Eating when not hungry

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GetFitCarly
GetFitCarly Posts: 151
in Health and Weight Loss
My main weight loss area I want to trim down is my stomach I know I can't spot reduce but I heard eating small meals every 3 hours or so will help with belly fat and help keep the metabolic levels high.

My question is if im not hungry (which never happen my stomach is an endless pit) should I skip that snack/meal or make myself eat something even if I don't want to just to help my metabolic rate???

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  • sabrekism
    sabrekism Posts: 113 Member
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    from my experience....NEVER EVER MISS A MEAL SPECIALLY SNACKS

    trust me


    5 meals per day = 3 main meals + 2 snacks
  • bdamaster60
    bdamaster60 Posts: 595 Member
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    the 5 or 6 small meals a day thing to keep your metabolism fro crashing is complete bs.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    My main weight loss area I want to trim down is my stomach I know I can't spot reduce but I heard eating small meals every 3 hours or so will help with belly fat and help keep the metabolic levels high.

    My question is if im not hungry (which never happen my stomach is an endless pit) should I skip that snack/meal or make myself eat something even if I don't want to just to help my metabolic rate???

    You said you know you can't spot reduce, and you're right about that part. The part about metabolism boosting and burning specifically belly fat is myth.

    That said, I never wait until I'm hungry to eat, unless it's by accident. I'm much more likely to overeat if I get to the point of being really hungry, so I eat my meals on a schedule based on what I know my body needs. So it's really just about doing what allows you to stick to your goals.
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    That is total bull.

    You want to lose belly fat, then start lifting weights and eating in a deficit.
  • GetFitCarly
    GetFitCarly Posts: 151
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    I don't know what to think now haha
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
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    the 5 or 6 small meals a day thing to keep your metabolism fro crashing is complete bs.

    ^^^ This
    That is total bull.

    You want to lose belly fat, then start lifting weights and eating in a deficit.

    And this ^^^
  • dad106
    dad106 Posts: 4,868 Member
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    I don't know what to think now haha

    Your metabolism is determined by how much lean muscle mass that you have... not by how often you eat during a day.
    Lifting, helps preserve lean muscle mass and thus the metabolism.
    Eating in a deficit is what helps you lose weight.

    Personally, I lift and do cardio.. and I def. do not eat 5 meals a day. Half the time I'm lucky if I eat three.. and I lost and maintain just fine.
  • Tiddlypeeps
    Tiddlypeeps Posts: 25 Member
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    I'm the same as AngelAmberL, if I wait till I'm hungry I overeat. But that's a very personal thing and is more about my personal relationship with food than it is about food science.

    You say you know spot reduction is a myth and then go on to ask if a theory on spot reduction is a myth. You answered your own question.

    From what I've read on food science you won't change your metabolic rate in one day. Taking in all your calories in one sitting or in 20 sittings through out the day is just a matter of personal choice. The only benefit I know of for breaking up your calories into multiple meals throughout the day is hunger. If you eat all your calories in the morning you will likely feel hungry at night regardless of how much you ate.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
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    Eating too little affects your hormones that control hunger and weight loss. Leptin, Ghrelin and Cortisol. Just because you don't feel hungry doesn't mean that you are getting the appropriate amount of food. And sometimes, still wanting to eat doesn't mean you need to eat more.
  • GetFitCarly
    GetFitCarly Posts: 151
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    OK thanks guys :) I went over today but wasn't too hungry even if it was one of the hottest days on record.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    All of the above advice and some random BS I just googled ;)
  • atthompson27
    atthompson27 Posts: 31 Member
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    From what I found, the following affect your metabolism:
    1) Muscle tissue (you already know why this is on the top of the list)
    2) Meal frequency (the longer you go between meals the more your metabolism slows down to conserve energy)
    3) Activity level (important but doesn't make any difference if you don't match your eating to your expenditure)
    4) Food choices (ex. low-fat diets tend to result in poor hormone production which leads to a slower metabolism)
    5) Hydration (over 70% of bodily functions take place in water - not enough water causes all your systems to slow down and unnecessary stress)
    6) Genetics (some people have higher metabolisms than others - you can't change genetics but you can still win the battle!)
    7) Hormone production and function (think you have a slow thyroid? it's not likely - before you go blame it on the thyroid first stabilize your blood sugar and throw in some progressive exercise 2-3 times each week)
    8) Stress (stress also can slow metabolism by placing extra stress and strain on numerous systems. plus, many people tend to overeat when "stressed out")

    So anyway, eating every 3 hours or is beneficial for your metabolism AND to reduce cravings. If I don't allow myself to get hungry, I don't start fantasizing about all the things I would like to eat. So just eat a piece of fruit even if you aren't hungry.

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