Eating every couple of hours??

doodlebug7531
doodlebug7531 Posts: 20
in Food and Nutrition
My husband swears by eating every couple of hours and I'm of the mindset that I'll eat when I'm hungry. I don't always eat first thing in the morning, most days its about 11 or 11:30. But by the end of the day, I do have all my calories in minus about half of my workout calories. Do you find that it's better to his way? Or does it matter when you eat?
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Replies

  • jsiricos
    jsiricos Posts: 340 Member
    every few hours here, never liked eating before, its starting to get to me
  • tasson
    tasson Posts: 37
    My 17 year old son tells me that I should 5 times a day including dinner, which I often skip. I eat a good breakfast at the same time every morning and then snack on fruit before and after my regularly time lunch. I find that this works for me.
  • bpn80
    bpn80 Posts: 43
    I think it's different for everyone. I need to eat every few hours or my blood sugar crashes, but my husband could go all day without eating and not even notice! Sounds like you are doing the right thing by listening to your body.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    Whatever works better for you. Personally, I like eating a bit more often... if I let myself get really hungry I'll eat everything in the house. But bigger picture, as long as you are hitting your calorie/macro goals, it doesn't matter if you eat every hour or if you eat 1 big meal at 11pm.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    Everyone is different.

    I eat every few hours now.. but I do it becuase if I don't I will forget to eat and completly miss my goal.

    I find I do feel better when I eat more often and when I eat in the morning and when I eat more in the morning. Although I am currently trying to spread it out a little more because I work out in the afternoon.
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    I like eating 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day. My problem before was that I would wait too long in between meals and end up binging. This keeps me in check and I eat when I start to get hungry, not when I'm absolutely ravenous. I've had a lot of success with this, but it's totally personal preference.
  • 4_Lisa
    4_Lisa Posts: 362 Member
    I was one who never ate, I could go all day and not notice, hubby would come home and ask if I'd eaten and often the answer was no (even though I was feeding kids). Since I started having a protein shake in the morning, I forced myself for a long time to eat every few hours (I couldn't make my calorie intake otherwise) now I am getting that little hunger pang every few hours, so my metabolism is starting to pick up. That is just me though, I have to retrain myself as I pretty much killed my metabolic rate with ED as a teen.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    It really does not matter when you eat. There is the old diet myth of 6-8 small meals a day but it is just that...a myth. Eat in whatever manner works best for you where you don't get hungry. You and your husband may be on the same page or totally different, every body works differently. For me, I prefer three meals a day with dinner being the biggest meal, plus a couple of light snacks throughout the day.
  • capnrus789
    capnrus789 Posts: 2,736 Member
    I eat 5-6 a day, works great. I don't feel right when I eat larger meals anymore. Had a crazy big breakfast last weekend at about 8am. Felt full, and like absolute CRAP for most of the rest of the day. Went for a run at 6pm (still no more food), and ate a sadad at about 8. Crappy day. I'll keep my 5-6 meal routine going because it works for me.
  • marj4542
    marj4542 Posts: 1
    I think it's a good idea to eat every couple of hours. Keeps your metabolism running on high and tends to help with over eating.
  • Bronx_Montgomery
    Bronx_Montgomery Posts: 2,284 Member
    Eating every 2 1/2 to 3 hours keeps your metabolism running. It is a good way to stay healthy and lose weight.
  • MidwestAngel
    MidwestAngel Posts: 1,897 Member
    I think it's a good idea to eat every couple of hours. Keeps your metabolism running on high and tends to help with over eating.
    Doesn't do anything for your metabolism. It might help with over eating though. Just eat when you want and stay under your calorie goal. Your body doesn't care what time it is or how often you are eating.
  • srcardinal10
    srcardinal10 Posts: 387 Member
    I eat every 2-3 hours and still lose weight. To each their own.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    Whatever fits your lifestyle and allows you to reach your calorie and exercise goals is what you should do. Whether it be 50 cals every 30 minutes, 300 cals every 3 hours, 500 cals every 5 hours, or a one a day trough of baked beans with a dead dog at each end for garnish.

    There's no point in trying to eat six meals a day if the reality is that it means it doesn't fit your lifestyle and you end up missing meals and then overeating at the next one. Tell your son and husband that just because it works for them, doesn't mean it works for you, and you'll get your calories your way.
  • jdholland5508
    jdholland5508 Posts: 162 Member
    Whatever works better for you. Personally, I like eating a bit more often... if I let myself get really hungry I'll eat everything in the house. But bigger picture, as long as you are hitting your calorie/macro goals, it doesn't matter if you eat every hour or if you eat 1 big meal at 11pm.

    ^^^ agree completely

    I lost all my weight eating only between the hours of 2pm and 11pm. Do whatever makes sticking with your plan the easiest.
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
    you should eat 3 main meals every day and Breakfast IS the MOST important! Then 3 snacks in between.

    read Forks Over Knives.
  • staciarose13
    staciarose13 Posts: 51 Member
    I think it's different for everyone. I need to eat every few hours or my blood sugar crashes, but my husband could go all day without eating and not even notice! Sounds like you are doing the right thing by listening to your body.

    Same here!
  • becky6m
    becky6m Posts: 108 Member
    I did the not eating exercise calories back, only eating when I was hungry thing and I did lose weight but there were times when I would get light headed and have no energy. Now that I do eat back most of my exercise calories and eat 5 times a day I no longer get the side effects and the weight is still coming off. If you are experiencing this I would say eat, even if it is small.
  • Maris_Swan
    Maris_Swan Posts: 197 Member
    I think it varies from person to person. For me, I need to eat every couple of hours or my blood sugar crashes. I have gotten used to having 3 meals and 2 snacks everyday. I also make sure I drink enough water, too.
  • jennifer_417
    jennifer_417 Posts: 12,344 Member
    I don't think one way is better than the other. We're all different. Do what works for you.
  • HartJames
    HartJames Posts: 789 Member
    It's whatever works for you. Personally, I eat 5-6 times a day

    6-9
    9-12
    12-3
    3-6
    6-9
    9-12
  • Missyah24
    Missyah24 Posts: 4
    I read a nutrition book that suggested eating something, even if it's just 100 calories, within 30-60 minutes of waking up and i find that i eat a lot less later at night when i stick to that. It's really hard for me though because with work mornings are always crazy busy for me and even with the best intentions it's so hard. Definitely think drinking water and following your bodies cues is the best way to go :smile:
  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
    I think whatever works for you is best. I feel there's no sense in eating when you're not hungry, really. And I saw a medical report on the news a while back, that eating at night isn't bad for you, it's moreso the food choices people make at night (i.e. when they're watching TV or something, they'll pick bad choices like junky snacks). So if you're going to eat at night, choose something healthy.
  • sigsby
    sigsby Posts: 220 Member
    I probably eat six times a day. Three meals and three snacks. I do it sincce I am cutting calories. It helps me full full longer. I snack on fresh fruit or celery sticks. Some evenings I'll have popcorn.

    I do it that way because it works for me. I don't do it because it supposedly speeds up your metabilism.

    Count your calories to control your weight. Watch your macronutrients and not your micronutirents. Unless you have a medical condition that requires you do. Exercise to be fit and not to burn calories.

    Don't get caught up in the information overload game. :smile:
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    you should eat 3 main meals every day and Breakfast IS the MOST important! Then 3 snacks in between.

    read Forks Over Knives.

    MY way is the ONLY way, and everyone else should conform to it, because I read a book about it.

    Please, you're just as bad as people saying that you must eat 6 small meals a day. This forum is full of anecdotal evidence that people with hugely varying lifestyles can all lose weight effectively. There is no magic number of meals, or snacks, or meal frequency, and there is no one meal that is vitally important.
  • DavPul
    DavPul Posts: 61,406 Member
    completely your choice. some people like 1 or 2 huge meals, others like to stave off the hunger pangs by eating every few hours. either way works just fine.

    choose the one that best fits your lifestyle
  • nursemarie162
    nursemarie162 Posts: 59
    Personally, I have started in the last couple of weeks eating every couple of hours and I have had success. I eat my heavier meals in the morning and lunch and try to keep dinner kind of light.
  • metacognition
    metacognition Posts: 626 Member
    I can't succeed at my program without eating every couple of hours.

    I love the taste of food, and eating keeps me from feeling like I'm starving or dropping my blood sugar too low.

    I honestly don't know how I can ever eat just three meals a day. When I was fat, I would eat large meals of unhealthy foods, then just sit around for five hours or so until I felt hungry again. Very little energy, and a very heavy feeling.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I eat 5 - 6 times per day. I don't know that it really has any impact on my weight loss/metabolism, etc other than when I don't get my snacks I can feel my blood sugar getting all wonky and i get really irritable. If I miss my snacks I also tend to over eat on my meals because I want to hit my calorie goals...not necessarily over my allowed calories, but over what my stomach is now capable of holding at one time. It always makes me tired and I feel all bloated and just generally rotten.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
    My husband swears by eating every couple of hours and I'm of the mindset that I'll eat when I'm hungry. I don't always eat first thing in the morning, most days its about 11 or 11:30. But by the end of the day, I do have all my calories in minus about half of my workout calories. Do you find that it's better to his way? Or does it matter when you eat?

    What you are doing is just fine. There is absolutely no metabolic benefit to eating 5 or 6 times per day. I find with afternoon or evening workouts I do best when skipping breakfast. If I workout in the morning I usually have a 400-600 cal breakfast. Nothing special about breakfast, in fact its probably more important to focus on dinner as it has to supply protein to your body for your overnight fast. www.leangains.com for a lot of information on this topic.

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