3 meals or 6?

Heeeev
Heeeev Posts: 1
in Food and Nutrition
Hi, I've been told different things about how many meals to eat a day. What's better, six small meals or 3 big meals? I was told to split my total calories/fat/protein/carbs by 6 but it's way too hard to plan meals with such specific macros.

Any advice?? I'm trying to plan my meals but getting stuck with macros.....
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Replies

  • TyTy76
    TyTy76 Posts: 1,761 Member
    It doesn't matter.

    Today I will have 1 meal..
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    It varies for me. During the week I usually eat 4-5 times, but I really only consider one a "meal". My evening meal is always considerably larger than the others. On the weekend I usually eat 2-3 times.

    You don't have to split your meals or your macros any certain way. It's the total that counts, and even that can be an average over several days. Some people track calories/macros by the week rather than by the day.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
    As Ty said above, it doesn't matter.

    I eat 2 to 4 meals a day depending on whether I eat breakfast and a late evening snack.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    As Ty said above, it doesn't matter.

    I eat 2 to 4 meals a day depending on whether I eat breakfast and a late evening snack.
    yup.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    It doesn't matter.

    Today I will have 1 meal..

    Not that this hasn't been emphasized already.
  • imzadi481
    imzadi481 Posts: 86 Member
    I don't think it matters in the end. Do whatever leaves you satisfied. I noticed that I do a lot better when I eat 4-5 smaller meals, with my dinner being the largest.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    Consistency is the mother of progression.

    Whether you are going to the gym or planning your meals, do something that's workable for you. The number of calories in a week is what matters most. If you want to eat three meals a day, 6 meals a day, one meal a day, it doesn't matter at all as long as you are consistently eating the right number of calories. If you're going to the gym, go in the morning, go in the afternoon, go at 11pm if that's what works for you. Figure out what works for you and do that, because there's nothing there that's objectively "better" -- stop sweating the details.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    I eat about 5-6 mini meals per day. I find eating 3 big meals just leaves me feeling so sluggish and bloated.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    4.5
  • 89nunu
    89nunu Posts: 1,082 Member
    whatever floats your boat. I have anything between 4 and 6. But sometimes I start eating and just don't really stop until I go to bed. As long as it's lots of little things its quite possible to eat every hour :D
  • witmer1
    witmer1 Posts: 128 Member
    It doesn't matter. Eat when you want.
  • timbrom
    timbrom Posts: 303 Member
    Whatever you can stick with that makes you happy.
  • Runner2533
    Runner2533 Posts: 3 Member
    Eating 5-6 times per day increases your metabolism and you tend to eat less at mealtimes. Some people do 5-6 small meals, but I personally do 3 meals focusing on a larger breakfast and lunch, with 2-3 light snacks (approx 200 cals) per day.
  • AndiGirl70
    AndiGirl70 Posts: 542 Member
    I eat 5-6 small meals throughout the day. I find I don't binge and have less cravings and I'm not ever "starving" by doing this. The total calories at the end of the day is what matters so whatever works best for you.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Eating 5-6 times per day increases your metabolism .....

    Sorry, that's a myth. Meal timing and/or frequency has no impact on your metabolism.
  • nino07110922
    nino07110922 Posts: 2,149
    whatever floats your boat. I have anything between 4 and 6. But sometimes I start eating and just don't really stop until I go to bed. As long as it's lots of little things its quite possible to eat every hour :D

    I like your thinking, Nunu :smile:
  • glin23
    glin23 Posts: 460 Member
    What ever works for you. 2, 3, 6, whatever. Just do whatever bets fits your lifestyle and circumstances.
  • bceltic
    bceltic Posts: 135 Member
    I read something on here a few days ago... They stated that when you do eat 6 meals a day, your body tends to be hungry most of the time after a while. Where as if you only eat 3, your body will get use to that, and you wont feel so hungry all the time. Ive tried both, and I think I have to agree. I personally am sticking to the 3x a day with healthy snacks in between like fruits , veggies, or nuts if I start feeling really hungry or just need something.
  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
    Eating 5-6 times per day increases your metabolism .....

    Sorry, that's a myth. Meal timing and/or frequency has no impact on your metabolism.
    That's true, but the size of meals does have an impact on how full you feel after eating. For the same reasons that gastric bypass, stomach stapling, lap band, etc. work - eating smaller more frequent meals lets your stomach shrink naturally, enough to make you feel more full after taking in less food. You still need to and will almost certainly take in the same number of calories overall, no matter what pattern your meals fall into. More frequent meals just help smooth out the peaks of feeling full and the valleys of hunger pangs.

    if you have good self-control or otherwise don't find yourself feeling hungry and tempted between meals... then it doesn't matter at all. On the other hand, if you end up eating more at meals, or eating too many total calories to satisfy your hunger pangs, then going to smaller, more frequent meals might help you.

    In the end, it's mind over matter. To be truly successful, we can't just look to game the system at every turn. At some point we have to decide that we're going to eat right and sacrifice occasionally. For me, I just eat good foods when my body says it's hungry and don't eat any other time. it's working pretty well for me so far.
  • Maliberri
    Maliberri Posts: 59
    I would just do whatever works to you, sometimes I find it easier to just do 3 big ones though in case you have to eat out or something, and when I eat small meals can turn into big ones fast
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    It's personal preference. If you have the time to fit 6 meals into your day and enjoy smaller meals/snacking it might work for you. If not you can eat fewer meals with higher calories per meal. It's what works for you.
  • justal313
    justal313 Posts: 1,375 Member
    Generally I have 3 meals and 3 snacks. Some days I will have a giant lunch or giant breakfast and skip a snack, sometimes skip 2 snacks. But as a rule meal, snack, meal, snack... keeps me from ever feeling hungry. I still come under my calories for the day but some random days I'm over on fat or sometimes over on protein. If I ever come over on carbohydrates it's because I have a big race the next day and I'm doing a poor mans carbo loading.

    But almost never do I skip dessert. Milk and cookie(s) help me sleep. It's probably all in my head, but my head needs to go to sleep dammit.
  • jacalennejax
    jacalennejax Posts: 97 Member
    I vary from day to day. Usually if im at work - I have a good 4-6 meals a day. If it's the weekend, I'm less careful with my calories and i might have 1-3 meals. I know i like to snack at night when i get home. So those night i usually have like 7 meals lol. If i'm going with family or to a party, i skimp on everything becseu i know those big meals will have a lot of calories. I have already lost a bit over 80 pounds since January. So i'm not sure it matters THAT much.
  • PippiNe
    PippiNe Posts: 283 Member
    I'd advise you to eat the same number of meals you will when you reach your goal and move to maintenance. If you will be a 3 meal a day + 1 snack person then, do the same now. I think it's just easier if you keep your same mealtime routine, just making adjustments for the different size portions, etc.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    I have to eat more than 3 times a day. I have to eat more than 6 times a day. I cannot eat a large meal. I have to break it down and snack all day. I'm NEVER hungry and always satisfied.
  • totallydelirious
    totallydelirious Posts: 10
    My hang-up is having a fat tummy. I'm pretty slim, but my tummy hangs out, which i think is normal, but that's the first and almost only place i put on weight (other women put it on on bums and legs, i gain on tummy), i know eating expands your stomach, so there's part of me that wants to eat 6 small meals a day so my tummy won't stick out as much.

    BUT i also think eating should be sociable. At uni, my housemates eat 3 meals a day, with my boyfriend he eats 3, my family eat 3. So if i try to eat 6, i can't eat with any of them ever. It's way too anti social. I enjoy being able to sit with my housemates and eat a meal, and i love cooking with my boyfriend, and at home we eat every meal as a family together.

    So for me? 3 is best.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    Hi, I've been told different things about how many meals to eat a day. What's better, six small meals or 3 big meals? I was told to split my total calories/fat/protein/carbs by 6 but it's way too hard to plan meals with such specific macros.

    Any advice?? I'm trying to plan my meals but getting stuck with macros.....

    It makes no difference, the only important thing is, if you are trying to lose weight, you use up more calories than you have taken in. If you are trying to put weight on, you take in more calories than you burn. If you are trying to maintain your weight, the amount of calories you take in must match the amount you burn.

    Today, I have had two meals, tomorrow I will have three. The amount of meals per day does not matter to your goals, only the calorie amount.
  • nads1012
    nads1012 Posts: 55
    It doesn't matter -at the end of the day, but it matters if you have a sweet tooth or you are a girl with certain cravings at certain times of the month.
    If you eat small meals more regularly you have less of a chance to REALLY crave a pack of cookies/biscuits, because it's likely you've just eaten. And if you are controlling your calories then it's never long till your next meal, so you might get a bit hungry, but you won't starve.

    That's the psychology I use to trick myself anyway.
  • sobriquet84
    sobriquet84 Posts: 607 Member
    as other people have said, it does not matter. sorry, but i just don't have the time or opprtunity to prepare and eat 6 meals a day. that thought is simply ridiculous for a lot of people and not being able to eat 6 meals a day doesn't mean that those that do have any kind of advantage over you. as long as you're hitting your macros and goals, it doesn't matter if you eat your food in 2 meals or 6.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    I eat 3 meals, or more like 2 meals and snacks after dinner. Most of my 1800 calories are consumed after 1pm. I'd rather have an appetite with calories to use vs graze and run out of calories for the day. I seem to be hungrier when I'm always snacking too.

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