it left me hungry between each meal resulting in more calories in. Therefore, I went to Intermittent Fasting which has a ton of health benefits. Basically, I eat between 11am to 7pm. I am never hungry in the mornings anymore and I no longer have late night snack urges. Due to the fast, I fill up easily and can have large meals if I choose. As far as metabolism goes, 5-6 meals per day will enhance your metabolism no more than 2 large meals per day will. The "keep the furnace burning" is total B.S. and propaganda. Your metabolism changes in relation to the size of the meal so small meals barely have in impact on it and large meals affect it largely. Growth hormone is released after about 14 hours of fasting, once again boosting metabolism. Studies also report that Intermittent fasting allows you to lose 90% fat rather than 75% fat on a eat often schedule. So if keeping muscle is important for you, IF is the way to go. If being healthy, IF is the way to go. The first few mornings sucked but after about 3 days, I no longer have hunger pains all morning long. As a matter of fact, I have to remind myself to eat because it is "time" . 5 - 6 meals a day leaves me hungry all day long and that does me no good whatsoever.

wdwgirl3

A long time ago I did the 6 meals a day and lost 10lbs in 2 weeks. I would say it works as long as you are eating GOOD food at each meal. I currently am good to get 3 in me due to time but I try to do my snacks when I can. How do you change it to be 6 meals on MFP?

Under the food diary, go to settings on the far right hand side:)

T1mH

I changed my food diary labels to reflect time slots instead of meal names. Now I can look back and see what I ate when instead of putting snacks at the end when I might eat them through out the day. This has helped me identify what I'm eating in the evening, when often I'm eating because I'm bored instead of because I'm hungry.

I eat often, I don't know whether to call it small meals or call it snacking. This keeps me from being hungry and helps me stay under my calorie goal for the day. There are people on this site who claim to eat 1 meal a day and very little to nothing the rest of the day. You have to do what works for you. It's your daily intake that matters.

For normal people meal timing has no significant impact and eating many small meals to boost your metabolism is a myth. What I mean by normal people is not competition body builders or elite athletes or people with special dietary needs or illness like diabetes.

Sarauk2sf

Everyone is different and 5-6 meals per day didn't work for me as it left me hungry between each meal resulting in more calories in. Therefore, I went to Intermittent Fasting which has a ton of health benefits. Basically, I eat between 11am to 7pm. I am never hungry in the mornings anymore and I no longer have late night snack urges. Due to the fast, I fill up easily and can have large meals if I choose. As far as metabolism goes, 5-6 meals per day will enhance your metabolism no more than 2 large meals per day will. The "keep the furnace burning" is total B.S. and propaganda. Your metabolism changes in relation to the size of the meal so small meals barely have in impact on it and large meals affect it largely. Growth hormone is released after about 14 hours of fasting, once again boosting metabolism. Studies also report that Intermittent fasting allows you to lose 90% fat rather than 75% fat on a eat often schedule. So if keeping muscle is important for you, IF is the way to go. If being healthy, IF is the way to go. The first few mornings sucked but after about 3 days, I no longer have hunger pains all morning long. As a matter of fact, I have to remind myself to eat because it is "time" . 5 - 6 meals a day leaves me hungry all day long and that does me no good whatsoever.

I would like to see these studies you mention.

kathyhull

I have found it to work for me - very small portions ever 2 -3 hours so I'm never hungry, never feel deprived. I do eat a pretty big breakfast first thing in the morning with lots of chopped onions, green pepers, mushrooms, spinach, 1/2 cup of egg beaters and sometimes a small potato chopped up in it too, other times a little bowl of oatmeal with it. The fiber and protein helps me stay full longer. Then the rest of the day is 1/2 an apple, a light cheese stick, a bunch of baby carrots, a lite yogurt, an ounce of nuts - all spreadout through out the day. Dinner is usually a vegie and piece of meat - a chicken breast or a pork chop. I lke to "graze" though out the day.

T1mH

Growth hormone is released after about 14 hours of fasting, once again boosting metabolism. Studies also report that Intermittent fasting allows you to lose 90% fat rather than 75% fat on a eat often schedule. So if keeping muscle is important for you, IF is the way to go. If being healthy, IF is the way to go. The first few mornings sucked but after about 3 days, I no longer have hunger pains all morning long. As a matter of fact, I have to remind myself to eat because it is "time" . 5 - 6 meals a day leaves me hungry all day long and that does me no good whatsoever.

What studies? What defines intermittent fasting? You've been doing this 3 days and you want to declare it the way to go? You know it keeps muscle from personal experience? You know it's made you healthier? I don't believe that you have to remind yourself to eat.

To the OP you have to do what works for you and not get caught up in the latest metabolic boosting myth.

By the way, I intermittent fast, I don't eat anything between midnight and 7am.