Anyone doing 6-meals/day?

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  • binxle
    binxle Posts: 2
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    My goal is about the same as yours and I eat this way.

    I usually have a ~300 calorie breakfast, lunch, and dinner with smaller snacks between lunch and dinner and after dinner. Logged in advance the day before really helps keep this in check. I feel full all day but it took a week or so to get used to it. Once you get used to eating less and more frequently as a trade off you might even like it better - I really like snacking, haha. :-)

    With the 4th of July coming up, I would log the meals you eat that day in advance and be realistic. You might want to keep your dinner at 500 calories and choose to trade off earlier meals for frequent snacks until you go to your barbecue or party, or whatever you have planned.

    Good luck!
  • keegan2149
    keegan2149 Posts: 65 Member
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    I try to do this whenever I'm possible. The theory is that if you eat in such a way that your blood sugar is at a constant level you'll avoid the spikes that cause your body to store calories as fat as well as the dips that trigger hunger cravings.

    When I do it I still eat 2 - 4 main meals of about 400-600 calories (I'm a 200lb man so your calorie counts may be different) Then 3 - 4 snacks or smaller meals of 100 - 300 calories depending on what I've eaten that day. These consist mostly of natural foods, like trail mix, granola, veggies and fruit. I also try to drink a low-carb, high-protein meal replacement shake or two.

    I've never been that fond of veggies so it took some getting used to. I started out by downing a can of spinach as my last meal every day. The protein in the shakes and the fiber really helps to control hunger throughout the day. It was hard to change my habits though. 3 months went by before it felt normal to eat this way, but I stuck with it. My coworkers eventually got used to me showing up with a stack of plastic containers every morning. GL!
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,256 Member
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    I have frequent snacks, to deter me from getting so hungry I get derailed from my plan when it's mealtime. My diary is open for ideas, but I doubt anyone would be much interested since I'm eating a boring competition prep diet.

    I had to look since you said "competition prep diet", pretty impressive.
  • looseseal
    looseseal Posts: 216 Member
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    I've tried doing that before and for me, it just doesn't work. I always felt not full enough and was hungry and waiting around till I could eat again. For me, I'm better off eating a good b-fast (400 cals give or take), lunch, snack (if needed) and dinner that stick with me for several hours. I try my best to combine good protein (chicken, soy burgers, beef, eggs, etc) with good carbs (veggies, fruits, multi-grain wraps, brown rice, etc). If find that combo sticks with me much longer. Just my 2 cents.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    i have 5 or 6 meals per day, and it works very well for me. since i'm on 1200 net calories a day, that means about 200 calories per meal - if i go crazy and have 300, i do some extra walking to make up the difference. i do less than 25 carbs per most meals, sometimes between 15 and 20. i only eat foods i really love, and while before doing this i used to get frequent snack cravings, 5 to 6 really tasty meals seems to work as every meal is like a really great snack :)
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    As far as weight loss goes, meal timing/size/frequency is one of those things where you have to find what works best for you. Your post seems to indicate that this is the last thing to try; it isn't. Try six small meals a day and see if it suits you. If it doesn't, try something else. Some people find that 3 square meals a day, no snacking works best. Others find that two, or even one large meal a day suits them best. Some people like to breakfast like a king and then taper their meals as the day goes on; for others, it's the opposite. You have to go with what works best for your energy levels, appetite, lifestyle and personal preference.

    For me, I couldn't do 6 small meals a day because when I've tried that, I found that I never really felt truly satisfied after a meal. I prefer to eat lightly at breakfast and lunch (or skip breakfast entirely) and eat most of my calories in the evening. The other thing about lots of small meals a day is that I never really felt hungry. Not only do I find that I enjoy my meals much more when I'm at least a bit hungry, I also think it's really important to learn to cope with feeling hungry. It always concerns me a bit when dieters are recommended to snack regularly so that they never feel hungry, in case they binge. Hunger is a very normal thing to feel. We shouldn't be scared of it. Anyway, that's just me. :smile: Just experiment a bit and find what works best for you. This is one issue where there isn't a one size fits all answer.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    I do!

    Typical weekday/lifting day...

    5AM: Quest bar [160-200 calories]
    7:30AM: Protein shake [250 calories]
    8:30AM: Breakfast (bowl of oatmeal and coffee) [350 calories]
    12:00PM: Lunch (depends on the day) [200-250 calories]
    3:00PM: Afternoon snack (usually a hard boiled egg, Greek yogurt, and light string cheese) [200 calories]
    6:30PM: Dinner (depends on the day) [350-550 calories]

    I have one cardio day per week when I don't have a Quest bar before I work out and, on those days, I treat myself to a dessert after dinner. Lately it's been a 144 calorie s'more with banana slices.

    It all adds up to about 1650 calories M-F. I eat more on weekends, and it's not 6 scheduled meals like during the work week. I don't eat 6 meals a day because I think it'll help me lose weight. I eat 6 meals a day because I like to eat and I want to eat often.
  • imagerman
    imagerman Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm post gastric sleeve surgery about 9 mos ago. I have to eat 6 small meals because of the new size of my stomach. I try to eat within 1000 calories daily, with 90-100 g protein. Costco carries an excellent whey protein drink called Premier Protein Shake valued at 30 g per container. I also eat 1 lean and green meal daily consisting of a protein meat such as chicken or fish and a green vegetable. Amazon carries some really tasty protein bars by the name of Quest and Rise. A little pricey but they get the job done. I also recommend vitamin supplements and a good brand is Bariatric Advantage.
    As a last resort, Medifast has an excellent program.
    6 meals a day requires a major change from your normal. Just get with it and stick with it for 14 days, then it will start to feel normal. Don't let your friends and associates influence you from your goal. Good Luck.

    Imagerman
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
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    Meal timing/frequency is irrelevant to weight loss. It all comes down to calories in vs calories out. 6 meals a day, 3 meals a day, 1 meal - The only difference is personal preference. Individuals who eat 6 meals a day will lose weight due to a caloric deficit, not the fact that they are eating 6 meals a day. The whole "stoking metabolism" is a myth.

    For some, eating 6 meals helps mentally ("I feel like I'm always eating, and it's great") For others, like myself, 6 meals a day isn't anywhere near satisfying. Again, personal preference will dictate meal frequency. Good luck in whatever you choose.
  • ddkphotos
    ddkphotos Posts: 304 Member
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    unofficially I eat approx 5 smaller meals a day...
    My daily goal is 1400 -
    breakfast is usually a smoothie at around 250 calories -
    morning snack around 150 -
    lunch around 300 -
    afternoon snacks around 200 -
    dinner and evening snacks is the other 500...
    this is all approximate - but I find I do better if I don't let myself get too hungry - at which point I tend to eat alot more... does that make sense?
  • varula
    varula Posts: 13
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    I am trying to do this. I had a trainer a while back who told me to eat 6 times a day and have a carb and a protein at each meal. I didn't always nail it but I tried. Here's what a typical work day was for me:

    7 am: atkins shake
    10 am: oatfit oatmeal & boiled egg
    1 pm: chicken salad
    4 pm: banana & peanut butter
    7 pm: meat and veggie
    sometimes I'd have a protein drink after workout or if I want a sweet

    I would usually come very close to 1200 calories a day.

    I am trying to get back into this routine...today is the first day back at it. So far so good.

    Sounds exactly like what I'm thinking. Today's my first day too. Good luck for both of us!
  • varula
    varula Posts: 13
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    I am doing this: Eating all 3 hours!!!!!

    8:00 am Breakfast: low sugar apple-oatmeal, cinnemon, flaxseed, truvia and mixed with bit of water
    11:00 am Snack: frozen fruit mix smoothie with a little bit water & 0.25 scoop of WHEY Strawberry protein powder
    2 pm lunch: lettuce, tomatoes, tuna/salmon, cheese, low sugar dressing; dannon light greek yogurt
    5 pm Snack: Proteinshake; WHEY protein powder( love strawberry) 0.75 scoop plus almond unsweeten vanilla milk 30cal (before my gym keeps me running)
    8pm Dinner: protein (chicken/ steak plus veggies) and yes a glass of sangria ; )

    Thats aprox. 1400cal/day, spice up your lunch with graved salmon on 90cal flatbread and lowfat creamcheese..mhhh so good. Snacks can be changed up with a nice chocolate protein bar ( I am a chocoholic, that helps!) or whatever you like max 200cal. Important notice: calculate before eating, prepare your food before work to resist all those little evil devil office cookies, keep track in your head and do your workout. Every-body, literally, is different. I just changed up my cal intake from 1200 to 1400 cal with high protein, low carb...no hunger/ no cravings- feeling great now and see daily sucess. Try it!

    Thanks! I've got an alarm set to remind me to eat every 3 hours. I'm being VERY strict with my portion sizes, using a measuring cup to dish out yogurt, etc. This is my first day doing this and I don't have a plan for dinner so I'm a little nervous about that, but my goal is to keep it around 200 cals for a 1200 day. I think planning is key, for sure.
  • varula
    varula Posts: 13
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    Thanks for all the supportive comments! To respond to some that stand out:

    1.) someone suggested this wasn't the last thing to try and gave some excellent suggestions for other options (THANK YOU!) - but I have tried everything else from eating big breakfasts/small the rest of the day to mixing it up and all different things. I haven't ever focused on six meals a day before - not like this anyway. To the person with the lap band - I've got friends who have them so they do inspire me a little. Eat small and eat often. I'm just not used to that as it's something I've never done.

    2.) Someone else suggested that 1200 calories is too low but anything higher and I don't lose. Trust me on this, I've been at it a very, very long time. I do exercise but have been unable to for the past two months. Planning to get back on that and maybe I can increase my calories a little...but just a little. I just don't lose weight the same way normal people do. Not anymore at least. I have even been to my doctor but alas, I'm healthy as a horse! Just FAT LOL

    I have been dieting off an on for 33 years. There is a picture of me in the dictionary next to the term "yo-yo dieter." This needs to stop. I need to find a way to first, get it off and second, keep it off. So I'm not looking for a temporary solution but something I can live with permanently. PLANNING is key. When I don't plan, I eat whatever. I know this. But there also has to be control, so after these small meals, if I'm still feeling hungry, my plan is to get up and go do something for the 15-20 minutes it takes to register fullness. And water, drink lots and lots of water.

    Looking forward to trying some of the meal ideas posted here and snooping through diaries offered, if I can figure out how. Thanks again everyone!
  • seidel1325
    seidel1325 Posts: 94 Member
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    Good luck. I've been doing this (mostly on, sometime off) for years and it definitely works. I have to admit it is time consuming and annoying to everyone else around me. I hate to go out to lunch, dinner, etc. because I know it's going to be hard to find something under 300 calories.

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