How many hours should you leave between meals

actioncomics1
actioncomics1 Posts: 58
in Food and Nutrition
Or does it even matter ? :happy: thanks
«1

Replies

  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Meal timing is personal preference.
  • Bellanique
    Bellanique Posts: 8 Member
    No more than 4 hours.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    Whatever works for you
  • andylowry
    andylowry Posts: 89
    Don't see how it would matter, other than spacing it in such a way that you don't become ravenous.
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    This content has been removed.
  • shaynepoole
    shaynepoole Posts: 493 Member
    it is really what works for you... Some people advocate eating every couple of hours - I am pretty much a standard 3 meal a day type of person and I am happy with that
  • Bigmitch41
    Bigmitch41 Posts: 73 Member
    Little and often works for me, keeps me from troffing out on the bad stuff if the hunger strikes...
  • WaKay
    WaKay Posts: 314
    WAIT! I thought I was supposed to graze all day long. :laugh:
  • ninav1980
    ninav1980 Posts: 514 Member
    Ugh, I hate timing my meals. I did that once for 3 weeks and it consumed me. I found my self constantly looking at the time wondering when my next "feeding" would be. I was doing the 6 small meals every 2 hours plan. NOT for me. Now I just eat when I am hungry. The only planned time I eat is at lunch time and mainly because I am at work which makes me more on a schedule. I snack as needed, but not out of obligation at a certain time
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    No more than 4 hours.
    Why not? What happens if say you go 6 hours?
    Don't you know? At 4 hours and 1 second, you instantly drop dead from starvation.
  • weightliftingdiva
    weightliftingdiva Posts: 522 Member
    I usually have breakfast, lunch, dinner and then grazing.
  • smithed812
    smithed812 Posts: 289
    Doesn't matter. Sometimes I eat all day long here and there, and sometimes I eat twice. Do whatever you like!
  • prestigio
    prestigio Posts: 181 Member
    No more than 4 hours.

    Start to wonder how you sleep at night...
  • tessiebear40
    tessiebear40 Posts: 39 Member
    it is really what works for you... Some people advocate eating every couple of hours - I am pretty much a standard 3 meal a day type of person and I am happy with that


    Same here
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    I don't snack much, if ever. I like to build an appetite and then eat a nice, filling meal. Three squares.
  • CassandraBurgos83
    CassandraBurgos83 Posts: 544 Member
    I try to space it out between 3-4 hours... But it's a preference. If I could I'd eat all day long :)
  • apgabriel915
    apgabriel915 Posts: 53 Member
    Whenever I'm hungry. I eat breakfast around 8-830, then a snack around 10-1030, then lunch at 12, MAYBE snack after lunch, then dinner between 5-6, then maybe a snack after. I'm usually not hungry at the end of the day as long as I don't go hungry
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 6,008 Member
    No more than 4 hours.

    Why?
  • luca15306
    luca15306 Posts: 111 Member
    I have breakfast at 6.30 am, lunch at 12 and dinner around 6.30 pm, then a cup of tea and biscuit around 7-8 pm to settle the sweet tooth! On weekdays I never snack between these times, but at weekends I am more relaxed, do feel hungry in-between close to the meal times, but I find that's good, as I definitely know its time to eat soon!
    Just find what works for you and your routine :) Best of luck :)
  • in4nomz
    in4nomz Posts: 230
    Definitely based on preference. I eat 4-5 times a day because I don't like feeling super full with big meals. Also, I'm pretty much always hungry, so eating more often makes me feel like I'm getting more (but in reality I'm still hitting the macros!)
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
    whatever time it takes you to get hungry I guess
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
    No more than 4 hours.
    Why not? What happens if say you go 6 hours?
    Don't you know? At 4 hours and 1 second, you instantly drop dead from starvation.

    Actually, at 4 hours and 1 second you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel... but since you've gone over 4 hours without eating, you actually don't have enough energy to walk to the end of the tunnel.
  • Bellanique
    Bellanique Posts: 8 Member
    Sorry, should have explained. Eating light and often improves metabolism, energy and helps maintain blood sugar levels, among other things. Your body knows it's not starving, so it will not hold on to what it has. When you go too long without eating (sleeping not included, of course) metabolism can slow down and you'll burn muscle instead of fat. Not what we want.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    I always go with what my body says and have snacks on hand just in case.

    But I can go from "I'm getting hungry" to "I WILL STAB A BABY SEAL FOR A COOKIE" without warning.
    *I also have blood sugar issues from previous ED.


    I usually don't go over 4 hours without having something.
    Actually...I have a snack every 2-3 hours.
  • sarafischbach9
    sarafischbach9 Posts: 466 Member
    Its personal preference and everyone is different! I know if I eat a Chipotle burrito I don't need to eat for 6 or more hours, and sometimes 8 hours. But those can be a lot of calories! I normally get bowls from there these days.

    I normally get hungry 3-4 hours after a meal. If I go 6 or more hours without a meal, i get really crabby. If I know I will have to go 6 or more hours without a meal ( like on work days when I can't eat when I want to ) I plan a snack.
  • sfbaumgarten
    sfbaumgarten Posts: 912 Member
    Doesn't matter.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    Depends on the meal.

    If I eat a 300 cal meal, I'll be eating again in 2-3 hours.

    If i eat a 2000 cal meal, I might not eat again for 18-24 hours ...
  • shrinkingshreya
    shrinkingshreya Posts: 118 Member
    Trying to eat every few hours like a lot of people suggest was incredibly stressful for me for some reason. I didn't like the fact I had to time when I ate vs. just listening to my body. Sticking to a regular 3 meal day works out really good for me, and if I'm hungry in between I make sure to have a healthy snack with me at work like an apple or almonds. I also stopped breaking down my food to Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner in my diary and just have two sections one for Food and one for Drink's the one for drink's so I make sure I'm not drinking a bunch of empty calories. Trial and error and is the best sometimes to figure out what is going to work best for you personally.
  • Wwonderful
    Wwonderful Posts: 145
    For me, every 16 to 24 Hours, sometimes more.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Meal timing is personal preference

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