A few big meals instead of lots of small meals?

Kolaghan
Kolaghan Posts: 14 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm weird but I've noticed that I prefer eating a few HUGE meals instead of a lot of small ones. For some reason eating tiny portions just makes me feel more hungry and not satisfied. But eating like 2 or 3 really big meals leaves me feeling just fine. Is this still healthy / will this still help me lose weight? I know that ideally you would keep eating small meals throughout the day to keep your metabolism going, but as long as I'm hitting my calorie goal with 2 or 3 bigger meals, will I still lose SOMETHING? Thanks!
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Replies

  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
    I'm wired to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner, too. I've attempted the mini meal idea, and it was a no go for me. Since I've lost 80 lbs doing it my way, and never read any good, non woo based evidence why multiple smaller meals are supposedly "better", I'll just stick with what works for me. :)
  • displaced1
    displaced1 Posts: 73 Member
    We are all different. I usually do better with a feast once or twice a day than moderation all day long. If I'm not hungry for breakfast, I skip it. If I'm not hungry for dinner, I'm fine with that. If I want to eat a two hour leisurely lunch with all my calories, that's ok too.
  • missh1967
    missh1967 Posts: 661 Member
    If this is your preference and it keeps you on track and in a calorie deficit, then it is absolutely perfect. Sustainability is key to losing and then maintaining weight.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,967 Member
    RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »
    I've actualy read that it's better for digestion. I only eat twice a day and I've lost a lot of weight this way

    For SOME people, those who have issues like reflux, it may be better for them to eat small meals more frequently, rather than a couple of large meals per day.

    But for most people: do whatever works for you and from a weight loss point of view is irelevant.

  • Ironandwine69
    Ironandwine69 Posts: 2,432 Member
    Yep, like everyone else has said do what's best for you. I don't like small meals or snacks, especially when trying to lose weight, it feels like I'm teasing myself. I eat all my calories within a 6 hours window, one or two meals a day.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    One meal or 72 makes no difference as long as you're hitting your calorie and macro goals.
  • lost4words_ox
    lost4words_ox Posts: 23 Member
    I'm like this too. I work evenings. I wake up around 10 and have a 200-300 calorie snack before I leave for work at 2, then around 6-7pm at work I eat pretty much all my calories minus the 100-200 I save for a snack when I get home at midnight. It works for me. I feel less hungry this way and am better able to stick to my goals. I'm down 97lbs so far so I'm not too worried it's hurting my health.
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    I can't speak for everyone because everyone is different. I was able to lose a lot of weight eating a few big meals until I got closer to a healthy weight range. That's when I hit a brick wall. My weight would not budge. I tried eating a little less, I tried exercising more, I even tried the ketogenic diet for a while because I thought maybe I was eating too many carbs. I lost about 5 pounds with the ketogenic diet but again hit a brick wall. Then the only thing I changed was how often I was eating. Keep in mind I was still within my calories. I was finally able to get past that plateau and weight became easier to lose. My whole problem was my blood sugar, which can be managed by eating several small meals. I'm not diabetic, but I realized I could have been insulin resistant. Now I have at least 4 meals a day. I will have 5 depending on if I still have room for those calories. Any drinks that have a fair amount of calories in it, I will count as a seperate meal. If you hit a brick wall like I did, try eating several small meals. I was surprised how well it worked.
  • Kolaghan
    Kolaghan Posts: 14 Member
    beatyfamily1 wrote: »
    (I hope the blank quote is like a tag) XD
    First of all congratulations on your amazing journey; I'm so glad that you found what works for you.
    To be honest, I started this thread because I have been having so much trouble losing weight even by eating less than usual, and I was wondering if it could have been because of the meal frequency. So it's really helpful that you've done both!
    I wouldn't call myself healthy weight, but I'm probably in that range at least. Since I just started counting calories with this app yesterday, I'm going to try the few big meal things with calorie counting for a little while longer, but now that I know that the problem could potentially be meal frequency, I'll try that as well if this doesn't work for a little while.
    Thank you so much!! :blush:
  • Grimmerick
    Grimmerick Posts: 3,344 Member
    I fast until 12 or 1pm Mon-Fri usually. I eat a smallish lunch and regular Dinner and snack if I feel like it after dinner. I am a night eater so conserving my calories until the last part of the day has helped me.
  • jetherrart
    jetherrart Posts: 8 Member
    I've lost about 100 lbs so far using a modifiedKeto approach to meals and eating my larger meal about midday and one to two very small meals or snacks per day. I kept gaining weight even though I was not eating enough calories when I ate low fat, but although I do not eat high fat (gallbladder removal makes this impossible unless I stay in the house), I watch my carbs and almost no sugars(some is unavoidable). If I eat about 1000 calories a day and 80-100 carbs I weigh the same. If I eat about 1000 calories a day and eat < 50 carbs I lose weight. If I eat about 1000 calories a day and > 100 carbs I gain weight. Exercise is about the same. I can't say what would work for your body, only what worked for me.
  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    As others have stated, there is no metabolic advantage for nutrient timing either way. Eat the way you prefer and helps you to stay on plan calorie wise and gives best exercise performance.
  • beatyfamily1
    beatyfamily1 Posts: 257 Member
    Kolaghan wrote: »
    beatyfamily1 wrote: »
    (I hope the blank quote is like a tag) XD
    First of all congratulations on your amazing journey; I'm so glad that you found what works for you.
    To be honest, I started this thread because I have been having so much trouble losing weight even by eating less than usual, and I was wondering if it could have been because of the meal frequency. So it's really helpful that you've done both!
    I wouldn't call myself healthy weight, but I'm probably in that range at least. Since I just started counting calories with this app yesterday, I'm going to try the few big meal things with calorie counting for a little while longer, but now that I know that the problem could potentially be meal frequency, I'll try that as well if this doesn't work for a little while.
    Thank you so much!! :blush:

    If you do try the meal frequency thing, make sure each meal is close to equal proportions. Take your total allotted calories and divide by how many meals you plan on having. Try to stay close to that number. Good luck!
  • caryll4
    caryll4 Posts: 21 Member
    I think for me it works better if I keep my breakfast low calorie, I like cream of wheat with almond milk a little sweetener. Last 2 mornings I had pancakes 3 small frozen with syrup, which added to 420 calories, and I went up almost 2 lbs. so back to 3 meals and a few snacks whithin my calories with exercise, low calories for morning. We will see what happens in a couple days
  • BarneyRubbleMD
    BarneyRubbleMD Posts: 1,092 Member
    beatyfamily1 wrote: »
    I can't speak for everyone because everyone is different. I was able to lose a lot of weight eating a few big meals until I got closer to a healthy weight range. That's when I hit a brick wall. My weight would not budge. I tried eating a little less, I tried exercising more, I even tried the ketogenic diet for a while because I thought maybe I was eating too many carbs. I lost about 5 pounds with the ketogenic diet but again hit a brick wall. Then the only thing I changed was how often I was eating. Keep in mind I was still within my calories. I was finally able to get past that plateau and weight became easier to lose. My whole problem was my blood sugar, which can be managed by eating several small meals. I'm not diabetic, but I realized I could have been insulin resistant. Now I have at least 4 meals a day. I will have 5 depending on if I still have room for those calories. Any drinks that have a fair amount of calories in it, I will count as a seperate meal. If you hit a brick wall like I did, try eating several small meals. I was surprised how well it worked.

    This is exactly what I figured out that I have to do to lose weight (& I am diabetic)--my blood sugars were just getting too high after the two meals I was having and taking too long to come back down to normal, which just kept me feeling hungry instead of satisfied. Now with eating 4 meals a day (for me, that's eating every 3 hours between 9am and 6pm), I'm rarely much hungry at the start of my meals & my blood sugars are far more stable now and my weight is dropping nicely!

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