Eating or snacking every 2-3 hours

I kinda do this through the afternoon. I'm usually fine breakfast-lunch, but then need an afternoon snack, dinner, and another snack. My blood sugar is on the lower end of normal, as is my bp. I also eat a smallish lunch because a heavy lunch leaves me sleepy afterwards. So, the bulk of my calories for the day usually happen later on. I don't find it time consuming, just pack my bag for work with a light lunch, plus a protein bar or yogurt and fruit for snack. I don't do it for weight loss, its just what feels comfortable with my body. Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, not what time you eat.

I do this. Usually that means splitting my lunch in 2. And snacks are small but I try to get some protein or fat. I find eating more frequently but smaller portions prevents me getting to the starving stage and overeating.

I eat like 5-6 times a day, sometimes every 2.5 hours ,mostly every 3,works awesomely for me, I'm never hungry and I can achieve my calorie goal

Assuming you aren't diabetic/pre-diabetic/insulin resistant/etc...

You can really eat your calorie allotment whenever you want. Eating regularly helps regulate blood glucose levels and for someone like me, not being hungry helps me stay within my goals. However, there are a lot of people who find success using IF (Intermittent Fasting) or doing the 8/16 method (eating for 8 hours, then fasting for 16). It really is a matter of what works for you (once again, excepting any medical conditions you haven't mentioned).

If you're of normal health, and find that you'd rather have bigger meals and fewer snacks, then play around. The calorie deficit is what matters.

I eat breakfast around 7 am; small snack around 9 am; lunch 11 am; 2nd snack 2 pm then dinner. My longest time is between 2nd snack and dinner. I do it because I feel more satisfied.

Yup, I've been eating like this for decades to keep my blood sugars stable. Hypoglycemics and diabetics all do this. It is annoying at first but believe me, it quickly becomes a habit. The trick is to have handy snacks available at all times. I find it helpful to pair protein with carb as much as possible. Here's my list of go-to snacks.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/jgnatca/view/mid-day-snacks-722504

Many of these are portable, not requiring refrigeration, so I'll have a stash in my desk drawer and a protein bar in my travel bag.

My hypoglycemic buddy kept a big jar of peanuts and M&M's on his desk and if I got caught without a snack some afternoon, I'd go pay him a visit.

I try to keep my snacks about 100-150 calories each, and I have a lighter lunch to make up for it; perhaps a soup or a salad.

ManiacalLaugh wrote: »

Assuming you aren't diabetic/pre-diabetic/insulin resistant/etc...

You can really eat your calorie allotment whenever you want. Eating regularly helps regulate blood glucose levels and for someone like me, not being hungry helps me stay within my goals. However, there are a lot of people who find success using IF (Intermittent Fasting) or doing the 8/16 method (eating for 8 hours, then fasting for 16). It really is a matter of what works for you (once again, excepting any medical conditions you haven't mentioned).

If you're of normal health, and find that you'd rather have bigger meals and fewer snacks, then play around. The calorie deficit is what matters.

+1.

LLNN122 wrote: »

A Dr recommended for me to eat every 2-3 hours. Does anyone do this? What are the reasons that you started to do this? How has it helped? Does it help weight loss?
I feel like this would be really time consuming and annoying..
I was recommended to do this because although I do not have diabetes my sugar is always on the lower side and this gives me low energy through out the day.

For weight loss, meal frequency and timing makes no difference. People with blood sugar issues (both high and low) often do better with more frequent, smaller meals which can help regulate the blood sugar. Some people find that they are less likely to get really hungry and binge if they eat frequently. Still others need to eat smaller meals because of stomach issues like a hiatal hernia or ulcers so they need to eat more frequently in order to get their calories in.

As far as the amount of time it requires, you don't have to "make" a meal each time. I eat 5-6 times a day. I fix a breakfast, lunch, and dinner but my 2-3 snacks are quick things. I may have a handful of almonds or a protein bar. Bedtime snacks are usually a couple of hard cooked eggs (I cook and peel a dozen at a time and keep them in the refrigerator) and some cheese.

Doesn't work for me. End up feeling constantly kinda-hungry.