Can somebody explain the throught process being eating snack

kcdrake

I've seen a lot of people here advocate eating small snack-like meals every 2-3 hours instead of eating meals.

Why?

I don't see the difference in eating three healthy, well balanced meals and eating 5-6 mini-meals.
Can someone just explain the logic behind it?

Michellerw1

It is really just all about what works for you. I do 6 small meals a day because I find that the longer I wait between meals, the hungrier I am, and the more likely I am to overeat. There are lots of fitness people who debate on either side, and I think it just depends on your personal preference.

hill242

Some people do better if they fit snacks in so they feel less hungry. Maybe they don't feel comfortable eating a higher calorie meal 3 times a day and would rather spread out the calories over the day.

Studies have shown that frequency of meals is not a direct factor in weight loss.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/23/health/23really.html

"As long as total caloric and nutrient intake stays the same, then metabolism, at the end of the day, should stay the same as well. One study that carefully demonstrated this, published in 2009 in The British Journal of Nutrition, involved groups of overweight men and women who were randomly assigned to very strict low-calorie diets and followed for eight weeks. Each subject consumed the same number of calories per day, but one group took in three meals a day and the other six.

"Both groups lost significant and equivalent amounts of weight. There was no difference between them in fat loss, appetite control or measurements of hormones that signal hunger and satiety. Other studies have had similar results.

"For a more reliable metabolic boost, studies show, try exercise."

courtney_love2001

Why not have the best of both world, 3 meals and 1-2 snacks? That's what I do! I am starving by 3pm and eat one then; if I have early class I'll eat a snack at 10am, too.

sassyg

yeah someone people find snacking often, so long as they don't go over their daily calories, best for appetite and calorie control, as it stops them getting to a binge-level hunger.

Personally I find I'm most satisfied with a moderate breakfast ~250-300cal, a large lunch 3 hours later~6-800, and then a modest dinner 6 hours later~4-500 depending on exercise. Adding in snacks doesn't seem to help at all and just increases my total intake. If I don't eat that big lunch, a snack at 3pm just doesn't cut it. but if I do, I make it to 6pm for dinner sweet as.

yazi_livefit

The theory behind eating 5-6 small meals rather than consuming 2-3 large meals is to keep your stomach working thus boosting your metabolism and preventing you to overeat if you get too hungry. When your stomach is working continuously it also burns more calories because it uses more energy. People often compare it to a wood burning fireplace. Adding wood to the fire before the last one burns out completely will keep the fire going and provide you with some nice warm air which means the "fireplace" is working in your benefit.....however, if you don't add wood on time, the fire will die out, the air will cool down and it will take you quite some time until you get the fire started all over again.

Also, eating more often will keep you from starving and overeating later on, its a mind game, your stomach will not growl if it is half full all day long, therefore you will not feel the urge to eat whatever comes your way.

So, keep munching to lose weight

HealthyChanges2010

Eating smaller meals/snacks rather than 3 larger meals helps our blood sugar stay more stabilized throughout the day instead of so many highs and lows. That can help so much with keeping our energy level up, and the way we burn our cals, rather than it dipping after lunch etc. Think about that afternoon or midmorning yawn you sometimes get after a meal and you're ready for a nap.

Another reason someone shared the small meals every 2-2.5 hours is it keeps your metabolism boosted up throughout the day which is something we definitely want to do.

I prefer eating a small combo of carb/protein about every 2.5 hours, each mini-meal broken down into whatever your MFP alloted cals are for the day. Eating this way has really helped with my energy level, and not have to deal with getting too hungry and wanting to binge because of blood sugar drops.

Becca:drinker:

mictur

On my food lifestyle program in order to keep your body in fat burning mode you should eat every 2-3 hours. I do 2 1/2 hrs. So I snack between breakfast and lunch with a Luna bar between 100-200 calories for women and between lunch and dinner I eat a pure protein bar for 50g. Men can have a snack between 100-300 calorie. This keeps you body burning fat constantly that is if you eat your meals correctly.:flowerforyou: