Three meals or smaller snacks on 1200 calories?

mshannond
mshannond Posts: 60
in Health and Weight Loss
What is easier to keep you full?

Replies

  • 19vickb87
    19vickb87 Posts: 15
    I have 3 meals and 2-3 snacks, I cant go long without eating , love my food too much ..
  • Chrisparadise579
    Chrisparadise579 Posts: 411 Member
    at 1200 calories youll pretty much be hungry the whole time, that is not enough food, for 1600 calories, I would suggest 3 meals with 1-2 snacks in between
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,708 Member
    at 1200 calories youll pretty much be hungry the whole time, that is not enough food, for 1600 calories, I would suggest 3 meals with 1-2 snacks in between

    This is a generalization you should not make,because you know nothing about the OP.
    I eat usually 1200 calories ( and barely am ever over, except now while I am on vacation in Spain I increased my calories to1400 ) ). I do very well on 1200 calories. I am past 65, under 5 feet and eat a healthy all natural diet and make each calorie count. I don't eat until after 1 pm and usually eat two big meals, which satisfies me more than three piddly ones and 2-3 snacks. So please don't tell people how many calories and meals to eat.
    Calories depend on individual needs based on height, weight and activities and the number of meals depends solely on personal preference, nothing more.
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,708 Member
    What is easier to keep you full?

    Nobody can really tell you, because what works for them, might not work for you. Maybe you can try different plans, log carefully, be aware of how you feel and then decide what works best for you. It might take a couple of month, but I am certain this kind of personal research is always worth the effort and time.
    Good Luck !
  • RommelMathew
    RommelMathew Posts: 44 Member
    Keep having 3 light meals and 2 to 3 light snacks. Being hungry for too long can cause you to binge on the next meal.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    It's not really an issue of the calories. People who eat 1800 can break it up into big and small meals, too.

    I done it all ways. 2-6 meals, just depends on the day.

    A couple TBSP of cottage cheese and half a peach can be a meal. So can a giant pile of meat, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes with a side of corn.

    Whatever works for you - just do that! :)
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
    If I can, I eat when I am hungry, sometimes I have to just eat when time is available. I am not very hungry in the morning and hungrier at night. I eat small meals and snacks during the day and then a bigger dinner. I am new and still playing around with it. My goal before exercise is 1200 calories (I eat back at least some of the calories I burn), but I think I underestimate my food and if I get too hungry I eat something small so I am probably over that.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Depends on you. When I was doing 1250, I did three roughly similarly-sized meals of 300-500 calories each (sometimes I felt like a bigger lunch and would eat less for dinner, sometimes I'd save more calories for dinner, it just depended).

    My meals would be pretty large volume-wise, because I'd eat lots of veggies and just keep the portions of more calorie-dense things like starches low or limit them to one meal. I found it helped to eat protein and fat at all meals too. I wasn't in general any more hungry than I normally am, either before cutting calories or now (when I average around 1700 due to exercise and a higher base goal).

    I am not someone who likes small meals or snacking, however. Even eating many more calories on average I eat three meals of similar size. I just will include more starches and add in a yogurt as part of it or something. When I do a dessert I have it as the end of a meal as opposed to a snack. If you enjoy snacking or find eating more often makes you feel more satiated, you might prefer a different pattern.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
    at 1200 calories youll pretty much be hungry the whole time, that is not enough food, for 1600 calories, I would suggest 3 meals with 1-2 snacks in between

    This is a generalization you should not make,because you know nothing about the OP.
    I eat usually 1200 calories ( and barely am ever over, except now while I am on vacation in Spain I increased my calories to1400 ) ). I do very well on 1200 calories. I am past 65, under 5 feet and eat a healthy all natural diet and make each calorie count. I don't eat until after 1 pm and usually eat two big meals, which satisfies me more than three piddly ones and 2-3 snacks. So please don't tell people how many calories and meals to eat.
    Calories depend on individual needs based on height, weight and activities and the number of meals depends solely on personal preference, nothing more.
    1200 is fine since you are you.

    OP is 20 years old and only trying to lose 10 lbs? now is the advice they gave valid?

    You giving OP advice on how to eat 1200 calories is just as useless if that isn't what they need either.

    OP. where did you get that magical 1200 number to start with?
  • Sapporo
    Sapporo Posts: 693 Member
    I don't go as low as 1200 but do 1400 on some rest days. 2 meals and a snack works for me, start eating as late in the day as possible and have one meal of about 600-800 calories, usually the last of the day.
    You pretty much have to troubleshoot it for yourself as some people can't adapt to my way and there is no way I would eat all day every 2-3 hours.
  • grandmothercharlie
    grandmothercharlie Posts: 1,063 Member
    What do you like? Are you a snacker? Or 3 squares. I have always been a 3 square meal a day girl and maybe I'll grab something once a day as a snack although it is often a beverage rather than food. I've tried snacking, but then I don't enjoy my meals. So, if you like to graze, do 6. If you like to sit down and have the meal in front of you, do that!

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