Three big meals, or lots of small snacks?

shaff1rm
shaff1rm Posts: 39 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey all! Just curious. MFP has the option to add as many as six meals with different names, even though the default setting is three meals and a snack. So I was wondering- how do you guys eat? I eat six small meals a day. I can't eat a lot at one time (My family always makes fun of me on Thanksgiving) but a few hours after I eat something small, usually my 200-300 calories, I'm hungry again. I consume the same amount of calories as most, just scattered throughout the day. Anyone else eat like this?
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Replies

  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    I eat one meal and no snacks
  • now_or_never13
    now_or_never13 Posts: 1,575 Member
    For me it depends on the day. SOme days I"m fine with just small meals/snacks throughout the day. Some days i eat a few meals. SOme days I only eat one large meal and one smaller on. I eat based on when I am hungry and how hungry I am.

    When I was working my last job I never brought a real lunch. I rarely got the time to actually sit down and eat a meal so I just brought a bunch of snacks and nibbled on them throughout the day. Whenever I stopped by my office for camera review I would just eat a few bites and off I went.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Whatever keeps you on track. I have 5 settings on mine. Sometimes I use them all, sometimes I only use a couple, sometimes I need more and just add the extra stuff wherever I want.

    Total calories and nutrition is what matters, not when or how often you eat.

    Unless you have been advised by a doctor to eat at specific intervals for health reasons, of course
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    i usually have 3 meals and then small snacks between them. Like for my lunch i will have a bowl of chili which is under 400 calories, and then i will have some almonds for an afternoon snack. etc.
  • NutellaAddict
    NutellaAddict Posts: 1,258 Member
    It's a myth, the whole eat smalls meals and snacks throughout the day. I eat when my body tells me to eat and if it fits under my calories and all that good stuff.
  • agggie550
    agggie550 Posts: 281 Member
    3 Meals, one snack meal type thing, and suppliments and protein shakes all day ... I take in over 3000+ Calories a day to balance out with my exercising schedule.
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    I used to do intermittent fasting and eat one dirty meal, but now I eat smaller cleaner meals... It just depends on what fits what I'm doing at the moment. I do enjoy having one BIGGER meal a day though and it's not always the same meal. 1,000+ calorie breakfast one day and a few days later it might be a 5,000 calorie dinner :P Still losing weight.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    3 meals, no snacks, lots of booze.
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
    I tend eat more when I eat small meals all throughout the day. I find at least one big meal with some snacks through the day keeps me in line :)
  • ron2e
    ron2e Posts: 606
    3 meals, no snacks, lots of booze.

    That I can relate to, you been looking at my diary?
  • twelfty
    twelfty Posts: 576 Member
    3 meals and a protein shake
  • flynnfinn
    flynnfinn Posts: 209 Member
    I eat one meal and no snacks

    i like your approach. i do intermittent fasting so it's as if i'm eating one big meal. i fast 17-20 hours and my eating window is anywhere from 4-7 hours. sometimes it's like i'm just eating for 4 hours straight. 1400-1500 calories in a 4 hour window is tough but a crapton of coconut butter, nuts, cheese, fatty cuts of meat and full fat yogurt seem to do the trick.

    in case anyone asks, i eat this way because i cannot handle eating lots of small meals multiple times a day. i feel like i'm being teased. nibble here, nibble there...then all i'm thinking about is food and meal timing. so i decided to just cut all that drama out of my life and just bang it all out in one "meal" so to speak. it works for me at least...couldn't shift an ounce with the multiple meals approach. since i've started this way of eating, i've lost over 4kg.
  • ilmb87
    ilmb87 Posts: 216 Member
    Weekdays I eat 5-6 small meals. On the weekends I only eat breakfast and dinner, with maybe a smaller "lunch" if I get too hungry.
  • suemar74
    suemar74 Posts: 447 Member
    For me, on an average day, spaced out from morning until night, it's...

    - maybe snack
    - small snack
    - mid - large meal
    - small snack
    - mid to large meal
    - maybe snack

    But it depends on my hunger level. If I'm not hungry, I eat less or wait until I have a bigger appetite. If I'm hungry, I'll eat a little more.
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    I eat. All. Day. Long. But I still have to have 3 meals that at least resemble a breakfast, lunch and dinner.
  • FionaDFair
    FionaDFair Posts: 125 Member
    I eat. All. Day. Long. But I still have to have 3 meals that at least resemble a breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    This is where I am. On days when I strength train I'll have breakfast, post-workout snack, morning work break snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and sometimes a little extra bowl of cereal for some added fiber. Most of my meals are around ~200-300 calories, and I still generally stick within my calorie budget for any given day (1500 cals/ ~1700 when I strength train). I also usually eat slightly larger meals when I go for long walks or bike rides, eating back most of the exercise calories.

    In between my regular meals, I'll have sugar snap peas, mandarin oranges, greek yogurt with nuts, or other snacks like that to keep me feeling full.
  • dawnna76
    dawnna76 Posts: 987 Member
    I didn't have time for snacks during the day, so for me its 3 meals and a something sweet after dinner :)
  • shaff1rm
    shaff1rm Posts: 39 Member
    I eat. All. Day. Long. But I still have to have 3 meals that at least resemble a breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    This is where I am. On days when I strength train I'll have breakfast, post-workout snack, morning work break snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and sometimes a little extra bowl of cereal for some added fiber. Most of my meals are around ~200-300 calories, and I still generally stick within my calorie budget for any given day (1500 cals/ ~1700 when I strength train). I also usually eat slightly larger meals when I go for long walks or bike rides, eating back most of the exercise calories.

    In between my regular meals, I'll have sugar snap peas, mandarin oranges, greek yogurt with nuts, or other snacks like that to keep me feeling full.

    I'm glad I'm not alone! Three of my meals kind of resemble breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I'm always eating snacks. :)
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    I am a fan of the eat little and often method as it stops me feeling hungry. I eat breakfast, brunch, lunch, tea, post work out shake, dinner plus snacks.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Mon-fri I will eat 3 meals a day and snacks if I get hungry. Weekends breakfast/lunch or lunch/dinner sometimes merge into one meal!
  • missjennifer1966
    missjennifer1966 Posts: 143 Member
    Rather than 3 big meals, I have about 6 small(er) ones. It keeps me from giving up and gorging.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Hey all! Just curious. MFP has the option to add as many as six meals with different names, even though the default setting is three meals and a snack. So I was wondering- how do you guys eat? I eat six small meals a day. I can't eat a lot at one time (My family always makes fun of me on Thanksgiving) but a few hours after I eat something small, usually my 200-300 calories, I'm hungry again. I consume the same amount of calories as most, just scattered throughout the day. Anyone else eat like this?

    Just do whatever works for you. It doesn't matter very much how you you time or partition your meals.
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
    I eat one meal and no snacks

    i like your approach. i do intermittent fasting so it's as if i'm eating one big meal. i fast 17-20 hours and my eating window is anywhere from 4-7 hours. sometimes it's like i'm just eating for 4 hours straight. 1400-1500 calories in a 4 hour window is tough but a crapton of coconut butter, nuts, cheese, fatty cuts of meat and full fat yogurt seem to do the trick.

    in case anyone asks, i eat this way because i cannot handle eating lots of small meals multiple times a day. i feel like i'm being teased. nibble here, nibble there...then all i'm thinking about is food and meal timing. so i decided to just cut all that drama out of my life and just bang it all out in one "meal" so to speak. it works for me at least...couldn't shift an ounce with the multiple meals approach. since i've started this way of eating, i've lost over 4kg.

    ^This :)

    I just started doing IF because I never feel satisfied eating 6 small meals a day, even though I've been doing it for like 7 years! My eating window right now is 7 or 8 hours and during that time I have 3-4 moderate sized meals. In the future I may go to a smaller window and larger meals within that window, but for now I'm enjoying doing it this way.
  • SweetestLibby
    SweetestLibby Posts: 607 Member
    I'm a constant snacker and I have boredom hunger- it's one of the reasons I gained a lot of weight. So to combat this I eat little and often. I have my 3 meals but there smaller so I can add 3 to 4 snacks. I eat a total of 6 to 7 times a day.
  • xoyasminxo
    xoyasminxo Posts: 132
    I've tried different eating time frames and for me 3 melas and a possible snack works for me. Do what works best for your body. And I also try not to eat 5 hours before I go to bed.
  • Kaylaef
    Kaylaef Posts: 194 Member
    I eat. All. Day. Long. But I still have to have 3 meals that at least resemble a breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    This is where I am. On days when I strength train I'll have breakfast, post-workout snack, morning work break snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, and sometimes a little extra bowl of cereal for some added fiber. Most of my meals are around ~200-300 calories, and I still generally stick within my calorie budget for any given day (1500 cals/ ~1700 when I strength train). I also usually eat slightly larger meals when I go for long walks or bike rides, eating back most of the exercise calories.

    In between my regular meals, I'll have sugar snap peas, mandarin oranges, greek yogurt with nuts, or other snacks like that to keep me feeling full.

    I'm glad I'm not alone! Three of my meals kind of resemble breakfast, lunch and dinner, but I'm always eating snacks. :)

    Yep. To keep me feeling satisfied I probably eat something every hour and half until about 7pm. then I am done. I like to have my biggest meal, sometimes getting as high as 600 calories for 'dinner' because I find thats when I am the most hungry and it prevents me from over snacking later on!
  • jchite84
    jchite84 Posts: 467 Member
    I eat every 2 hours between 8 am and 6 pm giving me a total of 6 meals. I drink water every hour. The regulation helps keep my calories in check (I am really never hungry), and helps keep my metabolism flowing steadily through the day. The downside is that since I am accustomed to eating this way I get pretty cranky when my schedule gets off, so this makes me super fun to be around on road trips and family get gatherings that don't conform to my eating schedule.
  • Confuzzled4ever
    Confuzzled4ever Posts: 2,860 Member
    I have 3 medium meals and snacks in between..

    Unless i'm starving then I might hav a big meal..

    or not hungry.. then I might skip a snack...

    Pretty much.. I eat all day.. My co workers are always commenting that my desk sorta looks like a kitchen. LOL

    I listen to my body and control my calories by picky healthy foods to nosh on.

    Thanksgiving doens't count.. If you don't roll home you didn't celebrate.. LOL
  • tomg33
    tomg33 Posts: 305 Member
    I usually eat 3-4 times a day. It doesn't really matter as long as I stay within my macros. Find an eating plan that fits your lifestyle.
  • JonathanBB
    JonathanBB Posts: 252 Member
    Do what works for you. I eat a banana before my morning workout; then breakfast; snack around 10:30/11 (yogurt/nuts/fruit); lunch around 12:30/1:00; afternoon snack (fruit/nuts); dinner around 7; sometimes a late evening snack. I have portion control issues and the snacking keeps me from getting too hungry and overeating and I especially watch portion control at dinner. But that is what is working for me now. Do what works for you.

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