Proponents of 5+ meals a day

stumblinthrulife

Seems to be a lot of this today. This is a serious question - do you have jobs?

I do not see how I could possibly have time to prepare and eat five or six meals a day. And that's with a really flexible job, working from home. I don't see how someone working a retail, service, or manual labor job could be expected to do it at all, unless they had a really super cool boss. Back when I ran a store, I wouldn't have been cool with my staff taking so many 'lunch' breaks during the day, and I like to think I was a pretty easy going boss.

Lifestyle is the single most important factor in determining eating habits. Telling people that it's important to eat six meals a day, when it's simply not possible for them to fit that into their lifestyle, does them a massive disservice, in my opinion.

steph1278

I eat 6 times per day, but not full meals. I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks. My snacks consist of Greek yogurt, fruit, or veggies. Sometimes I have something sweet and more indulgent. I have a full time job and have no problem. I just eat my snacks while I work. It works for me, but everyone is different.

porkchop_13

i dont think i could do it if i didn't have a desk job. Like steph1278 I eat 3 meals and 3 snacks as well. It feels like I'm always eating but then again I'm not starving either

thenewchiz

I say all the time that I don't eat, I graze. I "graze" at least 5 or 6 times a day. But one of those "meals" might be an apple with a little smear of peanut butter, a handful of nuts and raisins, or a BS chicken breast. It doesn't have to be a huge sit down meal. Now...if I could just get myself to log my food better!

kristen6022

Yes, I have a desk job. I keep healthy snacks around and eat at 7am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 5pm and a light snack before bed. Everyday. It's really not that hard.

stumblinthrulife

Yes, I have a desk job. I keep healthy snacks around and eat at 7am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 5pm and a light snack before bed. Everyday. It's really not that hard.

I tried having two lunches, but it just didn't work out for me. I'd either miss the 11am 'lunch 1' and end up having just one lunch, or worse I'd miss the 2pm 'lunch 2', and end up so hungry by dinner time that I started sizing up the family :laugh:

Of course, if it works for you, it's absolutely what you should do. I've just not been able to make it work, and wondered how others did.

RenewedRunner

I eat:

8AM: Breakfast (ODwalla bar, oatmeal, etc)
9:30AM: fruit
11: an egg
12: Lunch
2:30PM: Another egg
5: Dinner

I may insert a snack between the afternoon snack and dinner if I am hungry/just worked out. If I workout after dinner, i may do some piece of protein afterwards. I am a scarfer downer, and I have found that trickle eating has kept me from bingeing at meal times.

(But I work an office job)

taso42

I usually eat about 5 meals a day. I'm a proponent of people eating at a frequency that makes sense and feels right to them.

JossFit

I prepare 3 of my meals the night before and pack them up in my cooler. It's really not that difficult to portion out some chicken and veggies or whatever and reheat them.

stumblinthrulife

I eat:

8AM: Breakfast (ODwalla bar, oatmeal, etc)
9:30AM: fruit
11: an egg
12: Lunch
2:30PM: Another egg
5: Dinner

I may insert a snack between the afternoon snack and dinner if I am hungry/just worked out. If I workout after dinner, i may do some piece of protein afterwards. I am a scarfer downer, and I have found that trickle eating has kept me from bingeing at meal times.

(But I work an office job)

To me, this is just eating three meals a day and snacking (I know you never said it was anything different). I kinda do this. If I'm hungry mid-morning, or mid-afternoon, I snack. A handful of almonds is typically my go-to.

drchimpanzee

1. Protein Shake with peanut butter and almond milk
2. Cheese or cottage cheese snack or some other protein
3. meat and veggie lunch
4. Cheese or cottage cheese snack or some other protein
5. Protein Shake with peanut butter and almond milk
6. Meat and veggie for dinner
7. Maybe some more protein to nibble on. Depends.

Only 3 meals take place at work. First shake is while driving. Lunch is prepared the night before. I do have a desk job so maybe that helps too. Really though how long does it take to eat a couple ounces of cheese? I'm sure plenty of people who "can't eat that many meals a day" are running to the snack machine around 2pm.

tigerblue

I think it's a mindset thing. I definitely eat 5-6 times a day but I think of it as 3 meals plus snacks. I think if I thought of them all as meals, then I might make healthier choices for snacks. I tend to think of a snack as something junky or indulgent! I'm trying to move toward the meal mindset, although I will still just "cook" three meals. The others will have to be convenient! When we cut calories we have to make ALL the ones we eat count nutritionally.

psuLemon

I usually eat about 5 meals a day. I'm a proponent of people eating at a frequency that makes sense and feels right to them.

I laugh at zee 5 mealz a day and raise you three. I average 7-8 meals a day. I have a desk job, I workout for an hour a day, and instead of watching any kind of tv, I prepare my meals for the next day to include breakfast and lunch for work.

taso42

I usually eat about 5 meals a day. I'm a proponent of people eating at a frequency that makes sense and feels right to them.

I laugh at zee 5 mealz a day and raise you three. I average 7-8 meals a day. I have a desk job, I workout for an hour a day, and instead of watching any kind of tv, I prepare my meals for the next day to include breakfast and lunch for work.

Your metabolizms must be supercharged! :drinker:

drchimpanzee

I usually eat about 5 meals a day. I'm a proponent of people eating at a frequency that makes sense and feels right to them.

I laugh at zee 5 mealz a day and raise you three. I average 7-8 meals a day. I have a desk job, I workout for an hour a day, and instead of watching any kind of tv, I prepare my meals for the next day to include breakfast and lunch for work.

THIS THIS THIS!!!! I remember never having time to work out and never being prepared for lunch the next day so I just got fast food. One day I cut off my cable. Guess what, lots of time seemed to magically free up.

Gusman14

I work a full time job (desk work) and go to college full time. I break my day into 3 meals and 3 snacks. The snacks come after the meals but only when I feel hungry and only after I have had at least 4 cups of water since the last meal. I find the snack quantity of food goes down if I have had my 4 cups of water after the meal. So I would not say they are 5+ meals but 5+ feedings. Working out good so far.

366to266

The problem here is the lack of definition of the word "meal". To the OP this seems to mean going to the stove and cooking a balanced meal!

Not so!!!

Get a small Tupperware type box and fill it with food for the day, then pick at it once every 2 hours.

I am on Atkins so in my box you will find

cold roast meats
cherry tomatoes
Polish sausage
hard boiled eggs
cubes of cheese

ClementineGeorg

5+ meals don't have to be a fuss.

On Sunday, you can cook some meals for the next week, like some 300 calories/portion dinners and lunches . You can pack all kind off nuts (buy bulk, weight and save portions) and they can be a meal. Some meals may be yoghurt and fruits which you just get from a fridge and eat. Packing carots and celeries + some hummus for a meal should not take more than 5 minutes (even with peeling and slicing carots). Even with a 9 to 5 job, with 2 hours of commuting, you can grill some chicken everynight and toss a salad. Making a wrap with turey ham, low fat cream cheese and cucumbers is another 5 minutes job (tops).
And so on.

It's just prepation. 5 meals don't have to be 5 very complicated dishes. They can be simple things mostly, with maybe 1-2 elaborate meals.

jackzlukasik

I work in an office so I find it's relatively easy to eat on time most days. I have to eat small things all day or I will binge at some point later in the day and just lost control. My snacks are an egg, an orange, cereal/granola bar, or a small bag of ryvita/sun bites, etc. I find that having those between meals or before bed keeps me from feeling hungry or bingeing at meal time. My breakfast is eaten on the go (normally a homemade quiche muffin all made at the weekend). My lunch is made at the weekend too (slow-cooked stew or sauce with rice or pasta that is cooked the night before and reheated at work). My dinner is toast with lunch meat or naan bread with a spread (taramasalata, cream cheese and salmon). I am running out of the office at some point at least once a day and I think this works great. I find the key is preparing food that can last you all week and having foods you can eat while walking or typing so it doesn't cut into what you already doing. That way you won't need to take more than your usual lunch break.

Cr01502

I usually eat about 5 meals a day. I'm a proponent of people eating at a frequency that makes sense and feels right to them.

I laugh at zee 5 mealz a day and raise you three. I average 7-8 meals a day. I have a desk job, I workout for an hour a day, and instead of watching any kind of tv, I prepare my meals for the next day to include breakfast and lunch for work.

I raise you two more meals.

I sacrifice my time messing around on fitness forums to cook all my meals.

cmriverside

I don't have any rules about this. When I first started losing, I tried the 5-6 planned "meals" . It was exhausting, and I tended to overeat in general, and thought about food all the time.

Now I eat twice a day, sometimes three times...depending on the size of my second meal. I get hungry some days mid-day. Some days, I can just have a tiny snack mid-day...so it depends.

kristina1709

I too eat 5 sometimes 6 "meals" a day. I work a desk job so its easier for me.

Breakfast @ work between 9-930 am (i dont have time to eat at home with getting a 20 month old ready too)
I usually dont eat a mid morning snack during the week because I get so busy time slips away and its already lunch before I realize the time.
Lunch : 1230 or 1
Snack : 3 or 4 pm
Dinner: 630ish
Snack: after workout so between 830/9 pm (recently its been a serving of nuts)

pwnderosa

...my desk drawers are filled with food where the files are supposed to go. Also my workplace encourages eating a lot, so... :drinker:

beccaboo2001

I also work a desk job but I'm in court a lot. I try to pack stuff the night before and then it's easier for me. I also have a little fridge and microwave in my office. I generally eat 3 "meals" a day and snacks.

8a - Jimmy Dean's D'Light's breakfast sandwich
10a - fruit of some kind (usually a banana or grapefruit)
11:30a or 12p - lunch today was soup and cornbread (or leftovers)
may or may not eat a snack in the early afternoon, more likely to eat a snack around 5p because my husband and I eat dinner late.
then 8ish we'll have dinner - protein, veg, and maybe a carb.

KatLifter

I prepare 3 of my meals the night before and pack them up in my cooler. It's really not that difficult to portion out some chicken and veggies or whatever and reheat them.

This. I do almost all of my food prep on Sundays

Breakfast at 7:30 - protein overnight oats
Snack 10:00 - greek yogurt or small bar
Lunch 12:00 - Chicken and veg (sometimes with rice or sweet potato) - I bring Tupperware with portions at the beginning of the week to reheat.
Snack 2:30 - almonds, yogurt, or apple with PB2
Meal 4:30 - Same as 12:00 lunch
Dinner when I get home ~ 8:00 - egg whites and veg, or whatever is in the fridge that is low carb.

RenewedRunner

I dont think people who eat 5 times a day actually eat full meals. (Maybe some do, I dont know). When I think of meals, I think of my larger calorie type eating, like protein/veggie/starch or something like that.

I eat throughout the day, I dont think I could eat all the food if every meal was like dinner! Plus I would run out of calories by snack #2!

KatLifter

I eat throughout the day, I dont think I could eat all the food if every meal was like dinner! Plus I would run out of calories by snack #2!

Haha seriously! The best part about eating frequently, is that when I don't feel deprived of anything, I don't feel the need to binge.
Ooooh I really want a Reese cup? How about I make a chocolate shake with peanut butter? Done!

andread123

I work a desk job (and have a freelance writing/editing business, to boot) and I eat 5-6 meals a day. Like many of the posters said, a lot of the "meals" are something as simple as veggies and hummus, or an apple with almond butter. It's very do-able. I only spend about 10 minutes a night preparing my meals for the following work day (one meal in the morning before work, three meals for work -- I worry about the fifth and sixth meals when I get home). It's great if you're a grazer like me (and I've already about 13 lbs in just over a month).

odddrums

I Teach, so I'm working 6:30-4:30 most days. I eat whenever the kids get a break and whenever I get hungry. Lightish breakfast around 6, some fruit around 9, decent lunch around 12 [I usually make a chicken each weekend, debone it and store it, then put it on a big homemade salad each day. I eat that with some nuts or more fruit] maybe a snack around 2 or 3, go for a jog if I can, then dinner around 5 or 6 or whenever I feel hungry. I try not to eat past 7 or 8, just drink water unless I'm feeling really hungry.

I also keep a water bottle with me all day and fill it up twice or so. Some days I have a big breakfast or big lunch so I cut some snacks. The main thing is I have a pretty regular schedule and I don't force myself to do anything. If I'm hungry, I try to eat something and drink water each time I eat. Listen to your body, it knows what it needs.

stumblinthrulife

Seems like the thing that mislead me here is the term 'meals'. As mentioned by another poster, to me a meal is a balanced, prepared meal.

Eating a handful of almonds, or an apple and some cottage cheese at 11am is (to me) a snack. And it's something that I do routinely - not out of any belief it 'jump starts' anything, but because I'm hungry and if I don't I get crabby and tend to end up yelling at someone at work for doing something stupid :laugh:

So I guess in that sense you can count me as an honorary member of the 'six meals a day' club, only for me it would be meal, snack, meal, snack, meal, snack - and the snacks are completely optional.

Yet more evidence of my theory that 90% of arguments on the internet (and elsewhere for that matter) are caused by differing interpretations of the same data.

lukiealbert

I personally don't see the need in it.... Are we truly to believe that 3 hours later if you have not eaten, you are suddenly kicking into "survival" mode.... this myth has been debunked countless times.