I want to try out the 5 small meals each day

Options
Here is where I need help.For those of you that do it or know about it or heard of it.What are the things you like to eat in a day to make those 5 small meals?If you do it can you give examples please?Thanks.I hear there suppose to be small amounts of food.

Replies

  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    Options
    Here is where I need help.For those of you that do it or know about it or heard of it.What are the things you like to eat in a day to make those 5 small meals?If you do it can you give examples please?Thanks.I hear there suppose to be small amounts of food.

    I love the frequent small meals, it keeps me from getting hungry.

    My day yesterday was something like this....

    Breakfast @ 9am.....221 calories.

    Wildroots hemp cereal 180 cal.
    1/2 blueberries 41 cal.
    Ice water with lemon wedge 0 cal.

    Morning snack @ 11.....185 calories.

    Source yogurt 35 cal.
    30g fruit n nut trailmix 150 cal.

    Lunch @ 2 ..... 299 calories

    2 cups spinach 14 cal
    2 mandarin oranges 80cal
    1/2 cup strawberries 25 cal.
    Almonds (20) 180

    Dinner @ 5 ...... 244 calories

    Grilled chicken breast 120 calories
    Clubhouse Cajun seasoning 0 calories
    Green peppers 7 calories.
    Raw organic baby carrots (27) 90 calories
    1 cup spinach 7 calories.
    Dressing 20 calories.

    Post workout @ 8..... 310 calories

    Coconut almond milk (1 cup) 90 calories
    Whey protein 120 calories
    Soy butter 100 calories

    Usually, I'm full and stop at that, but tonight I indulged and had a Chapman's fro-yo ar at 90 calories around 10 pm.

    Total 1349.
  • BaconMD
    BaconMD Posts: 1,165 Member
    Options
    I ate 6-7 small meals every day in my early days because I thought eating constantly made it easier to eat less overall, instead of getting really hungry between meals and then overeating to get rid of the hunger. But I was faintly hungry all the time and eating all the time and I have to work and live in between meals... So I stopped.

    But there's no real point to doing it, and if I went back in time I wouldn't bother doing it again.

    I do still eat four "meals" sorta. Or three meals and a snack, I guess. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then I have a night-time "meal" which is just whatever calories are left over, I eat some stuff before bed. Approximately 800 cals for each of the first three meals, and then another 300 cals for the final meal. I do this, and I'm not hungry between, meaning I don't need snacks. I could probably cut it down to three, two, or even one meal, but I like this way better.

    If you do go ahead with a bunch of small meals, which again is kinda pointless, then good luck... And for examples of foods to eat - uh, anything you would normally eat. Fit it into your calories and macros like you normally would, just eat smaller quantities of it at a time. Weigh it... Log it...
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Options
    Why don't you just start plugging in some food into tomorrow's food diary and see what fits your nutritional targets?
  • Paradis
    Paradis Posts: 54
    Options
    Thank you for your help so far.I am going to start adding In some foods for tomorrow and see how it goes.I think 3 meals are to much for me.I tend to over eat or not eat enough being afraid.So I am going to try this out and I think I can get more veggies,fruit and protein in each day.It is worth a try :)
  • Warchortle
    Warchortle Posts: 2,197 Member
    Options
    sounds like grazing not like meals
  • taunto
    taunto Posts: 6,420 Member
    Options
    umm, I have tried it. It really has zero affect on metabolism vs. the other ways (fewer larger meals a day etc). But if you prefer 5, like I did at one point then there is nothing wrong with it. Like taso suggested, plug in the meals and see what comes out. You can play around. Like I would just have 2 eggs and a slice of cheese for breaky, protein shake for pre-lunch, have some rice + chicken curry for lunch, fruits/pb sammich for pre-dinner and then some veggie curry or lentil curry with flat bread for dinner. You can do pretty much any way you wish :)
  • DaniH826
    DaniH826 Posts: 1,335 Member
    Options
    I eat at the most random times depending on what day it is and what my schedule and appetite look like.

    So try breaking your meals up more. There's no rules to it. Some people do better with smaller meals, others do better with bigger meals. Some folks do better with set meal times, others not so much.

    It's personal preference, really. As long as you reach your targets for the day it doesn't really matter all that much. Your body will adapt. Bodies do that.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    Options
    Why don't you just start plugging in some food into tomorrow's food diary and see what fits your nutritional targets?

    Cause that makes too much sense.

    You don't need to eat 5 meals a day unless you just really want to. I personally like to have a fairly large dinner, but generally only really 2 normal sized meals. My others are more like snacks. With a calorie goal of 1600 or less, dividing that up into 5 or more equally sized meals would leave me very unsatisfied after eating.
  • ThinUpGirl
    ThinUpGirl Posts: 397
    Options
    I'm always on the go (school, work, mom, etc.), so snacking frequently throughout the day fives me energy to get through my day. That was just an example of one day (when I don't have tome to sit down to a big dinner). The days I DO have the time, Im more likely to skip the afternoon snack and have a larger dinner. There's nothing set in stone, however I always plan my breakfast and lunch the night before to see how much wiggle room I have throughout the day. What works for me, may not work for you. I just like to eat, and frequent meals/snacks makes it more manageable.
  • Jamcnair
    Jamcnair Posts: 586 Member
    Options
    I like eating smaller calories throughout the day because I have poor digestion so it helps my tummy plus it helps me keep pretty good energy throughout as well. You could have an open faced sandwich, omelet, Greek yogurt, fruit or veggie with peanut butter, small salad
  • Paradis
    Paradis Posts: 54
    Options
    I have poor digestion also. My doctor put me on this diet.
  • jessvaughn74
    jessvaughn74 Posts: 164 Member
    Options
    I get up early so I have a small breakfast of about 150 calories at 7AM...then I do a snack of about 150 calories at 9:30AM during break at work. I have a lunch of about 300 calories at NOON. At 3;30-4 PM I will have a small snack..usually around 60-70 calories...so I usually have an apple or carbmaster yogurt. I have dinner around 7PM which I try to keep under 500 calories. I workout at 8PM and sometimes eat another small snack under 100 calories around 9:30.

    My total intake is 1200 as ordered by my doctor as is my eating schedule.
  • RaineyLaney
    RaineyLaney Posts: 605 Member
    Options
    I eat 6 times a day. My main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) are bigger meals, and then I have 3 snacks. I have an open food diary if y ou want to take a look. I eat this way because I am diabetic and I never feel hungry either. I also eat between 1200 to 1400 calories a day.
  • dillydally123
    dillydally123 Posts: 139 Member
    Options
    I eat four or five a day. Stops me from getting hungry. I also do most of my eating before my lunch Again because that's what works for me