Snacking or 3 square meals

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mrsgoodwine
mrsgoodwine Posts: 468 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you prefer/works best for you?

Snacks, eating every few hours or 3 square meals. Sometimes when I snack, even if it's healthy snacking, I feel like all I am doing is thinking about food. How about you?
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Replies

  • Jchambers1130
    Jchambers1130 Posts: 173 Member
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    Personally I prefer 3 larger meals and I can go without snacking. My body feels better and I just try to stay busy. If you are doing something you are less likely to be thinking about what meal is next.
  • sillyvalentine
    sillyvalentine Posts: 460 Member
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    I prefer two meals a day, sometimes one. I like to eat a lot of food if I am going to eat so I can easily polish off 1200 calories in a single meal.

    I find if I snack or eat a ton of smaller meals, I am hungrier throughout the day. I don't get hungry until that first bite of food so I try to postpone it as long as I can.
  • changing4life
    changing4life Posts: 193 Member
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    i struggle with this too. I have to make a real effort to not eat 5 large meals and to really only have 1/2 the calories and 1/2 the carbs at the snacks.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
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    My name is Rock, and I speak for the Metabolisms.
  • jaz141
    jaz141 Posts: 32
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    I prefer to "snack" though I don't eat snacks. It's just meals broken up into bits.
    "Breakfast" is a protein shake, blueberries and an orange. But I'll eat it like this:
    9:30- blueberries
    10:30- Orange
    11:30 - Protein shake.

    I find my hunger is the same whether I eat it all at once or spread out over hours, so I like to spread it out. I like the act of eating and want to do it as much as possible...
  • PratoN
    PratoN Posts: 20 Member
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    I try to stay away from snacking. I always eat 3 meals (bigger meals earlier in the morning are better for me) and sometimes 1 snack (almonds, plain greek yogurt, something with fat and protein) before or after lunch - depending on the day. I find if I snack throughout the day, it's never on anything healthy (read: carbs) and it doesn't take much for me to go over my caloric limit for the day. I'm also hungry an hour later.

    I visited my parents' last weekend - they had so many snacks! Cookies, guac and chips, Reese's peanut butter eggs (sorry if I'm making you guys hungry) - needless to say, I have yet to work off those calories!
  • cricket_77
    cricket_77 Posts: 165 Member
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    I do both...I eat 3 larger meals and then snack once or twice in between.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
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    It doesn't matter for losing weight...eat however you want as long as you meet calorie/macro goals. Personally several small meals works best for me. My husband is more of a 2 meal a day guy with the occassional snack after dinner.
  • mschicagocubs
    mschicagocubs Posts: 774 Member
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    I think it depends on what you are doing on a day to day basis.

    Weekdays, I work a desk job. So usually eating a snack every few hours gives me a break and something to do besides staring at the computer. I eat breakfast, midmorning snack, lunch, afternoon snack (most days).

    Weekends, I am home cleaning, running errands, playing with my daughter, etc. So I am more distracted and can usually eat 3 meals with limited snacks, if not 2 large meals.

    Find what works best for you to curb your hunger.
  • notnikkisixx
    notnikkisixx Posts: 375 Member
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    I think it depends on what you are doing on a day to day basis.

    Weekdays, I work a desk job. So usually eating a snack every few hours gives me a break and something to do besides staring at the computer. I eat breakfast, midmorning snack, lunch, afternoon snack (most days).

    Weekends, I am home cleaning, running errands, playing with my daughter, etc. So I am more distracted and can usually eat 3 meals with limited snacks, if not 2 large meals.

    Find what works best for you to curb your hunger.

    I feel like I could have written this response!

    During the week I sit at a desk and feel hungry pretty much all day so I make sure to have a healthy morning snack and a healthy afternoon snack. On the weekends I usually just have brunch and dinner.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,239 Member
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    2-3 meals, generally no snacks. If I snack, I am hungry all the time. Since in terms of weight loss it makes no difference I will eat the way that keeps me feeling full.
  • Sarah_828
    Sarah_828 Posts: 23 Member
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    I have to do 3 square meals or I get cranky! I might do an afternoon snack since I start to get hungry around 4 or 5 since we don't eat dinner until around 8 so I don't overeat at dinner
  • ebeth_s
    ebeth_s Posts: 21 Member
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    I eat five times a day. With only 1200 calories to work with, if I don't spread them out my blood sugar gets all out of whack. On work days I have breakfast, lunch, afternoon snack, supper, and evening snack. I eat lunch early at work. On days I'm not at work, I'll add in a morning snack and have lunch later. Then I drop the evening snack.
  • Oscarinmiami
    Oscarinmiami Posts: 326 Member
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    I am a horrible eater...sometimes I go all day without eating and sometimes I eat all da long...I try to eat 3 meals and a snack or 2 a day, I am losing weight but I can imagine if I would eat correctly I would have been losing a lot more weight...everyone is different so do what feels right to you.
  • brynnsmom
    brynnsmom Posts: 945 Member
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    Snacking can turn into mindless eating if I am not careful, although I will usually have a piece of fruit or some cottage cheese after dinner/before bed. It's always worked better in my house to have a decent lunch and a big dinner with nothing in between (we're not breakfast eaters).
  • fushigi1988
    fushigi1988 Posts: 519 Member
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    Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,239 Member
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    I am a horrible eater...sometimes I go all day without eating and sometimes I eat all da long...I try to eat 3 meals and a snack or 2 a day, I am losing weight but I can imagine if I would eat correctly I would have been losing a lot more weight...everyone is different so do what feels right to you.

    As long as your calories are meeting the goal you have and not exceeding them, it doesn't matter how often you eat in terms of weight loss. Just find the pattern that works for you to stick to your calories and not feel deprived.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    I aim to eat six times a day. THis allows and actually demands snacking. I hate my stomach growling at any time.
  • breahremington
    breahremington Posts: 42
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    I do both...I eat 3 larger meals and then snack once or twice in between.

    This for me, although my meals are weighted more heavily the later in the day. As in my breakfast is usually around 200 cals, lunch around 3-400, and then for dinner i go ALL OUT. I just don't get quite as hungry during the day but am ravenous at night.
  • RaggedyPond
    RaggedyPond Posts: 1,487 Member
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    I eat like a hobbit. I have breakfast, second breakfast, lunch, second lunch, dinner, after dinner snacks. All are about 2 hours apart.

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