How many meals a day do you eat?

beatyfamily1
beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
edited November 28 in Health and Weight Loss
I've heard 3 is better. I've heard 6-8 is better. I eat 2 only because I fell full longer and not much time to cook several times a day. How many meals a day do you eat and why? Is there a difference for different goals?
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    The best number of meals will vary by person. If two works for you (keeps you full, helps you meet your goals), then it's the best for you.

    I eat three meals a day because it fits my schedule and seems to give me the best mood and energy. Sometimes I will add a snack.
  • GUARDiAN_GUiLD
    GUARDiAN_GUiLD Posts: 163 Member
    Like 1 or 2 now that I'm back to LCHF/IF. But yeah, within that 5-6 hour eating window, I'll have 1-2 meals.
  • Clobern80
    Clobern80 Posts: 714 Member
    edited January 2016
    I eat 1.

    Why? Because that is the only time I am hungry. And I enjoy "bingeing" at night so I am allowed to because that is the only time that I eat. It is easy for me (since I am never hungry during the day and I don't have to prep multiple meals) while making it easier to stay within my calorie goal (it is not impossible to overeat my calories in one meal, but much more difficult). And I haven't had to give up any foods I like.

    And it really doesn't matter how many meals. You will get people who say you have to eat breakfast. You will get people who say you have to eat 6 times per day. You will get people who say you have to eat 3 meals per day. "My dietitian said this!" and "Dr. Oz said that!"

    In the end, CI/CO is all that really matters for weight loss.

    Nutrition is a whole different ball of wax. You may not get the nutrients you need with one meal, but that is something you can work on.
  • LUHAN27
    LUHAN27 Posts: 211 Member
    I also eat 2 meals a day. Lunch and dinner. My "breakfast" is usually coffee/tea or a snack(apple). I eat snacks in between, but 2 meals is fine enough for me.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    edited January 2016
    3 with healthy mini snacks in between. All logged. Do you snack?
  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    I eat 6 times, but that's because I'm more of a grazer and I just like eating my way through the day. :wink: It doesn't matter though. As long as you get your calories in, the "when" isn't important.
  • SonyaCele
    SonyaCele Posts: 2,841 Member
    i eat about 5 or 6, but i'm a slow eater and im basically eating from one meal to the next .
  • Danimri84
    Danimri84 Posts: 262 Member
    2 meals, 2 snacks. I do not get hungry in the mornings. I have a meal around noon, a late afternoon snack, a dinner, and a post workout snack in the evening.
  • bpwolf77
    bpwolf77 Posts: 11 Member
    1 big meal, then if I get hungry I snack. Down 41 pounds so far
  • pichu318
    pichu318 Posts: 172 Member
    I only eat two meals a day. The first one I start eating somewhere between noon and 6PM the second one I start eating between 5PM and 10PM. If I don't get to the second one due to plans I likely just go to bed that night and tell myself I can eat those calories the next day :P
  • hyIianprincess
    hyIianprincess Posts: 302 Member
    3 meals, 2-3 snacks. I have gastroparesis so it's easier on my stomach this way.
  • ReadyWillingEager
    ReadyWillingEager Posts: 56 Member
    I eat 3 meals and 2 or three snacks. It leaves me eating all day which I enjoy because it gives me more energy and I don't feel over stuffed or deprived
  • MamaMc3
    MamaMc3 Posts: 213 Member
    During the work week, I eat three meals and one or two snacks. On the weekends, I tend to eat a bigger breakfast or brunch, so it's usually two meals and one or two snacks. I typically eat most of my calories in the evening because that's when I am hungrier. I don't think it matters how often you eat as long as you are staying within your calorie budget. You may find that you have more energy if you eat at regular intervals, but that's not true for everybody, either.
  • jdhcm2006
    jdhcm2006 Posts: 2,254 Member
    3 meals, 3 snacks during the week. I like to eat. I know some people believe in "eat to live" but food is delicious. So this keeps me satisfied and keeps me from reaching for excess. On the weekends, it's still 6 times, but it's more like 2 meals, 4 snacks just b/c I wake up later in the day. So instead of breakfast, I'll go straight to lunch.
  • Ashtoretet
    Ashtoretet Posts: 378 Member
    I eat two meals and snack the rest of the day.
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  • robot_potato
    robot_potato Posts: 1,535 Member
    3 meals, and post workout snacks if warranted.
  • brb_2013
    brb_2013 Posts: 1,197 Member
    Two for the same reason as you :) I feel more satisfied with larger meals. Half the time I've allotted so much food I can't finish which is starting to feel great. Just today I was able to leave the last few bites without feeling required to finish. Small wins.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    3 meals.. post work out stuff snack and a snack after dinner..

    Not sure of there is a debate here, but to my knowledge the body doesn't care what time of day you feed it, just as long as you do.. My body will tell me around 2:00 p.m. if I forgot to feed it...LOL
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    I eat several times a day but only 1 or 2 are full meals most days. I almost always have a very filling breakfast that keeps me full for hours.
  • shelbygracestafford
    shelbygracestafford Posts: 4 Member
    Three meals, sometimes one afternoon snack, and a cup of hot chocolate (with lots of real whip cream ;o) in the evening.
  • DaddieCat
    DaddieCat Posts: 3,643 Member
    For me... as many as it takes to hit macros/calories. Sometimes that's 2 or 3... sometimes its 6 to 10. Depends on how much I get to eat that day and what I'm eating.
  • Linzon
    Linzon Posts: 294 Member
    I tend to eat 3 meals and 3 snacks, which is what works for me.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    every day is different for me, depends on what exercise I do
  • SisC3
    SisC3 Posts: 15 Member
    I generally eat three meals a day. If I am hungry I have a snack in between. This works for me, but it took a long time to discover what foods kept me satisfied.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    whatever works best for you. theres no 'right' way

    i typically eat 3 meals and up to 3 snacks.

    but not always lol
  • ChristinaOrr65
    ChristinaOrr65 Posts: 112 Member
    I typically eat the 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and then have 2 snacks in between those
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    @gia07 No debate. Just curious how others do it. I plateaued in weight loss so I thought maybe when I eat or how much I eat in a single meal makes any difference.
  • HutchA12
    HutchA12 Posts: 279 Member
    I don't eat meals. I eat when I'm hungry and don't eat if it's past my goals. Makes it easy to just go with the flow.
  • RetroPolkaDot
    RetroPolkaDot Posts: 83 Member
    2 or 3 and maybe 1 snack.
    Dinner is my biggest meal and sometimes I want an evening snack. Sometimes I don't feel that I need that snack.
    I eat lunch every day but I may or may not eat breakfast. It depends on how I feel in the morning. I don't usually have snacks between breakfast/lunch or lunch/dinner.
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