5-6 meals a day?

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SMorris1970
SMorris1970 Posts: 12 Member
in Getting Started
I really am motivated by a certain weight loss reality show on tv, and I went to their website. Their nutritional guidelines state that all their contestants eat 5-6 small "meals" a day, like a piece of fruit. Of course this is nothing new, I'm sure we've all heard it before, but I guess it makes sense. It seems to me that when I get home from work I'm so ravenous (even though I've eaten lunch) that's usually when I go over my calories for the day. I get a morning break, a lunch break, and an afternoon break so it's possible for me to do. I guess my question is does anyone else do the 5-6 small meals a day thing, and how does that work out for you? What kinds of things do you eat for these meals? Do you find that doing this makes it harder or easier to stay within your calorie limit?
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Replies

  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
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    I get hypoglycemic and I also have an eating disorder. I am a binge eater. When I get symptoms of hypoglycemia it triggers a binge. (not the only trigger just one of them) I have to eat every few hours. It's the only way for me to avoid the symptoms. I eat whatever fits in my calories.
  • northbanu
    northbanu Posts: 366 Member
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    In all honesty, it makes no difference in your weight loss when or how many time you eat, as long as you don't exceed your calorie goals.

    The nice thing about many small meals, is that it MAY help you feel less hungry through the day. Some find that to be true. I don't.

    I eat a small breakfast (sometimes) and a small lunch (always) because I really enjoy a big dinner, and grazing at night. But I'm really not all that interested in food until my workday is done.

    But by all means try it. The key is to find a way to stay satiated, remain at or under your calorie goal, while eating foods that you enjoy and meet your nutritional requirements.
  • SMorris1970
    SMorris1970 Posts: 12 Member
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    that is soooo hard to do! :)
  • amcook4
    amcook4 Posts: 561 Member
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    I tried multiple meals a day once, I felt like I was always eating and always hungry, needless to say, for me, it was not a good idea.

    A lot of people on MFP just eat whenever they are hungry, and it it working fine.

    There is nothing wrong with trying multiple small meals a day, just know it doesn't work for everyone. Figure out what works for you (both now and what you can see yourself doing in maintenance mode, aka, the rest of your life) and stick with that,
  • Aine8046
    Aine8046 Posts: 2,122 Member
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    I do not think it matters. For me two large meals are better. With 5-6 small meals I never felt full and always wanted another snack. Now I have 2 large meals and some days I have small snacks in between. But for some people 5-6 meals work. Try it and see if it works for you.
  • northbanu
    northbanu Posts: 366 Member
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    that is soooo hard to do! :)

    I promise it gets easier when the habit/boredom eating stops. You do become accustomed to a lesser amount food, just as you become accustomed to larger amounts of food. I wasn't able to eat a large pizza and an order breadsticks by myself untill I became accustomed to it with hard work and training, by eating more and more food.

    It gets easier I promise.
  • healthyfoxx
    healthyfoxx Posts: 104 Member
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    It made it easier for me, as long as I made sure every "meal" included some protein and some fat. Otherwise, I'd still feel hungry right after eating.

    After a while I was able to ween myself off of so many small meals and used the calories to go towards dinner or lunch. Now I just do breakfast, maybe a snack right before noon, a late lunch (2ish), and then dinner right when I get home. I usually have something small an hour or so before bedtime, too. I guess it is still eating 5 times a day but the snacks are much smaller and totally optional. I no longer feel like I need them to get through the day - I only eat them if I'm hungry earlier than usual.
  • Scythe5
    Scythe5 Posts: 12 Member
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    Everybody is different. Personally, I eat about 5-6 times a day.

    So...I try to eat about 1600-1800 cals a day, but only healthy stuff. I also work out 5 days a week. I think the biggest thing for me is to make sure I am eating foods that actually make me feel full (Oatmeal for breakfast, for example).

    Will it work for you? I dunno. Everyone has to find their own method. If you are more comfortable eating less meals, but more calories per meal, do it.
  • lorib642
    lorib642 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    I have heard that, too, about eating 5-6 meals. I am trying different things now, mainly watching the calories. My schedule varies throughout the week so I am eating when I have time and am hungry.
  • tjohnoconnor
    tjohnoconnor Posts: 58 Member
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    I eat six times a day. Three meals @ 431 calories, Two snacks @ 273 calories and a combination pre and post workout meal @ 223 calories. A total of 2062 calories a day. It is technically true that as long as you don't exceed your calorie count for the 24 hour day you can still lose weight, so in some sense it doesn't matter. But eating multiple meals during the day can aid in satiety. It can also help to keep your blood sugar from spiking and dropping during the day. A more constant level in blood sugar without spiking or dropping can keep you burning calories longer and at a more steady rate. At the end of the day, it is all up to you and what fits your lifestyle.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Today I had four meals:

    HUGE taco salad (and cottage cheese, which IMO goes with everything) - 283 calories

    Hot dog and beans - 173 calories

    Rice, chicken and veggies (giant pile!) - 261 calories

    Pasta with a smidgity smidge of cheese and (God help me) a wee bit of butter - 306 calories

    ...And! A little fruit in between. - ~100, give or take a few. I had a handful of grapes that I didn't get a chance to log due to a screaming squirrel.


    I still came in under 1200. And I've finished the day stuffed.
  • MysteriousDreamer
    MysteriousDreamer Posts: 96 Member
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    I'm trying 5-6 small meals a day because I can not control my weight. I'm a binge eater so I am hope it helps. It also helps my hypoglycaemia.
  • anna_jewel
    anna_jewel Posts: 127 Member
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    Everybody is different but I am on 1200 calories a day, exercise and i get more. I set me food counter to times cause I eat small meals through out the day. I find it keeps me full longer because I am eating something every couple hours, that way I am not starving by main meal times.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    Structure your meals in a way that allows for adherence (including satiety), personal preference and energy levels. The number of meals you split your calories up into has no appreciable, if any, direct impact on weight loss.
  • stevejill91
    stevejill91 Posts: 31 Member
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    I eat anywere from 1 to 3 times. I find that when I eat correctly Im not as hungry and can go longer. Im not sure of the benefit of that many meals or if it is hype or someones fix to hunger on a more sugar loaded diet. I dont know if people 1000 years ago ate 5 times a day or just one time. I tend to think that they did not eat that often though. I do believe in snacks through the day though if you consider that a meal.
  • stevejill91
    stevejill91 Posts: 31 Member
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    One add-on. If your eating a lower carb diet your sugar wont spike and you dont have the ups and downs. If you have a high sugar diet you may need to eat mor meals. Low fat foods tend to have high carbs in them, all the good stuff was removed. I believe in whole and foods with little to no modifications. Your body responds to them better.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    If it works for you and you feel less hungry there, great.

    I hate eating like this because I constantly feel peckish. Also I wake up in the night feeling hungry.

    I prefer to eat twice a day, once in the early afternoon before workout and once in the evening after workout. That way I get to go to bed satiated and I sleep much better that way.
  • kkimpel
    kkimpel Posts: 303 Member
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    Everyone is different I guess.. I don't normally need a mid morning snack, but sometimes I do. It may be boredom, not sure.

    I generally eat Breakfast, Lunch, snack, go home, iced tea and celery/humus, workout, very light snack or my salad for dinner (if needed) because we eat dinner late then dinner .. and tea with cocoa nibs :)

    I like eating
  • sandymayhew2014
    sandymayhew2014 Posts: 75 Member
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    I too eat 5-6 meals a day. If I don't have a snack in between I get too hungry. I also down at least 8 glasses of water a day to help curb the hunger pangs. My snack may be fruit or low fat cheese sticks. I works best for me
  • JoolieW68
    JoolieW68 Posts: 1,879 Member
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    I don't know if I'd consider eating an apple a 'meal' but that's just me. If I get too hungry I get nauseous, so I try to plan for something small between meals, be a protein bar, fruit, baked chips, or whatever.

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