Eating every 2 hours?

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cincysweetheart
cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I hear things about how you should eat every two hours (granted just small amounts) so your body knows it's still getting fuel and will keep burning it. Is this true? I'm losing weight at a rate that I find acceptable (I just joined MFP like 5 days ago…. so that's why my ticker isn't showing weight loss) and I'm eating real food. But usually I'm no where near hungry 2 hours after I eat. So, is it really necessary that I do the "eat every 2 hours" thing? If it's not true… where did it come from as it seems to be fairly common "wisdom" among the weight loss crowd?

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    Eating every 2 hours doesn't do anything to speed weight loss. Divide your calories amongst as many or as few meals as you like. Total calories are what determines weight loss.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I think it comes from confusion over TEF - the amount of energy to consume/digest food and also the myths and misunderstanding around metabolism which seem to be rife. All the "kickstarting", "stoking the fire" and other tripe that gets thrown about. TEF is related to how much you eat and not how often you eat.

    As vismal (with the rather impressive weight loss ticker!) says, how you split up your calories makes virtually no difference, just concentrate on the amount you consume over the course of a day and eat in a pattern that suits you.

    My reservations about forcing yourself to have multiple small meals would be that you are making yourself eat when you aren't hungry and (personally) I would struggle to get a balanced diet from eating loads of small snacks as opposed to a meal.
    Snacking, grazing, eating when not hungry all contributed to me putting on weight.

    If it suits you and lets you get your nutrition and calories by eating small and frequently then go for it, if it doesn't suit you then don't.
  • SrMaggalicious
    SrMaggalicious Posts: 495 Member
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    I used to do that. I do IF now (intermittent fasting) and fast for about 20 hours, and eat all my calories in a 4 hour window. This type of eating works best for me. I still eat the required cals per day, but in a very small window - which I like.
  • Dewymorning
    Dewymorning Posts: 762 Member
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    Eat as often as suits you and your needs.

    Some people find it easier if they eat small but frequent meals.

    I prefer to eat 3 substantial meals, I usually only have tea between breakfast and lunch, and I have a small chocolate bar between lunch and dinner.

    If I have enough calories I sometimes have ice cream after dinner.

    But apart from that it really just comes down to total calories eaten, and when you eat them is really just personal preference.
  • HealthyVitamins
    HealthyVitamins Posts: 432 Member
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    If you are hungry, eat. If you are not, don't.

    We need to learn how to know when we are hungry, instead of eating constantly.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
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    outdated broscience, meal timing is irrelevant
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    Required if you are a babe in arms ..... for an adult? .. Not so much.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
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    Thank you for the input. I haven't been doing it that way and it didn't really make sense to me when I heard it, but I wanted to make sure. I don't claim to know a heck of a whole lot about how to lose weight or how the body functions, so I didn't want to just dismiss something just because I didn't get it. Glad to hear that my intuition was right in this case.
  • missiontofitness
    missiontofitness Posts: 4,074 Member
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    Thank you for the input. I haven't been doing it that way and it didn't really make sense to me when I heard it, but I wanted to make sure. I don't claim to know a heck of a whole lot about how to lose weight or how the body functions, so I didn't want to just dismiss something just because I didn't get it. Glad to hear that my intuition was right in this case.

    Yep! It'll take some trial and error, but you'll figure out what works best for you. No need to eat every 2 hours (especially if you aren't hungry). I'd say to figure out when the best meal times are for you, and then plan snack times in case you are hungry in between those two meals. I have a snack planned between breakfast and lunch, and lunch and dinner, and I don't always use them.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    As long as you don't blow your calories limit for the day, eat as many times as you wish. Many of us would be in serious trouble if we had to eat every two hours or set times each day.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    How about if you just listen to your body and eat when you're hungry?

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