How often do you eat?

BrionyJ92

I was just wondering as my friend says he eats every 3 hours as it keeps your metabolism going, is that better that eating 3 meals and a couple of snacks a day?

Does anyone do the 3 hour thing if so any help would be much appreciated, Thank you

IFlover90

Once.

JayStu

If I am at home I only eat when hungry but at work I do eat every 3 hours. I find I am more hungry when I do that.

KarenJanine

What time of day you eat has no bearing on your metabolism - going without food for a few hours is not going to slow down your metabolism. Indeed many people find that eating breakfast causes them to eat more throughout the day, not less as is often believed.

Eat however frequently suits your lifestyle.

krhn

4-6 meals a day and depends on the size per meal! :happy:

Shadowknight137

Depends when I'm hungry.

LesliePierceRN

Research shows that there is no difference between eating one meal or seven, all other things (total calorie count) equal. That being said, I personally do much better by eating every three hours or so. It keeps my blood sugar stable which decreases my appetite, which causes me to need to eat less total food. Some people need to get full once or twice a day to keep from feeling deprived. Some people increase fiber to sate their appetite, some increase protein.

brit_ks_89

every 2 -3 hours , depending on the amount of food i am gong to eat for that day .

BrionyJ92

Thanks all I'll just carry on doing what Im doing then!

Weighinginwithmy02

I eat every 2-3 hours without ever going over three hours without a meal or a snack. I usually end up right in the 2.5-3 hour range and rarely find myself hungry at the 2 hour mark. I do this to keep my bloodsugar (not metabolism) as steady as possible all day long. Generally I end up eating six times a day but on days that I am up really late into the night, it can be 7. This is how I was taught to eat at the center where I went for help for my food issues (they treat eating disorders and obesity) and I have to say, within the first week of doing this I noticed a big boost in my energy levels and have stuck with it ever since. They also recommended that I eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up to get my bloodsugar balanced after a long 6-8 hours night of sleep with no food.

Keep in mind, I am not perfect, so occasionally I will go over the 3 hours but it is something I strive for every day, to keep in balance.

pcastagner

Not only does recent research specifically show it doesn't matter, the original research cited as a basis for frequent meals never said what the diet gurus interpreted it to mean.


Metabolic rate does increase in response to eating, but as a function of quantity, not frequency. However, reading comprehension has never been a strong suit in fitness gurus. I've noticed that after a workout I'm not as smart, so intelligence could be inversely proportional to frequency of exertion.

XXXMinnieXXX

What ever keeps your hunger levels at bay and makes you feel best is the right way. It doesn't matter for weight loss. For me it varies massively. I eat when I'm hungry.

Zara