Eating 5-6 small meals a day...Who else does this?

I do it. still losing on a steady basis. my diary is open

I don't believe meal frequency or size has anything to do with weight loss. It's all about how many calories you eat overall. Do whatever works for you and makes you happiest. During the work week I eat on a pretty tight schedule. I eat breakfast lunch and dinner plus two snacks. One around 10 or 11am and one around 3 or 4pm. On the weekends I just kind of eat whenever though. But that's because I sleep in a little longer and don't eat breakfast until quite a bit later in the morning.

Wow so many posts to this thread, first let me just say everything depends on your personal goals and what you want to achieve. I am on a strict meal plan of increased proteins, complex carbs and veggies. I eat 6 times a day. I also workout 6 days a week but I am trying to build muscle right now. Eating throughout the day will give you more energy and help support your metabolism. But remember its not always when you eat it's what you eat. GOOD LUCK!!!

I do this. Eat 6 times per day. But my day's calorie target and macros fall into place.

I do! Even if I stuff myself, I tend to get hungry (or at least peckish) again in a couple hours, so since I moved out on my own, I've been picking at several smaller meals a day. If my schedule permits, I'll have breakfast around 6-7, brunch around 9-10, lunch around 12-1, a snack whenever I feel like it, and dinner around 5-7. After that, I try not to eat though, but it's easier later in the day because I'm not moving or doing as much once I get home. It's easier on me to space out meals in smaller portions than it is to eat regular sized meals several hours apart, because that just makes me full and lethargic, and it doesn't satiate me until the next major meal.

Hope your having a wonderful day!

I do! [snip]

Total derail to say...love the Woot shirt!

Today I began eating 6 small meals per day. A new friend told me yesterday she lost over 100 lbs. eating 5-6 small meals per day.

I have always starved myself to lose weight. I am excited about this, although I've heard of people doing this, but I never actually had someone to break it down to me like she did.

I've broken down my calories for each meal for now, ensuring breakfast and mid-way of my shift is a bit more calories.

You can only lose weight by eating at a deficit, but how you spread out your allotted calories throughout day can make it easier or harder to feel satisfied eating at that deficit (and therefore keep it up and lose weight). Different methods work better for different people. And sometimes different methods work better on just different days.

Personally, I typically distribute my allotted calories/day into 5-6 small meals/day. That *USUALLY* works for me because I never get the point where I'm so hungry that I can't control myself anymore. But some days, I mix things up. Some days, if I'm feeling less hungry during the daytime, I won't eat much and I won't have any snacks but then I'll eat a large dinner. Other days, I might have a large brunch, one small snack in the afternoon, and then another large meal at dinnertime. I just go with what my body feels like that day. But on most days, 5-6 small meals works really well! I'd recommend that, but just don't be super strict about it! Listen to what your body is telling you!

I used to.

Then I found it really doesn't matter when you eat your food for the most part.

Now I follow a vaguely 'lean gains' style approach of an 8 hour eating window - normally 1-9pm or so.
I eat when I want. I do make sure I've had food before a workout and enough protein floating around after too - usually have a biggish meal after a workout.

I eat 2

I used to.

Then I found it really doesn't matter when you eat your food for the most part.

Now I follow a vaguely 'lean gains' style approach of an 8 hour eating window - normally 1-9pm or so.
I eat when I want. I do make sure I've had food before a workout and enough protein floating around after too - usually have a biggish meal after a workout.

That's not true for everyone. It matters for some people. For some people, timing their meals makes a BIG difference.

I'm glad that you figured out what works for you though. I always enjoy hearing when people figure out what works best for them!

It really is all about what works for you. As far as losing weight is concerned, I don't think it matters when you eat. But it sure matters to you if you get hungry! It's also interesting to note that, often, when people say it doesn't matter, they follow up with "As long as it's in a specific window of time and I get my protein after my work out and..."

Champion snacker here. I hardly ever eat a 'meal' unless it's dinner. I just try to hit my calorie goal and macros. To heck with all the rest!

I used to.

Then I found it really doesn't matter when you eat your food for the most part.

Now I follow a vaguely 'lean gains' style approach of an 8 hour eating window - normally 1-9pm or so.
I eat when I want. I do make sure I've had food before a workout and enough protein floating around after too - usually have a biggish meal after a workout.

That's not true for everyone. It matters for some people. For some people, timing their meals makes a BIG difference.

I'm glad that you figured out what works for you though. I always enjoy hearing when people figure out what works best for them!

nvmnd

I prefer to eat frequently as I tend to get hangry, so frequent meals help to prevent that.

Point of order: Your friend lost weight by maintaining a deficit, not because of meal frequency or timing.

^^This