Is it okay to snack all day with no real meals?

Veriee
Veriee Posts: 1 Member
edited 12:10AM in Health and Weight Loss
Hi!

I've been finding it difficult to plan portable, balanced and yummy meals. So I end up snacking, and I know it's calories in vs calories out but something about eating bars/nuts/other munchy stuff seems counterproductive. I'm at school from 10 am to 10 pm Monday and Wednesday (yes, there's a salad bar and cafeteria with healthy options, but if I ate my meals and snacks from there I'd be spending around $30 through out the day; and that's if I'm being fiscally cautious.) Then I'm at work Thursday, Friday and Sunday from noon-9. Luckily here we have a fridge! But I can only bring so much lol. It's not uncommon for me to go my school/work days without a meat or vegetable :( Anyone with similar schedules/life styles just munch all day (while still tracking calories, of course)?

Replies

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,988 Member
    CICO for weight loss/gain/maintenance. If you're looking for better health though, you SHOULD be trying to reach your daily macro/micro nutrient goals. How you do that doesn't matter (meals or snacks).

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • rnohou2010
    rnohou2010 Posts: 271 Member
    Conventional wisdom would be to eat 3-5 meals per day, but hey, whatever works for you. Everyone's different. I'll probably catch some flak for this response.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    edited October 2015
    As long as you're eating under maintenance, you'll lose weight. Is it possible to pack some quick meals or leftovers to heat up (assuming your school's cafeteria has a microwave, like mine does) when you have a chance?
  • Monklady123
    Monklady123 Posts: 512 Member
    Yes you can just snack all day. Just be sure you're snacking on nutritious food. Sometimes I eat like this if I'm working all day then have a meeting or church activity or on-call hours (at a local hospital)... I pack stuff like:
    -- hard boiled egg
    -- raw veggies
    -- hummus
    -- guacamole (individual packs of Wholly Guacamole)
    -- yogurt
    -- nuts
    -- fruit -- you can buy canned fruit if you don't want to deal with fresh or if it's not in season, just be sure to buy the kind packed in juice not syrup. But also remember the juice has calories if you're going to drink that too.
    -- salads
    -- beans
    -- lunch meat
    -- peanut butter

    None of that needs to be refrigerated except maybe the lunch meat, so I might eat that for lunch (no need for the refrigerator between when I leave home and when I eat it). I'm a substitute teacher during the daytime so depending on what kind of job I have I might only have 20 minutes to eat, go to the bathroom, check emails, etc. (teachers are saints by the way...) so I'll just snack throughout the day -- when the kids are at lunch, when they're at gym or art, at dismissal, etc.

  • jakegold
    jakegold Posts: 24 Member
    I eat six meals a day, almost every two hours. So small snacks throughout the day would probably also work.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Diabetics must eat on a schedule but you have no such restriction. Snacks add up quickly. Log them.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    It's okay with me!
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,328 Member
    As long as you stay within your calorie goal the number of meals makes no difference. Frankly, if I snacked all day I would keep eating far over my goal, but if it works for you, go for it.
  • ashbee03
    ashbee03 Posts: 274 Member
    I don't see it being a problem as long as your snacks have nutritional value.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    You are 100% fine :)
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