Small meals?

NYCGamerGirlx · May 2014

My co-worker has been telling me that eating several (5-6) small meals during the day is best for weight loss. Has anyone tried this before? If so, what are some ideas for "small meals"?

Thanks in advance.

brianpperkins · May 2014

Ummmm ... no.

thavoice · May 2014

My co-worker has been telling me that eating several (5-6) small meals during the day is best for weight loss. Has anyone tried this before? If so, what are some ideas for "small meals"?

Thanks in advance.

co worker is wrong. eat at deficit and does not matter if 1 or 5 meals

kikityme · May 2014

It's basically taking your 1200 or whatever calories per day and splitting it 5-6 ways instead of 3 ways.

It's not better or worse than 3, but I find it more difficult. It depends on your body. If you find you're hungry all day, it can help with that. It can help even out blood sugar spikes (according to my nutritionist) but it's not really necessary.

PennyVonDread · May 2014

Yeah, it works if you're under calorie goal. I eat like that. I prefer eating small and frequently, but a lot of "meals" are essentially snacks. Usually try for proteins and fiber at each meal, veggies, cheeses, seeds, nuts beans, oats, yogurt. A typical sitting for me is less than 2 cups of food, I could fit in my hands. I'm never bloated this way and it regulates my blood sugar. Not everyone has schedules which makes eating in such intervals an option. I also find I don't binge when I'm eating so regularly because I never let myself get too hungry. It works for me, it's more of a method of scheduling than eating.

rsclause · May 2014

I try to eat every two hours. Not scientific but my theory is that it tricks my body into thinking it doesn't need to store food. I workout enough to have room and these snacks are fruit nuts and protein shacks etc. That said it still boils down to a deficit in the end but it also keeps my energy up.

JossFit · May 2014

There have been numerous studies done on the subject, and the consensus is that meal frequency has no impact on weight gain or losses, aside from the preference of the individual.

For those who find it easier to stay on their diet by eating more often, it works. For those who feel deprived and unsatisfied eating smaller portions, it may not work.

It's all up to what works best for you and your lifestyle.

The idea of this came about from bodybuilders who would eat 5-8 (or more) meals per day. The reason they did so, however, had nothing to do with "stoking their metabolism" but rather was just more convenient than trying to eat massive portions of lean protein and vegetables (as an example) in only a couple of meals.
Obviously those same bodybuilders would continuously lean out as they neared their shows, but that was due to a manipulation in their training and calorie intake, not meal frequency.

teagirlmedium · May 2014

Eating about 6 times a day works best for me. That style of eating helps me maintain/ lose a little while I am maintaining. I have had friends that could not do it. It depends on the person. In my opinion it is another option for people to decide if they want to try or not.

Wonderob · May 2014

There have been numerous studies done on the subject, and the consensus is that meal frequency has no impact on weight gain or losses, aside from the preference of the individual.

For those who find it easier to stay on their diet by eating more often, it works. For those who feel deprived and unsatisfied eating smaller portions, it may not work.

It's all up to what works best for you and your lifestyle.

The idea of this came about from bodybuilders who would eat 5-8 (or more) meals per day. The reason they did so, however, had nothing to do with "stoking their metabolism" but rather was just more convenient than trying to eat massive portions of lean protein and vegetables (as an example) in only a couple of meals.
Obviously those same bodybuilders would continuously lean out as they neared their shows, but that was due to a manipulation in their training and calorie intake, not meal frequency.

Yep, completely agree with this

I'm one of those for whom eating lots of meals and snacks works much better than eating 3 meals a day

I currently eat 7 or 8 meals or snacks of about 300 calories, which along with my exercise and lifting routine, means I'm losing my pound a week target

I would find it extremely difficult to eat 3 meals of 700 or 800 calories each, but if I did then I would ultimately get the same result

gaelicstorm26 · May 2014

I kind of do this. I have three "meals" and three "snacks" every day. The only reason I do it is because of a medical condition. It helps me spread my carbs throughout the day and avoid big spikes in my blood sugar. If your body doesn't have a problem with insulin, I see no real reason to do this.

Small meals?

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