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

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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!
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Replies

  • eldesteragonchic
    eldesteragonchic Posts: 1
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    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
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    I'm a constant eater. Trying to make healhy choices.
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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: 241 Member
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    What has worked for me is three small meals a day with three snacks, mid-morning, afternoon, evening.
  • runfatmanrun
    runfatmanrun Posts: 1,090 Member
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    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
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    I only eat between like 7pm-11pm. It really doesn't matter.
  • happilyeveractive
    happilyeveractive Posts: 167 Member
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    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
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    I personally am a 3 meals a day plus a snack or two kind of girl.

    Same here....except the girl part.

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