Question: 3 meals a day or several small meals a day?

mtngirl01
mtngirl01 Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Which is better? I have heard both ways are beneficial. It is hard to not go over my daily calorie goal if I do several small meals a day. Any tips as to which was is better? Thanks!

Replies

  • eldesteragonchic
    eldesteragonchic Posts: 1
    I've heard smaller more frequent meals are better for you because you're spreading out your calorie intake, allowing time to digest, and then being active between meals. I prefer a small meals with low calorie count and protein bars and fruit in between.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Which is better? I have heard both ways are beneficial. It is hard to not go over my daily calorie goal if I do several small meals a day. Any tips as to which was is better? Thanks!

    I would choose whichever one gives you the best:

    1) enjoyment/personal satisfaction
    2) gym performance
    3) ability to adhere to your end-of-day nutritional goals.
    (and if you have any medical need to use a certain meal frequency that obviously you should include that in your criteria)

    Factors outside of the above aren't likely to matter to any significant degree. (At least, none that I can think of)
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
    I eat several small meals only because it's a preference. I have to work out on a nearly empty stomach otherwise I get nauseous, so if I eat large meals it's really hard for me to get through a workout. It also keeps me from getting REALLY hungry and overeating when I finally can eat again. My coworkers must think I'm nuts since I'm walking to the kitchen every 2-3 hours, but it's the only way that I can stick to my calories and fitness goals and I've lost weight successfully.
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
    I eat throughout the day. Not necessarily a "meal" per se.

    I eat an on-the-go breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack.
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    There is no "better". Contrary to myths that people keep perpetuating, little meals are no more beneficial to weight loss than 3 meals a day. Go whatever route keeps you more satisfied.

    I personally am a 3 meals a day plus a snack or two kind of girl.
  • rosesamantha43
    rosesamantha43 Posts: 8
    The last time I counted calories I lost 30lbs very quickly..............I am just stating again after i had my daughter and have alot more then that to lose...............what worked best for me and my sister was eating 3 small meals with healthy snacks in between.....it keeps your metabolism going strong all day....and the health snack in between meals makes up for being hungry soon after a small meal................................here is an example........say you wake up at 8 am and have one cup of special K cereal and a banana.....at 10am you eat a yougurt.......Noon you have luch.....lets say a turkey sandwich and a fruit (or any meal 300 to 400 calories)...2pm you have a little snack....(100 calories or less).........and at 5pm you have a healthy dinner.........................you are eating all day but still under your calorie intake and ur matabolism will be kicking strong
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    It doesn't matter.. See below.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19943985

    "We conclude that increasing MF does not promote greater body weight loss under the conditions described in the present study."


    ps- I eat 6-8 times a day.
  • T1mH
    T1mH Posts: 568 Member
    I'm a constant eater. Trying to make healhy choices.
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    this!
    I've heard smaller more frequent meals are better for you because you're spreading out your calorie intake, allowing time to digest, and then being active between meals. I prefer a small meals with low calorie count and protein bars and fruit in between.
  • janet0513
    janet0513 Posts: 564 Member
    Whatever makes you happy and will keep you on track. I tend to be a muncher during the work week and snack a lot. On the weekends, my food tends to be just at meals.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
    I eat around five times a day. Each time, it's when I start feeling hungry, so that I don't get too hungry, and then eat a walrus. You know, this time of year, it's the holidays, people are always bringing sea-bound mammals into the office to share, and you're always like, jesus christ, debbie, not ANOTHER walrus, and she says it was a leftover walrus from the houseparty she had last week, and doesn't want it to go bad, ugh. I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR.
  • fitacct
    fitacct Posts: 242 Member
    What has worked for me is three small meals a day with three snacks, mid-morning, afternoon, evening.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
    I prefer 6 meals a day. But like I have seen posted already, it really doesn't matter. As long as you meet your cal goal.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    I'd probably be a b!tch if I only ate 3 meals a day lol This is what I do:

    before or after I work out (sometimes both depending on what I'm doing that day)
    breakfast
    a morning snack
    lunch
    afternoon snack
    dinner

    Everyone's different so do what works for YOU not what others report in articles

    edited cause i forgot b!tch gets edited lol
  • markpmc
    markpmc Posts: 240 Member
    Meal timing is pretty mush a discredited approach. 5-6 meals/day does help keep you from feeling hungry when running a deficit IMO.

    Eat when you're hungry as your schedule allows.
  • anfernyy
    anfernyy Posts: 19
    personal preference imo. i believe in feeding your body when you need it rather than have a set time for every meal unless you are prepping for a competition. eatting every couple hours can be very inconvenient so i prefer to eat when my body needs food or when i get hungry. example for me would be breakfast,preworkout meal, post workout meal, dinner. but meeting your calorie goal for the day i feel is the most important
  • devilwhiterose
    devilwhiterose Posts: 1,157 Member
    I eat around five times a day. Each time, it's when I start feeling hungry, so that I don't get too hungry, and then eat a walrus. You know, this time of year, it's the holidays, people are always bringing sea-bound mammals into the office to share, and you're always like, jesus christ, debbie, not ANOTHER walrus, and she says it was a leftover walrus from the houseparty she had last week, and doesn't want it to go bad, ugh. I HATE THIS TIME OF YEAR.

    Literal LOL.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    I only eat between like 7pm-11pm. It really doesn't matter.
  • happilyeveractive
    happilyeveractive Posts: 167 Member
    I guess it depends on your schedule. I'm a teacher so it really makes it hard to eat several small meals when you constantly have kids and tutor before/after school. In the summer I eat several small meals when I do part-time summer school and tutoring. During the school year 3 meals is what works with my life.
  • links_slayer
    links_slayer Posts: 1,151 Member
    I personally am a 3 meals a day plus a snack or two kind of girl.

    Same here....except the girl part.
  • jlqt2000
    jlqt2000 Posts: 25 Member
    I think it really is an individual preference. For me, I snack throughout the day... I eat maybe a banana for breakfast then a mid morning snack of string cheese or something like that, then maybe have a light lunch like a chicken breast with some veggies or a sandwich then have an afternoon snack of popcorn and then dinner which is usually my biggest meal. I am so much happier this way because when I was only eating three meals a day, I found myself watching the clock to check and see when my next meal was because I would get so hungry. Which meant grumpy! I also have way more energy spacing my food out.
  • GingerPwr
    GingerPwr Posts: 1,984 Member
    I don't believe there's a magic combination.As long as you meet your calorie goal, you're going to see a lot of success.

    One way to make that easier (for me at least) is to go ahead and put in the food I'm PLANNING to eat at the end of the day. Like tomorrow, I know I'll have steak and a baked potato. If I put that in for my dinner, then I can better budget my calories for the day - so I have a lighter breakfast and veggies for a snack and maybe a salad for lunch.

    Good luck!
  • Mamapengu
    Mamapengu Posts: 250
    I agree with the others- it's what works for you.
    I found that eating 5-6 times a day works for me. I feel like I get to eat constantly, so I'm not deprived. For me 1500c/day = 5 x 300 cal meal/snacks. Calorie wise the snacks are the same size as my meals but they tend to me more finger food, while the meals are a bit more involved. There are days I do 3 meals and they are just 2 of my regular ones combined.
    I have a friend who can't do the multiple times a day, meals have to be very specific and regimented or she just keeps eating more and more.
  • av0cad0
    av0cad0 Posts: 20
    It doesn't matter, when I can get in my 5 small meals every 2-3 hours great but unfortunately I don't have the time for that. I eat whenever I'm hungry!
  • jayche
    jayche Posts: 1,128 Member
    I found 4 meals a day optimal for me, while it largely doesn't make a difference when you consume your macronutrients (total intake is far more important) it does make a small difference, its enough reason for me not partition my meals out a little.

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