Eating Less amounts more times daily

Some days I have two big meals, other days I snack throughout the whole damn day.. I try to not restrict myself. If I feel like eating, I eat. If I don't feel like eating, I won't. I'll just make up for it by eating more at dinner when I'm actually hungry.

Excluding those people using this site for accountability, what do the 40% of Americans who are obese do when they only eat 2-3 1,000 calorie meals (read fast food) a day. What happens to the calories they don't burn because they are couch potatoes? Does their metabolism just utilze what they eat over time?

It's simple. If they are in calorie surplus they store them as fat, thus why they are obese. But the reason they are obese is the caloric surplus not the frequency of eating. They cycle goe something like. Eat a big meal, store what you don't need to use immediatly, don't eat for awhile, oxidize the energy you stored after eating. If you are in surplus, you don't oxidize all of it. If you are at maintenance, you do. If you are in deficit you oxidize all of it plus some previously stored fat.

This is going on with all of us 24 hours per day.

Excluding those people using this site for accountability, what do the 40% of Americans who are obese do when they only eat 2-3 1,000 calorie meals (read fast food) a day. What happens to the calories they don't burn because they are couch potatoes? Does their metabolism just utilze what they eat over time?

This is rather simple. When you sustain a vlcd for an extended period of time, your body adapts. And starts to become less effective at burning calories. Also, it catabolizes lean body mass to create energy. So what happens when you splurge here and there and eat 3000 calories and on average you only burn 1200 calories due to adaptation? You now create a calorie surplus and gain a lot of weight.

Which "experts" would those be?

I know you didn't ask me, and no i don't follow this advice, but it IS still being disseminated out there in internet land......


http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer-phase-1-day-1.html

***Eat every three hours (usually 5 or 6 times a day, depending on when you wake up)! It's the secret to speeding up your metabolism. Be on time!***

I prefer to eat small meals and have snacks most of the time, but I don't get upset over days when that doesn't happen. I just feel more energetic and balanced when I eat smaller meals, but more frequently. I think its one of those personal preference things. I don't want to argue science as to whether or not you get better calorie burn and metabolism doing frequent meals, I just know it keeps me from getting hungry and giving in to cravings for food that doesn't meet my goals.

I eat my three regular meals a day. However I also have 3 snacks in there as well. I always make sure I have a protien or a protein and a carb for a snack. Just something small like apple and peanutbutter or almonds that type of thing. it works out that I usually don't go more than three hours without having something it does not have to be exact. I lose weight better this way because I don't have the sugar spikes. Not hard only if you make it

You have to do what works for your life...I come from a family where blood sugar issues tend to be the thing we deal with, so eating a bit (200 cal or less is my usual goal) every 2-2.5 hrs and then having a regular dinner with my family works great for me. I also work from home though, and when I am out will bring a small snack with me. This isn't the life for every one, but I like it better than going into a meal so hungry that I can't tell when I hit full because I waited until it was a "proper meal time" for every one else.

The six times a day eating (or 4+ etc.) craze has been proven not to have any difference over eating once a day.

What is your source? link? Eating often increases your metabolism, that's why they say to eat breakfast to break the fast your body is doing and jumpstart your metabolism for the day.

I eat four 400 calories meals a day, snack being the fourth meal split up into 4 parts.

Simple science really... there are numerous studies out there but to put is simply:

When we eat our blood insulin levels increase and higher insulin levels is the signal that tells our body to store energy.

This is why frequent feeding (eating often every two to three hours) leaves us with high insulin levels…this is the reason why a lot of people become and stay fat…because they follow the advice to eat 5-6 meals a day from backwards personal trainers / dieticians etc. who blindly follow the advice of food companies looking to sell the next health food and supplement.

Different foods have a greater affect on this so carbs will have a greater increase then say protein and different types such as simple carbs will raise insulin quicker and higher but it will drop back down quicker.

Time of day also is important as we are more insulin sensitive in the morning after fasting overnight whilst asleep so it would be better to eat fat and protein for breakfast rather than cereal and eat carbs later in the day / evening.

I eat every 2-3 hours when I'm at work during the weekend. The weekend is typically 2 or 3 bigger meals. Works for me.

^^^This right here!

The six times a day eating (or 4+ etc.) craze has been proven not to have any difference over eating once a day.

What is your source? link? Eating often increases your metabolism, that's why they say to eat breakfast to break the fast your body is doing and jumpstart your metabolism for the day.

I eat four 400 calories meals a day, snack being the fourth meal split up into 4 parts.

Also note previous replies in this thread with links to research that refutes the idea that meal frequency effects diet induced thermogenesis.