Snack or Not to Snack

Fitandfabulous247 · February 2016

Hello Everyone,

I just rejoined this week and have a lot of weight to lose but I'm working to stay focused and motivated. I'm interested in hearing thoughts on whether it's better to have 3 straight meals or 5 mini meals. It seems like when I don't snack I eat more during meals because I'm hungry but the calorie count for the day is still within my allotted range versus eating snacks between meals. Just curious on what people find more successful. I appreciate positive feedback and am looking for friends for support. Thanks in advance.

cityruss · February 2016

Doesn't matter.

Do what will make you adhere to your long term calorie goals.

Arbitrary numbers and what other people do should have no bearing on what you do.

callsitlikeiseeit · February 2016

whatever works for you

arditarose · February 2016

cityruss wrote: »

Doesn't matter.

Do what will make you adhere to you long term calorie goals.

Arbitrary numbers and what other people do should have no bearing on what you do.

/thread

bruhaha007 · February 2016

Do what fits best with your schedule that allows you to be consistent. Consistency is the key and finding ways to make tracking your calories as simple as possible.

niamibunni · February 2016

Yep, what works for you.

Add friends here for motivation. View food prep and motivational stuff on Pinterest and Instagram if that sort of thing works for your motivation. The stories about people reaching goal here are also great inspiration.

nichalsont · February 2016

I fell victim to the six small meals per day theory. I found it tedious and I was not losing weight. I am trying to eat only when I am truly hungry while staying within my calorie goal. Sometimes there are snacks, sometimes not.

Fitandfabulous247 · February 2016

Thanks everyone I think I will try both ways to see what works for me just was curious to see what's been successful for others as I figure out what works for me!

thunder1982 · February 2016

I personally find I need a morning snack, esp if I have exercised in the morning but dont really need an afternoon snack. If I skip a morning snack and just have lunch I often find that by dinner time I am starving and that's when a double coat tim tam seems like a brilliant idea when I get home from work.

BoogeyBrat · February 2016

I personally just set a daily allotment of calories, and stay within it. If I'm hungry, I'll eat. If I'm not, I won't. Some days I might snack on and off all day, other days I'll have 3 meals, and sometimes I might just have one big meal if it's a special occasion like a birthday dinner. Calories are calories, and It's consistently staying within your parameters for weight loss that gives results, not what, when, and how you eat.

firephoenix8 · February 2016

I am the apparently of fat person who forgets to eat. The problem with that is I can go a day or more before my body screams loud enough to get my attention, so then I'm tired and have no energy, so I just get fast food...And it snowballs. So personally I find planning key. I plan breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks every day, a week in advance. I'm not super vigilant about sticking to it - it doesn't matter if I eat Tuesday's breakfast on Wednesday or switch lunch and dinner or maybe I'm wiped out from work and I opt for one of the emergency frozen dinners in the freezer. But I do find allotting calories for snacks helps me stay on track, mainly because I don't get home from work completely wiped out with no energy to even warm up what is already cooked and ready in the fridge.

richardgavel · February 2016

What's successful for me is to put the large portion of my calories into 3 roughly equal size meals. It used to be only those 3 meals (no snacks), but as I reduce my deficit, I have to add snacks in because otherwise the meals just get too large for me now that my brain had adjusted to the meal size and more filling foods.

omobad312 · February 2016

In my opinion, whichever is easiest for you to do, as in it agrees with your schedule, curbs your cravings more, allows for enough energy to get through your day, etc is going to be the one that's best for you.

ladyraiah · February 2016

I tried doing the "six small meals a day" thing that most people recommend. I found myself to be constantly hungry and always obsessing about my next meal. I've realized that I like large volumes of food (even if it's a giant salad) in order to feel satisfied, so I tend to eat 3 moderate to large meals a day. If I'm hungry I might have a small snack as long as my calories allow it. So far that's worked for me and I don't obsess nearly as much. Won't work for everyone though.

Fitandfabulous247 · February 2016

Thanks again everyone it seems I basically have three meals per day but snack mostly in the afternoon this I think is due to my schedule on when I normally have dinner . So far it's working for me thanks again for the support!