Eating 3 square meals a day or eating every few hours???

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  • Korriinn
    Korriinn Posts: 26 Member
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    colors_fade wrote: »
    bpetrosky wrote: »
    No difference. I think the eating 6x/day idea came originally out of the bodybuilding nutrition world. In that case you're eating a fair bit more and it's easier to break up the meals a bit more. Somehow that started becoming the received wisdom given on diet plans generally, even if it doesn't make sense for those trying to cut.

    Well, the bodybuilding community and Susan Powter. I remember that being her big thing: eat 6x per day.

    The science has proven it doesn't matter, so I eat 3x per day. It's just easier to have 3 meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner. I, personally, don't like trying to organize snacks and stuff. I find it way easier to overeat if snacking is part of my day.

    I also enjoy the ritual of cooking/preparing those meals..

    Thanks! That makes total sense, my trainer was a body builder so I am sure that is why he felt like frequent eating was the way to go. lol.
  • Korriinn
    Korriinn Posts: 26 Member
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    judiness101 wrote: »
    Eating frequency does not have an impact on metabolism. I eat 2 meals a day with no snack and it has been the most positive change I did in my weightloss (besides counting calories of course).

    Really? You didn't feel like you where starving yourself..? I'd love to hear what your daily meal plan sounds like :)
  • ccourcha
    ccourcha Posts: 316 Member
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    peachyfuzzle wrote: »
    Nope, your metabolism doesn't care what time you eat. There is no causality between meal timing, and rate of weight loss. Eat whenever you'd like as long as you stay within your calorie budget, and you'll be good.

    Eat when you are hungry, not when the clock or society says to.
  • hobbeskastiel
    hobbeskastiel Posts: 221 Member
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    It doesn't matter when it comes to weight loss, but I've found it matters in relation to how much energy I have for my workouts. If I allocate what I eat out to where I have some carbs about a half hour before gym time then I have more energy when I workout. If I eat several hours before I tend to burn out faster. But that's me.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Personal preference, but you should eat in a way that suits you, so if you like 5 meals and that keeps you from being hungry, then do that. Experiment a bit. I find I like breakfast and can then skip lunch and have a large dinner (notwithstanding fueling any workouts). In this sense meal timings do matter because you are looking to have food at the right time, which may in turn mak it easier for you to stick to your diet.
  • jaga13
    jaga13 Posts: 1,149 Member
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    Agree with everyone above, it doesn't matter. I personally enjoy 3 square meals, an afternoon snack, and a small dessert after dinner. That's what I do every week day. Weekends can vary a little, like if I get to sleep in late then maybe I only have 2 meals; or if I know I'm going to eat a lot at a special event then I cut out snacks.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    Korriinn wrote: »
    judiness101 wrote: »
    Eating frequency does not have an impact on metabolism. I eat 2 meals a day with no snack and it has been the most positive change I did in my weightloss (besides counting calories of course).

    Really? You didn't feel like you where starving yourself..? I'd love to hear what your daily meal plan sounds like :)

    The most positive change was lowering calories enough to lose weight. The meal frequency was just a tool to get you there/ Regardless of what you tell yourself, there is nothing magical about it...
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
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    depends on the day for me

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  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    No science here but I go with the grazing model. I "feel" that quality snacking like an apple in the morning and some nuts in the afternoon "trick" my body into staying more in a burn mode rather than a conserve mode. All superstition aside when I am exercising at a high level in the mornings I just go bonkers without a snack.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Korriinn wrote: »
    judiness101 wrote: »
    Eating frequency does not have an impact on metabolism. I eat 2 meals a day with no snack and it has been the most positive change I did in my weightloss (besides counting calories of course).

    Really? You didn't feel like you where starving yourself..? I'd love to hear what your daily meal plan sounds like :)

    I'm not who you quoted but I also follow that meal timing format, though I do have one snack a day.

    Here's yesterday for me:

    Broke my daily fast at 12:30pm-
    8 ounces wild caught salmon with 1tbsp olive oil, spices and lemon juice
    151 grams asparagus, with vinegar
    serving of cottage cheese
    10 cherries

    2pm-
    Nature Valley protein granola bar

    6pm-
    4 ounces season ground beef
    1 serving tortilla chips
    2 tbsp salsa
    1 ounce diced tomato
    10 black olives
    1 ounce diced onion
    1 cup spinach
    hot sauce
    1 serving salsa con queso dip
    1 serving of yogurt

    Then I also had 1/2tsp of sugar in my morning tea and then another 1/2 tsp of sugar in my evening tea

    Today:

    broke daily fast at noon-
    Applebees lunch combo: spinach bacon salad and chicken fajita rollup

    2pm-
    Nature Valley protein granola bar

    6pm-
    8 ounces wild caught salmon with 1/2tbsp olive oil, spices and lemon juice
    6 cherries

    1/2tsp of sugar in my morning tea and then another 1/2 tsp of sugar in my evening tea
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    MrM27 wrote: »
    rsclause wrote: »
    No science here but I go with the grazing model. I "feel" that quality snacking like an apple in the morning and some nuts in the afternoon "trick" my body into staying more in a burn mode rather than a conserve mode. All superstition aside when I am exercising at a high level in the mornings I just go bonkers without a snack.

    You can't trick your body to do anything. It's very smart and is designed to compensate very well so something like an apple isn't going to somehow confuse it.
    +1
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    3 meals or many small? How about the other one...... fasting. Mon, Wed & Fri I simply don't eat. I'm willing to bet I'm more healthy than those who eat every day ;) and I workout better as well.
  • Korriinn
    Korriinn Posts: 26 Member
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    pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »
    3 meals or many small? How about the other one...... fasting. Mon, Wed & Fri I simply don't eat. I'm willing to bet I'm more healthy than those who eat every day ;) and I workout better as well.

    How does that work? If I go more than 5 hours without food I am sick to my stomach haha
  • booombeeeem
    booombeeeem Posts: 32 Member
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    Eat often but not too much. It boosts your metabolism!
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
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    pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »
    3 meals or many small? How about the other one...... fasting. Mon, Wed & Fri I simply don't eat. I'm willing to bet I'm more healthy than those who eat every day ;) and I workout better as well.
    That's a bold statement...

  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    J72FIT wrote: »
    pinkraynedropjacki wrote: »
    3 meals or many small? How about the other one...... fasting. Mon, Wed & Fri I simply don't eat. I'm willing to bet I'm more healthy than those who eat every day ;) and I workout better as well.
    That's a bold statement...

    There is some interesting research out there about fasting, but yeah-pretty preliminary stuff. I did alternate day IF for my weight loss phase but even on my 'fasting' days I still ate between 300-500 calories a day.
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
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    booombeeeem wrote: »
    Eat often but not too much. It boosts your metabolism!

    Nope.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Korriinn wrote: »
    Before, when I was going to the gym regularly with my trainer I ate every couple hours. Breakfast, handful of almonds, lunch...etc. Now that I am doing everything on my own at home I have been eating a good breakfast, lunch, dinner and sometimes I will have a snack depending on my hunger levels. My question is- is one way better than the other? Will my metabolism benefit the most by eating every few hours or does it matter? What works the best for you? Thanks!

    It doesn't matter. How often you eat is a matter of personal preference, physical needs, and habit. Some don't like to eat shortly before going to bed because they don't sleep well on a full stomach, others sleep better having eaten just before bed. Some get hungry more frequently, others don't. Some have physical issues that are caused by eating too large of a meal so they benefit from frequent small meals. Many with blood sugar issues (diabetics, PCOS, etc) benefit from frequent small meals to balance blood sugars over the course of the day but it doesn't affect others. Others just don't like taking the time to eat so they would rather do it in two or three meals. Some have been eating several meals a day for years and just don't see any reason to change.

    Whatever keeps you comfortable and happy is the right meal frequency for you. Elite athletes might benefit from eating a certain way to fuel their training and performance, but for most of us there is no difference, especially for weight loss.

  • jesikalovesyou
    jesikalovesyou Posts: 172 Member
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    I am not a good snacker. It makes me hungry and snack more. If I eat three meals a day only, I don't binge as much.

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