Eating every 2 hours

tisha_rae
tisha_rae Posts: 216 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Is anyone else eating every 2 to 3 hours?

I have always found that I begin to lose weight when I eat more often – but every 2 hours is a real challenge for me.

I’m just curious as to everyone’s experience/opinion.

Replies

  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    i only eat when im hungry so its more like every 3 hours. i would not suggest eating if youre not hungry
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    Also something I am trying to do. I eat more in the morning now though.. so by post-lunch i just can't eat and then I make dinner after the gym and am stuffed. Adding breakfast is what helped me the most. I don't know if it helps me lose weight, but it definatly helps me eat enough.

    ~~~
    i would suggest eating if youre not hungry
    ~~~
    I'm assuming you mean woulnd't? Well.. i have to eat when i'm not hungry or I don't eat period. Good advice if you get hungry, but if you find you are never hungry, you need to make sure you eat something anyway.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Choose a meal frequency that makes it easiest to adhere to. If you can more readily stay at your calorie allowance by eating 5 times every 2.5 hours then do it.

    The benefits of adhering to your diet and hitting your calorie and macro needs will far exceed any minimal or nonexistent benefit of a specific meal frequency.
  • Poetic_Photography
    Poetic_Photography Posts: 138
    I often fit in healthy snacks every 2 to 3 hours between meals... keeps me full! :smile:
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Depends on what I ate. My personal rule-of-thumb is to TRY to go 1 hour for every 100 calories eaten before I eat again. So, like, if I'm hungry and I eat an apple, I WILL be hungry again within an hour, and I don't get mad at myself if I eat again. But if I'm hungry, and I eat a 500 calorie lunch at noon? I try to not eat again until 5 pm. During that 5 hours, I _may_ eat again, but if I feel hungry during that period, I always question whether my body is sending me incorrect signals.
  • fightininggirl
    fightininggirl Posts: 792 Member
    I do and have lost 18 pounds so far

    I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks

    breakfast 7am

    snack 9am

    lunch 11am

    snack 1pm

    dinner 4pm.

    some healthy snacks like fruit, 100 calorie almonds, string cheese ,etc
  • 2011_4mygirls
    2011_4mygirls Posts: 298 Member
    I have found that I do better if I eat every 2 to 3 hours. I eat around 200 calories each time, with a fruit, carb and protein.
  • DreamSM85
    DreamSM85 Posts: 38 Member
    I eat every 3 hours too. You should start with that and see how you do. Good luck, I don't think I could eat every 2 hours!
  • meghan6867
    meghan6867 Posts: 388 Member
    I try to eat only when I'm hungry. That being said, sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the rush of things and simply forget to eat. I try to remind myself every couple of hours to pay attention to my body and determine if I need to eat. In reality that does wind up being every 2-3 hours...
  • lself0924
    lself0924 Posts: 113 Member
    Yes this is how I got started, it has worked very well for me. It keeps me on the straight and narrow.
  • domgirl85
    domgirl85 Posts: 295 Member
    I get hungry every 3 hours so I set meal timers from 9am to 9pm to eat that often. After 2 hours, I'm usually still full from the previous meal/snack. After 4 hours, I'm extremely hungry. 9am - breakfast, 12pm - lunch, 3pm - snack, 6pm - dinner, 9pm - snack. I don't always have the 9pm snack. I only eat it if I'm hungry after going to the gym. Most of my meals are between 300-450 calories (depending on what I made that week). Most of my snacks are at most 250 calories (also depending on what I made that week).
  • carrieous
    carrieous Posts: 1,024 Member
    I have found that I do better if I eat every 2 to 3 hours. I eat around 200 calories each time, with a fruit, carb and protein.

    Curious as to what carb/protein/fruit combo is only 200 calories? Care to share a sample meal?
  • DeMarraDontStop
    DeMarraDontStop Posts: 342 Member
    I eat when I feel hungry, that may be every 2-3 hours especially if I work out in the morning..
  • Christizzzle
    Christizzzle Posts: 454 Member
    Interesting. Would you all suggest then that eating every five to six hours is bad? I'll have breakfast at 7am, lunch at 12pm and dinner at 6pm.
  • lpekny
    lpekny Posts: 63 Member
    At work I do typically eat every 2 hours. They are small type meals and snacks. It has worked so far for me.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Interesting. Would you all suggest then that eating every five to six hours is bad? I'll have breakfast at 7am, lunch at 12pm and dinner at 6pm.

    If performance and behavior/preferential needs are being met, and total intake needs are met, then no it's not bad at all.
  • Cr01502
    Cr01502 Posts: 3,614 Member
    Choose a meal frequency that makes it easiest to adhere to. If you can more readily stay at your calorie allowance by eating 5 times every 2.5 hours then do it.

    The benefits of adhering to your diet and hitting your calorie and macro needs will far exceed any minimal or nonexistent benefit of a specific meal frequency.

    Agreed 100%

    I usually find that when I eat breakfast that the hunger cycle kicks in at that point. Therefore I usually wait until about noon or so to eat breakfast.

    Bottom line: Do what works for you and allows you to stay within your calorie prescription.
  • imchicbad
    imchicbad Posts: 1,650 Member
    I do. But I eat a small snack I between meals. No harm done.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    I wouldn't be able to adhere to this. It's just not practical for my lifestyle/work. I usually eat 2 meals a day and have some fruit before bed.

    As long as you meet your cals and macros I don't think it matters much.
  • rishonb
    rishonb Posts: 232
    I do and have lost 18 pounds so far

    I eat 3 meals and 2 snacks

    breakfast 7am

    snack 9am

    lunch 11am

    snack 1pm

    dinner 4pm.

    some healthy snacks like fruit, 100 calorie almonds, string cheese ,etc
    very good plan however you eat dinner at 4pm and you not hungry after that.??? i like the idea but 4pm way to early to shut my food intake down..
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
    i only eat when im hungry so its more like every 3 hours. i would not suggest eating if youre not hungry

    Same here.
  • bellygoaway
    bellygoaway Posts: 441 Member
    When I was really serious about my weight loss, that is what I did. Eating ever two hours kept me from ever being hungry. I did not eat a lot, but a snack every two hours or so kept me from getting hungry.

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