Eating 3 meals or Eating Every Couple of Hourss???

I eat every 1-2 hours, then have a decent dinner and not much after that (decent meaning under 400 calories). My snack calories always exceed my meals. Whatever works best for you.

Everything I've read says you should eat a small meal every 3 to 4 hours.

Eating every few hours keeps your metabolism geared up more than eating every few hours. Also if you are diabetic, insulin resistent, etc. it is better to eat every few hours to stablize your sugar more than eating 3 meals per day.

You need to keep your blood sugar regulated. So the more often you eat, smaller amounts, the easier it is to do that. Once you let you blood sugar levels drop your body starts craving the things that will increase it rapidly, those are the bad bad carbs....so keep it regulated by eating small amounts throughout the day.
Everyone's body is different so you will have to play around a little and figure out how often you need to eat to stay level.
Personal, I eat within 20 minutes of waking up so I don't have a chance to drop, then I eat every couple hours, even if it is simply a carrot, or a piece of fruit or some nuts, etc. Just something for the body to chew on so to speak.

during the week when i am working, i eat something at each break, so i eat approx every 2 hours. and if i didnèt, man would i be hungry, my stomach is usually growling in anticipation as it gets closer to break time. but on the weekend, since my time is so sporadic and not scheduled, i eat that way too...sporadically. i pretty much eat when i am hungry.

I eat every couple of hours or so as well. It seems to work better for me so I'm not starving and don't binge. Your plan that you did looks good. As long as you're staying within your calories that should work. For me I try to eat my biggest meal at lunch time so I have time to burn the calories off, but that doesn't always work out. Just do the best you can and listen to your body and you'll be fine. Another trick I use is to put in my workout I plan to do first thing in the morning so I can spread out the calories through the day, and then I can't wimp out on my workout because I've already eaten the calories.

My trainer has told me to eat a meal every four hours and that I should have protein at each meal, get in some good fat, avoid dairy if possible (he considers milk a sugar bomb) and minimize carbs. I told me that I should be shooting for 1400 calories per day minimum and that each of these meals should be between 350 - 400 calories.

Both those methods are correct. It's just a matter of figuring out what works best with your body. This means factoring in : Your work schedule, your sleep schedule, your exercise routine, your specific diet routine (in my definition, it refers to which foods you eat throughout the day and how much. For example, if you're a body builder or a runner and you tend to require more protein than the average person, than maybe eating more frequently would work better for your lifestyle , etc.) and of course any health issues you may have (if you're prone to hypoglycemia, 3 meals a day might not be the way to go). I'd say, first and foremost, before you make any drastic changes, consult a nutritionist. If you can't afford one , then definitely do a lot of research online or at the library before you take that big step and change your eating routine completely.

I agree with rileysowner. I eat about 6 or more times a day because that's what feels natural to me. But nothing wrong with 3 meals a day. The more important thing is to hit your calorie and nutrient goals for the day.

It varies person to person. I try to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day. if I am full I will often forgo the evening snack.

If you're objective is to lose weight then creating a calorie deficit through diet and exercise is required. If you can create this deficit with 3 large meals then that is great. If you can do it eating every 3 hours then that's great. If you can do it fasting all day and having one meal then that's great So it is really up to you.

I have done:
3 meals per day (regular)
6 meals per day
eat stop eat (24hr fast and one big meal)
lean gains intermittent fasting (16hr fast/8hr eating window)

I couldn't say that any one of them was superior to the other as at the end of the day it is about the amount of calories consumed and the exercise done that matter. (And I believe nutrient timing plays a part when you get leaner and trying to work on recomposition rather than weight loss)

Meal frequency and nutrient timing are largely irrelevant in regards to body weight and body composition in the context of proper daily nutrition. It DOES NOT "speed up your metabolism" or create any more of an anabolic enviroment eating 6+ meals a day vs. 1-2 meals a day.


Eat whenever you want, and when it is convenient for you. Daily totals of nutrients and calories are what matter in regards to weight loss/gain and body composition.


Also,


I find that my hunger is controlled eating two LARGE meals as opposed to a lot of small meals.

I eat when I'm hungry

Although it's good to have around 5 "meals" a day, I know some people's schedules conflict with that - including me. So what I subscribe to doing is eating 3 meals a day and trying to slip in a mid-afternoon snack that is high in protein and fiber so it'll keep me satisfied until dinner. You also want to get the majority of your calories with either lunch or breakfast. At dinner - you're body is already entering a resting period and preparing for sleep - so your metabolic needs substantially decrease. Get those calories when you need them most - during the day.

This simply is not the case.

This has always been my problem and no doubt has caused me a few issues, I have one main meal a day, then maybe some cereal late at night if I'm hungry, that's it.

Yup, tell me how crap it is for me!, I already know but I have always been like this with main meals :noway:

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of issues has eating one large meal a day caused you?