Eating frequency
mhausler93
Posts: 83 Member
I read every where that you're supposed to eat 5-6 small meals a day for various reasons. But recently I've started reading about the benefits of sticking to 3 meals a day.
My question to you guys, which do you prefer and why?
My question to you guys, which do you prefer and why?
0
Replies
-
Do whatever works for you.3
-
Personal preference. I do not snack so I can have bigger meals. Snacking all day got me in trouble because it was supposed to be healthier. Blah Blah Blah.2
-
Meal timing /frequency is a preference thing and nothing more. What does matter is your calorie intake total at the end of the day.2
-
I eat 2-3 meals a day. I love a big dinner and save most of my calories for that meal. Some people would say "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" but I never found this method hindered my weight loss. 5-6 small meals would make me constantly hungry, I think.0
-
A registered dietician told me to eat 5-6 meals/day to keep my blood sugar level but I noticed that my blood sugar would spike after each meal and stay elevated, so I tried to stick to 3 meals a day. My blood sugar now goes back into the normal range before I eat the next meal.
That worked for me. You should do whatever works for you because you know your body better than anyone else.0 -
used to eat 6-8 meals a day, and now eating only 2-3 huuge meals a day. tbh i results are the same.0
-
I eat 2-3 meals a day. I love a big dinner and save most of my calories for that meal. Some people would say "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" but I never found this method hindered my weight loss. 5-6 small meals would make me constantly hungry, I think.
For experience, having the big dinner is the worst tou can do, since you will not burn the calories you eat. I use the King, prince, and pauper with snacks in between.0 -
I eat three to four "meals" per day, depending on how I'm feeling. My schedule is wildly variable, so when I have a busy day and come home with lots of calories before bed.... Hello Haagen Dazs! (or beer, if its been bad busy)1
-
Unless you have some sort of health condition, meal timing and frequency is irrelevant. The only time it remotely comes into play is pre and post workout nutrition, but that's really only something athletes need to worry about.2
-
I've done everything from six small meals to 16:8 fasting (eating all your calories within an 8-hour window - for me that was 1pm-9pm). I lost weight the same on all of them. I've settled into 3 meals and a couple of snacks, but I'm with team personal preference. You need to figure out what works best with your work and gym schedule.1
-
ramirezlawnserv wrote: »I eat 2-3 meals a day. I love a big dinner and save most of my calories for that meal. Some people would say "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" but I never found this method hindered my weight loss. 5-6 small meals would make me constantly hungry, I think.
For experience, having the big dinner is the worst tou can do, since you will not burn the calories you eat. I use the King, prince, and pauper with snacks in between.
Eating a big meal at supper has not negative effect on weight lose if overall daily calories are the same. I eat most of my calories at supper, usually over 1000 for the meal, and I have been losing just fine. I happen to like eating a lot at night, so this helps me stick to my calories. As for not burning calories you eat late in the day, that is simply not true when one is in a calorie deficit. Our bodies are burning calories 24 hours a day. They do not shut down when you go to sleep but continue to burn calories at the rate consistent with your BMR. The difference at night is in activity calories burned, but in terms of total calories burned for most people, that is the minority of their total calories.
The short version of this, eat at an overall daily calorie deficit in whatever eating pattern works for you to stick to that calorie amount. Timing and frequency make no difference at all in terms of weight loss.6 -
There's no way I can eat 5-6 times per day consistently. I've been doing intermittent fasting, basically I skip breakfast every day and eat lunch and dinner. It's simple and sustainable.0
-
mhausler93 wrote: »I read every where that you're supposed to eat 5-6 small meals a day for various reasons. But recently I've started reading about the benefits of sticking to 3 meals a day.
My question to you guys, which do you prefer and why?
Eating 5-6 meals a day will help keep you energized throughout the day, you won't feel hungry or like you NEED to eat anything, and less tempted to eat something junky from a gas station on last min.
It helps keep you on track as well, the more you focus your time on your diet, the more you will see changes. For me, I am bulking right now, trying to build muscle. I lift heavy 5 days a week, I rely on those small snacks to keep me going. Especially right after the gym, I feel shakey if I don't eat. As long as you are hitting the macros you want for your Total Day goals (but not all right before bed) then you're fine with 3.
EVERYTHING DEPENDS on what your goals are.0 -
mhausler93 wrote: »I read every where that you're supposed to eat 5-6 small meals a day for various reasons. But recently I've started reading about the benefits of sticking to 3 meals a day.
My question to you guys, which do you prefer and why?
My preference is to eat every 3-5 hours while awake.
I eat 3 meals and 1-2 snacks in the afternoon or evening. 8 AM, noon, 3-4 PM, 6PM and 9PM. It isn't magic. It is just eating in a way that fits my schedule and when I get hungry.
Breakfast is about 200-300 calories. Lunch is about 300-500 calories. Dinner about 500-600 calories. Snacks about 100-300 calories.
1 -
Depends on what works for you. I eat twice and end up intermittent fasting around 12-15 hours a day.1
-
This content has been removed.
-
I eat every 2.5-3 hours except between breakfast and lunch because that is my busiest/workout time and usually don't get hungry until lunchtime. For a couple of weeks last month, I was eating the King breakfast, but ended up too hungry at the evening snack time (2-3 hours before bed), so I switched it up and have a pauper breakfast with protein, if hungry between, I grab a tangerine or half a banana, but usually I am too occupied to notice. This leaves me with my three larger calorie meals being lunch, dinner, and evening snack. My personal protein macro goal range is 91-104, depending on calories expended for that day. Trying to keep sugar at/below mfp macro goal, but am finding that a struggle if I get enough of the other macros. Am not hitting the potassium goal on any day, although I have brought it up significantly.0
-
mhausler93 wrote: »I read every where that you're supposed to eat 5-6 small meals a day for various reasons. But recently I've started reading about the benefits of sticking to 3 meals a day.
My question to you guys, which do you prefer and why?
Eating 5-6 meals a day will help keep you energized throughout the day, you won't feel hungry or like you NEED to eat anything, and less tempted to eat something junky from a gas station on last min.
It helps keep you on track as well, the more you focus your time on your diet, the more you will see changes. For me, I am bulking right now, trying to build muscle. I lift heavy 5 days a week, I rely on those small snacks to keep me going. Especially right after the gym, I feel shakey if I don't eat. As long as you are hitting the macros you want for your Total Day goals (but not all right before bed) then you're fine with 3.
EVERYTHING DEPENDS on what your goals are.
Pretty much none of that is true for everyone. When I eat 5-6 meals a day I am constantly hungry and far more likely to eat more than I should. I even do long distance bike rides, 2 or more hours first thing in the morning, without eating anything beforehand with no dizziness or shakeyness. If you have issues with this by all mean eat 5-6 meal a day, but don't say that that is how everyone should eat. It isn't. What is important is what works best for the individual to first of all stick to their calories.
1 -
ramirezlawnserv wrote: »I eat 2-3 meals a day. I love a big dinner and save most of my calories for that meal. Some people would say "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" but I never found this method hindered my weight loss. 5-6 small meals would make me constantly hungry, I think.
For experience, having the big dinner is the worst tou can do, since you will not burn the calories you eat. I use the King, prince, and pauper with snacks in between.
You won't burn calories after a large dinner?1 -
Some days I graze all day, some days it's just two meals. It depends on how I'm doing. Don't focus on factoids you hear like that. Do what works for you while still coming in at a calorie deficit.0
-
...oh, and don't listen to things like "You won't burn calories from a big dinner".1
-
As long as you stick to your calorie goal it doesn't matter when you eat. You can decide that based on what works for you - when fits in your schedule, when you're hungry, how active you are at certain times etc.
I like 3 meals and a couple of snacks.1 -
Whatever works and is sustainable for you. I eat lunch and dinner, usually breakfast even if it's a latte on the way out the door. Most days I have afternoon snack as dinner is 6-8 hours after lunch. Breakfast and lunch are usually smaller so I can have a good dinner with the family.0
-
*******For experience, having the big dinner is the worst tou can do, since you will not burn the calories you eat. I use the King, prince, and pauper with snacks in between*****
So your telling me after dinner time my body just stops functioning? Hahaha0 -
Neither! I eat 4 meals a day because that gives a nice structure to my day, it fits my appetite, and it makes it easy to get varied meals without having to reinvent the wheel every day.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions