How often do you eat?

hungrymarathongirl
hungrymarathongirl Posts: 444 Member
edited September 25 in Food and Nutrition
Jillian Michaels posted this on her FB page today.

Smart Tip - Eat 4 times a day every 4 hours to maintain your energy level, stabilize blood sugar & optimize health. This should look as follows: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Dinner. Do NOT eat every two hours, snack often or graze throughout the day. Contrary to to popular belief, eating often does NOT "rev metabolism". It actually inhibits fat metabolism & elevates insulin levels.

What are your thoughts?

Replies

  • butterfly_lvr
    butterfly_lvr Posts: 88
    sorry but with my time schedule there is no way eating every 4 hours is going to work. If I have breakfast at 8am and space everything 4 hours apart, I am eating dinner at 8pm - that ain't gonna happen LOL
  • miatavixxen
    miatavixxen Posts: 373
    I was told eat every three hours but in reality I usually eat about every 3 1/2 to 4 hours. My "meals" tend to be about 300 calories - can't eat as much at one sitting as I used to.
  • beatlemom
    beatlemom Posts: 250 Member
    I eat 3 small meals and 3 snacks. I have insulin resistance and find that it keeps me from getting shaky. It's actually working for me as far as weight loss goes as well, since I keep within my calorie goal.
    My great grandma did it her whole life and lived to be 98.
    I think everyone is different though and what works for me may not work for someone else.
  • ms_erica
    ms_erica Posts: 173 Member
    hmmm? thats interesting...i eat every 21/2 to 3 hours because i dont want to over eat on one sitting...but who knows
  • LadyT02182011
    LadyT02182011 Posts: 113
    I eat small meals including snacks every 2-3 hrs not to exceed 4 hrs in between. This works for me, and I say to each his own. What works from some doesn't work for all and Jillian Michaels doesn't have the last word. I say find what works for you and keep doing what you're doing. If you stall, then you can try her method. You have to switch it up every now and then. Congrats on your weight loss efforts thus far. Outstanding! ~smile
  • sandradickie
    sandradickie Posts: 40 Member
    I COMPLETELY DISAGREE!! I usually eat 5-6x per day and maintain or lose. The past couple of weeks, I have started a new job and have only eaten 3x per day with an occasional snack. I GAINED 2 lbs. Ofcourse, I am not an "expert" but I know what usually works best for me. Curious to see what everyone else thinks.
  • faithNlove212
    faithNlove212 Posts: 203 Member
    I usually eat the same time everyday, only because its easy for me to. Im a stay at home mom so I can plan my meal time easily. Breakfast I do around 8am then lunch around 12pm dinner around 5pm and a snack around 8pm usually just tea & something light that wont bother my stomach at bed. So basically I only eat 3 meals a day & 1 snack. I used to eat 3 meals & 3 snacks but I find 3 meals & 1 snack helps me lose :) Everyones body is different. Just find what works for you :bigsmile:
  • slimlisa23
    slimlisa23 Posts: 3
    I think that as a recommendation it is good to eat every 4 hours, but more so that people find a balance is the key and not binge at one sitting. In a perfect world, we could all try this, but not everyones schedule can allow. And if we eat 4 meals every four hours, that would be 12 hours without eating. If I have breakfast at 530am, and i have my last meal at 530pm, my stomach would be growling at 930/10, and id eat again!

    So I guess you could try this for a few days and see how it works. I think whatever works for you is what you should stick with :-)
  • timetripper42
    timetripper42 Posts: 35
    I eat six to seven times a day small amounts most of the time although when I feel hungry I try and drink water firsr and during the meal
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    Jillian Michaels posted this on her FB page today.

    Smart Tip - Eat 4 times a day every 4 hours to maintain your energy level, stabilize blood sugar & optimize health. This should look as follows: Breakfast, Lunch, Snack, Dinner. Do NOT eat every two hours, snack often or graze throughout the day. Contrary to to popular belief, eating often does NOT "rev metabolism". It actually inhibits fat metabolism & elevates insulin levels.

    What are your thoughts?

    I eat between 4PM and 8PM, as one meal. (intermittent fasting)
  • SarahofTwins
    SarahofTwins Posts: 1,169 Member
    I think everyone can be different at what works for them. I eat 3 times a day to include snacks between my meals. Thats 5 times altogether within 9-10 hours. I've lost enough to know that its been working :)
  • calliope_music
    calliope_music Posts: 1,242 Member
    my schedule is something like this:

    830-900ish: breakfast

    11ish: snack (like, an apple or something. maybe a piece of string cheese)

    12-1230ish: lunch

    3-330ish: another snack, but with more substance - usually leaving work to go to the gym


    5ish - small snack (like a banana or something)

    7ish - dinner

    9-10ish: small snack (cup of tea and some fruit or something)

    i alter depending on how hungry i am, but it's usually this schedule.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    I eat about every 2-3 hours, 6 times a day. I tend to think that it doesn't really matter how often you eat as long as you're getting the right amount of calories. But I am a fan of the 6+ times a day "grazing", because it keeps hunger level and blood sugar stable.
  • WildcatMom82
    WildcatMom82 Posts: 564 Member
    Just about every 2 hours :) My calorie goals are pretty high usually due to nursing and exercise and I prefer snacks and light meals to large potions, so eating that often is pretty much the only way to meet my intake for the day.
  • Newmammaluv
    Newmammaluv Posts: 379 Member
    I was told eat every three hours but in reality I usually eat about every 3 1/2 to 4 hours. My "meals" tend to be about 300 calories - can't eat as much at one sitting as I used to.

    I'm about here too... between lunch and dinner I've always naturally gotten hungry but now that the calories in each meal are smaller it's a necessity not a guilt.
  • scottishtinkerbella
    scottishtinkerbella Posts: 20
    I eat 4 times a day- breakfast, lunch. snack and tea. I cant say how many hrs between as it varies since up at different times each day and lunch varies each time specially when im at work but tea is usually round about 6.30pm
  • swimmermama
    swimmermama Posts: 526 Member
    I actually eat 6 to 7 times a day, although I am breastfeeding and maintaining my weight, not trying to lose. If I go more than three or four hours without food, I get very hungry and VERY grumpy and tired. I also sit around like a slug because I have no energy. If eating more often gives me the energy to keep active all day, that's what I am going to do!
  • idream2bgwen
    idream2bgwen Posts: 424 Member
    I was told to eat every 2.5-4 hours but not over 4 hours because your body actually starts to go into starvation mode. So I really try to stick to the 3 hour mark. But that is me. I probably eat 6 times a day. I also eat within the first hour I wake up. Very important to get your metabolism going for the day. :happy:
  • Sara1978
    Sara1978 Posts: 213 Member
    I eat at least five or six times a day-- often 4 "meals" of about 200 calories each, one "big" meal, and then some littler snack(s) at various points. I have an active lifestyle and find I need to do this to keep my energy level up. Most days I end up needing to eat between 1600 and 1800 calories-- even more on some days-- and it's hard for me to hit that number eating healthily without eating along the way.
  • lodro
    lodro Posts: 982 Member
    I was told to eat every 2.5-4 hours but not over 4 hours because your body actually starts to go into starvation mode. So I really try to stick to the 3 hour mark. But that is me. I probably eat 6 times a day. I also eat within the first hour I wake up. Very important to get your metabolism going for the day. :happy:

    your body won't go into starvation mode, not even if you eat all your calories in one sitting. it just doesn't make sense. the whole "stoke your metabolism" doctrine is just that, doctrine.

    what is starvation mode, in this context, do you think?
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    That is almost the exact meal pattern I have, I eat at 9.30am, 1pm, 4.30pm and 8pm. My family all eat the same pattern.
  • jantim1990
    jantim1990 Posts: 48 Member
    I eat 3 times a day....Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. I try to incorporate alot of fiber into my diet to keep me fuller longer. If I do get hungry in between meals, I just eat a piece of fruit and drink some water. But I normally just eat the 3 meals.
  • aristel
    aristel Posts: 110
    I have a good breakfast, a mid morning snack (usually a piece of fruit), good lunch, mid afternoon snack (peanuts, popcorn, cracker bran cookies, a glass of milk or another fruit portion), a light dinner and a glass of non fat milk before bedtime.
  • Aps123
    Aps123 Posts: 71 Member
    haha i JUST posted this on here too! i am sticking to my small meals through the day that way i dont get too hungery and pig out!
  • eveunderground
    eveunderground Posts: 236 Member
    I think they release all these new studies/recommendations/tips just to confuse people and keep the diet industry in full swing. It is ridiculous. :grumble:

    Personally, I eat 3 meals per day, and 2-3 snacks per day. But, I've read many different approaches about how often to eat, from 6+ mini-meals per day, to only 1 big meal per day. I also know people who've experienced success with all of these strategies. It also depends what your lifestyle is like and what your goals are. I say do whatever you feel you can do consistently to get to (and maintain) your goal.

    And yeah, I also think WHAT you eat matters more than when you eat it.
  • aerome
    aerome Posts: 171 Member
    I eat when I'm hungry... Sometimes I snack a lot, sometimes I eat bigger, fewer meals. I think listening to your body is best.
  • peachyxoxoxo
    peachyxoxoxo Posts: 1,178 Member
    I don't really space it out, because my schedule is different every day. I do always eat a good breakfast in the morning. But after that it can totally vary. Some days I just have snacks throughout the morning & afternoon every couple hours, then I have dinner, and maybe a snack later on. Some days I have an actual lunch with maybe just one snack before dinner. I almost always end up having a bowl of cereal or something sweet in the evening. No timetable at all though. I eat when I get hungry.
  • Sarah101010
    Sarah101010 Posts: 235
    I eat every two minutes, but I am no role model! :):)
  • hungrymarathongirl
    hungrymarathongirl Posts: 444 Member
    Thanks for all your thoughts/feedback. I am basically doing the same as most of you with eating every 2-3 hours. I just wanted to see what everyone else was doing and glad to see I am on the right track/mind frame. Thanks again....you guys rock!
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