Fast or eat 5-6+ meals a day?

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emilyfieldhouse
emilyfieldhouse Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
I am quite new to fitness and health, so I am really suck on what sort of meal plan I should be following. I've been recommended both something called intermittent fasting, as well as eating 5-6 small means a day. What should I be doing for weight loss? Any help is appreciated thanks :)

Replies

  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
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    Do what works for your schedule and your body. No plan is a one size fits all. I, personally, get sick if I go too long without eating, so fasting is out. I also never felt full and satisfied by eating several smaller meals, so I eat 2 or 3 a day, with maybe a snack.

    Think about the times you have available to eat. Think about how your body handles going long periods without food. And remember, there's always room to tweak the diet for adjustments if you need to.

    No weight loss "plan" works better than another if you follow it consistently. It's all about burning more calories than you take in, at its basic level.
  • StaceyJ2008
    StaceyJ2008 Posts: 411 Member
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    I do the fasting thing, but it really does matter what is best for your schedule. And there is a right and wrong way of doing it. If I were you I would see what a professional recommends for you. Everyone is different.
  • erialcelyob
    erialcelyob Posts: 341 Member
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    I'd say the best thing you can do is 3 meals and some snacks. I normally have breakfast lunch and dinner with like 3 snacks in between
  • Always_Smiling_D
    Always_Smiling_D Posts: 118 Member
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    You have to play around with it and find what works for you... I have never fasted, I have 5 to 6 meals a day, but that doesn't mean that those who fast or have the amazingly called cheat day don't have awesome results as well. Which ever way just make sure that you feel satisfied at the end of the day.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I am quite new to fitness and health, so I am really suck on what sort of meal plan I should be following. I've been recommended both something called intermittent fasting, as well as eating 5-6 small means a day. What should I be doing for weight loss? Any help is appreciated thanks :)
    A sensible and sustainable calorie deficit is all you need for weight loss.
    Different eating patterns are mostly just techniques people use to suit their personal preference and lifestyle to help with adherence.

    I follow an IF protocol because it suits me - it might not suit you.

    Whether 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 meals a day have any advantages can be endlessly debated (normally with ridiculous amounts of broscience!) but the effect is negligible compared to finding something that means you can stick to your calorie goal day after day, or week after week.
  • thesupremeforce
    thesupremeforce Posts: 1,207 Member
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    Eat at a deficit. Timing isn't going to make much of a difference either way, so eat whenever it works for you.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Eat at a deficit. Timing isn't going to make much of a difference either way, so eat whenever it works for you.

    THIS.
  • Azdak
    Azdak Posts: 8,281 Member
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    Do what works for your schedule and your body. No plan is a one size fits all. I, personally, get sick if I go too long without eating, so fasting is out. I also never felt full and satisfied by eating several smaller meals, so I eat 2 or 3 a day, with maybe a snack.

    Think about the times you have available to eat. Think about how your body handles going long periods without food. And remember, there's always room to tweak the diet for adjustments if you need to.

    No weight loss "plan" works better than another if you follow it consistently. It's all about burning more calories than you take in, at its basic level.

    Everything else is pretty much mind games.
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
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    Two rules only: be consistent, and find your own weight loss groove.

    On MFP, if you track food and exercise regularly and accurately and log your weight and measurements, you can pull up all kinds of reports that show you your own trends. After a month, you can really start to figure out what makes YOU successful at weight loss.

    So my advice is to make TRACKING your plan for the time being. And be gentle with yourself--Don't freak out over a high-calorie day, because they happen!

    There is a lot of good advice floating around MFP and elsewhere but ohmygosh there is SO much bad advice too! Do your own research, especially before trying anything someone else suggests might work for you, and be wary of anything that's got a lot of diet rules.
  • knra_grl
    knra_grl Posts: 1,568 Member
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    Two rules only: be consistent, and find your own weight loss groove.

    On MFP, if you track food and exercise regularly and accurately and log your weight and measurements, you can pull up all kinds of reports that show you your own trends. After a month, you can really start to figure out what makes YOU successful at weight loss.

    So my advice is to make TRACKING your plan for the time being. And be gentle with yourself--Don't freak out over a high-calorie day, because they happen!

    There is a lot of good advice floating around MFP and elsewhere but ohmygosh there is SO much bad advice too! Do your own research, especially before trying anything someone else suggests might work for you, and be wary of anything that's got a lot of diet rules.

    This and do what works for you - I like to eat frequently but others like to eat larger meals less frequently - Yesterday at work I ate every 2 hours for some reason other days I am good without anything between breakfast and lunch - a lot will depend on what you eat also - protein stays with me longer so I am less hungry if I start my day with lots of protein
  • bmqbonnie
    bmqbonnie Posts: 836 Member
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    I know I personally am much more likely to binge if I let myself get too hungry, so eating often works better for me. On the same token, I don't really buy into the whole "eat every three hours or your metabolism will die!" thing. That's usually about how often I eat, but if I'm not hungry I don't worry about it.
  • larrodarro
    larrodarro Posts: 2,512 Member
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    I've been doing two low calorie days a week for about six months, and have lost close to 50 pounds. I don't call it fasting because even though I limit myself to 600-700 calories on those days, I am never hungry. But I try to never go over my goal of 1680 on the other days, even if I 'earn' extra calories by exercise. As far as how many meals, or when to eat them, that is according to your schedule. Because I sit at a desk with not much to do, snacks were the biggest thing for me to get a handle on. I have found that logging everything you eat makes you think about it more.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    For ME personally I prefer a regular lunch and then a huge dinner . I like the full satisfied feeling. Experiment and find what works foryou. The best plan is one you can adhere to long term.
  • ab_1203
    ab_1203 Posts: 88 Member
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    I prefer eating throughout the day and fueling my body. I dont think its convenient to try and push yourself through a long periodf without food.
  • CelebrityStatus
    CelebrityStatus Posts: 84 Member
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    What everyone else said ... it's about having a deficit and finding what works for you!

    I only eat two "meals" per day, because I work afternoons and usually am not up at "breakfast" time ... so I eat lunch and dinner, and snack in between. I try to always have a healthy snack on hand, my favourite is homemade guac (avocado, tomato, lemon juice) and some veggies to dip in it instead of chips. I always have fruit or veggies to snack on... if I am not hungry enough to eat some fruit or veggies, I'm not hungry enough for a chocolate bar ;)

    It's kind of trial and error. Rarely does one program work for a bunch of people ... this is why some people have success on things like atkins and some don't. Just play around and figure out what works for you. And remember ... you WILL make mistakes! It's not do or die. If you eat poorly one day, it doesn't mean that you are going to gain ten pounds and give up all of your progress. Weight loss isn't cut and dry (well... it is in a calories in vs calories out sense, but not in the sense of emotions) so you learn and adjust to a program that suits your needs.

    Good luck on your journey! Feel free to add me if you need support :)

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