How many meals a day

Tatarataa
Tatarataa Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I think the most common opinion is that from weight loss perspective it does not count how many meals you are eating a day. But I heard different opinions from different people what helps them most or what dieticians recommend. I especially need advice for someone dealing with binge eating/emotional overeating. How many meals would you suggest? How many are you eating? Or are you eating a different number of meals each day?

I heard that there are people saying:
-three meals and no more in order to seperate between physical hunger and emotional hunger
-eat every 4 hours
-eat only every 5 hours and no less break inbetween so that your metabolism can relax (--> this usually ends up in three meals)
-eat three set meals and snacks only when you are physically hungry in between
-eat at least every 3 hours, especially when you had an eating problem, because your brain otherwise will not be able to calm down its cravings and urges and will not be able to rely on getting enough food
-eat whatever howmany meals but stay with your structure and/or mealtimes, reason: see above--> the brain and body need something reliable
-at least 3 meals an three snacks
-eat without structure but only when physically hungry
-eat without structure but be aware of why you are eating (hunger, emotions, cravings...)

What so you think? What helped you most?

Replies

  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    Eat whenever you're hungry, as long as you stay within your daily calories.
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    you're going to get a LOT of responses, with many people telling you what is the for sure right thing to do. Truth is, it really doesn't matter, as long as you are eating the right nutrients and macro ratio, and maintaining a calorie deficit. Try what you want to do, and whatever feels best to your body is what you should do.
  • zap5
    zap5 Posts: 38 Member
    lol whaaat you'll go crazy reading what everyone thinks, eat when you're hungry and don't go over your calories, doesn't matter how many meals you have, i fast everyday and sometimes I have one meal, sometimes I have 4, sometimes that one meal will have more calories than all 4, and sometimes I'll have 2 that split up all my calories. math is math you're gonna get the same numbers regardless of how many times you eat
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited April 2015
    Follow an eating pattern that suits you.

    A fairly structured meal plan is good for me, but I listen to my body and won't eat when I'm stuffed, and eat more when I'm truly hungry. I ususally eat five meals a day.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    edited April 2015
    Tatarataa wrote: »
    Hi,

    I think the most common opinion is that from weight loss perspective it does not count how many meals you are eating a day. But I heard different opinions from different people what helps them most or what dieticians recommend. I especially need advice for someone dealing with binge eating/emotional overeating. How many meals would you suggest? How many are you eating? Or are you eating a different number of meals each day?

    I heard that there are people saying:
    -three meals and no more in order to seperate between physical hunger and emotional hunger
    -eat every 4 hours
    -eat only every 5 hours and no less break inbetween so that your metabolism can relax (--> this usually ends up in three meals)
    -eat three set meals and snacks only when you are physically hungry in between
    -eat at least every 3 hours, especially when you had an eating problem, because your brain otherwise will not be able to calm down its cravings and urges and will not be able to rely on getting enough food
    -eat whatever howmany meals but stay with your structure and/or mealtimes, reason: see above--> the brain and body need something reliable
    -at least 3 meals an three snacks
    -eat without structure but only when physically hungry
    -eat without structure but be aware of why you are eating (hunger, emotions, cravings...)

    What so you think? What helped you most?

    Standard advice for binge eating is eat 3 set meals per day, and then probably 1-2 planned snacks during your more vulnerable times. Most people are less vulnerable in the morning, so a typical schedule would be breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, snack. We should all have some hunger before eating, but it's important with binge eating to make sure you are getting enough at your meals/snack that you aren't ravenous in between.

    Since you asked personally what we do, and I have a history of binge/emotional eating, I eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner very consistently. I usually also have a snack in the afternoon. Occasionally will have a snack in the morning if very hungry, or a snack later at night, but I'd say 90% of the time I'm breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner. I'm comfortable being hungry about an hour before my meals and hungry for a couple of hours before bed. It's a manageable hunger and don't feel desperate at any point.

  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    eat when youre hungry and on the schedule that works best for YOU.

    your body doesn't care what time you eat or how soon you go to bed after eating
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