more important to eat every 3 hours or JUST when I am hungry

jonniemarie1 · July 2011

So I work at a gym and I have always heard and read that you should eat every few hours. This sometimes turns out well for me, but most of the time I am not even hungry when I eat, which I guess is due to the fact that I eat too often to get hungry. I aim to eat around 1200-1300 calories after working out. I don't have a lot of weight to lose, i just want to tone, so every single thing counts! My problem comes when it is at night, after I have eaten my 5 healthy meals (most of them being when I wasn't hungry). I end up eating more calories then i aim for, because I didn't eat when I was actually hungry, and then at night I end up eating and picking on things. This would be fine, if I didn't already eat all of my calories. So what do you guys do? Eat every few hours, or just when you are hungry?

jodidlyO · July 2011

I thought the eating every 3 hours thing was mainly for people wanting to build muscle - they need to always have glycogen in their blood or something.
I would say if you are wanting to lose weight it's probably ok to wait until you are hungry. Just don't be missing meals.

DavidH85 · July 2011

Personally I would say to only eat when you are actually hungry, otherwise your body and mind might get used to the constant intake of food and come to expect it, and tell you it's hungry when you're actually not. The "5 small meals" thing is really more of a guide for those that are constantly feeling hungry, or just don't know how or when to put on the breaks that well just yet.

MichelleF81 · July 2011

I eat 4 times per day as that is what works for me. I have breakfast at around 8, lunch 12 or 1 and dinner about 5 and then I have a snack in the evening. Occasionally I might have a piece of fruit between breakfast and lunch. I keep my meals pretty light and I'm generally on between 1200 and 1600 calories per day and I'm losing 2lb a week, I also work out 4/5 times weekly. I only eat when I'm hungry, I don't force myself to eat when I'm not and I don't religiously stick to a calorie budget.....I just make sure I'm not eating too much or too little. You need to find a plan that works for you, just make sure you're eating enough.

momma3sweetgirls · July 2011

One of the reasons to eat when you're not hungry is to avoid overeating at a meal. So, it's OK to not be hungry. It also helps to stabilize your blood sugar (as long as you aren't eating gobs of carbs) which in turn helps give you lots of energy and curbs appetite. The quality of food you eat will affect your hunger as well. Eating whole grains and protein will keep you fuller longer.

I eat 3 main meals (around 300-350 calories) and 2 snacks (100-200 calories) a day and it works great for me. I don't eat anything after supper around 6 pm.

Make sure to eat protein and/or whole grains at your last meal of the day and this might help you to avoid nighttime snacking.

Good luck

joehempel · July 2011

I eat every few hours...but I don't try to eat back all my exercise calories. The idea being that the body gets more effecient at using the nutrients and will burn it better.

If I eat every few hours, I am constantly feuling my body, and when I wake up, I'm ferociously hungry, eat like 400- calories and then when I'm hungry again go for every few hours.

That way I have a good deficet, but since I'm constantly eating I don't get tired.

_Sally_ · July 2011

If you want to eat frequently, you have to eat ** small portions ***

It may be easier to think of it as large snacks (200 - 300 calories) versus small meals.

if you are not hungry frequently, your portion sizes are too large.

i've done it both ways...eating clean 5 - 6x a day or eating three regular size meals with snacks, if hungry. It is personal preference.

Atlantique · July 2011

So I work at a gym and I have always heard and read that you should eat every few hours. This sometimes turns out well for me, but most of the time I am not even hungry when I eat, which I guess is due to the fact that I eat too often to get hungry. I aim to eat around 1200-1300 calories after working out. I don't have a lot of weight to lose, i just want to tone, so every single thing counts! My problem comes when it is at night, after I have eaten my 5 healthy meals (most of them being when I wasn't hungry). I end up eating more calories then i aim for, because I didn't eat when I was actually hungry, and then at night I end up eating and picking on things. This would be fine, if I didn't already eat all of my calories. So what do you guys do? Eat every few hours, or just when you are hungry?

With a goal of only 3 pounds to lose, I think you can eat when you're hungry!

jonniemarie1 · July 2011

all of my meals are about 200-300 calories, and i work out 5 times a week... if i dont eat every few hours I would never meet 1200 calories. I usually eat a whole grain in the morning with a little unsaturated fat to keep me full... and then usually a protein and a veggie/fruit for every other meal.

Barneystinson · July 2011

It's all a personal preference.

scarletfever2005 · July 2011

I had it explained to me like this.

"Say you are building a campfire. The campfire is your metabolism. You want your fire to be big and strong so that it puts off a lot of heat and keeps you safe and warm. To do this you've got to keep giving it fuel. If you don't consistently put fuel on the fire it will start to burn out and get low, and you don't want that. "

That makes sense to me and I can feel a difference if I don't eat every few hours. Plus being diabetic I've found that eating small amounts frequently helps regulate my blood sugar.

The other thing to think about is that often when you "feel" hungry. You are really just thirsty and your body is sending the wrong message. So by eating and drinking basically constantly you keep from getting the mixed messages.

maserati185 · July 2011

Definitely eat every few hours and don't wait until you are hungry. And when you go to eat, eat meats, carrots, celery, nuts, berries, natural foods, as often as possible. Waiting until you are hungry could leave you less rational, so to speak, about your food choices. You are more likely to grab something high calorie or high "bad carbs" (i.e. cheez its, chips, cookies). Eat every few hours, eat the healthy choices and I believe you will find less need for late night snacking.

AlsDonkBoxSquat · July 2011

I'd always heard that if you actually wait until you are hungry to eat you are more likely to binge or over eat. (Like water, by the time you feel thursty it's already too late). I'm a grazer though, and find myself in a perpetual state of hungry.

more important to eat every 3 hours or JUST when I am hungry

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