1-2 meals a day or multiple?
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Really depend on you, some people feel good eating 2-3big meals a day, some people like me tend to few strong cravings between meal so I eat light meal and snack in between. I am on 1200 cal, on a normal work day, have around 350cal of food for breakfast but not in one setting, I have some in my drive to work and some spread out in the morning. Lunch after 1pm and dinner after 5pm for 300 each, 250 cal. for snack in my drive home and after gym.0
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This is up to preference. I'm not usually hungry for breakfast, but eat it sometimes when I feel like it or when we're eating it as a family. I often have 2-3 meals a day with many snacks, usually grab and go vegetables. When I want to go out I sometimes don't eat all day to have one big meal, but I don't like doing this on normal days because I find cramming enough nutrition into one meal challenging. I also don't like having more than 3 equal meals because I don't like the amount of prep and mental work involved in making the meals both satiating and satisfying.
The difference to diet is minimal, and is mostly related to what you feel works better for you. Eat however many meals you want whenever you want.0 -
I eat 5 meals a day with each a similar size calorie wise. This works well for me and I rarely feel hungry although others have greater success with fewer meals. It really is trial and error to find what works best for you.0
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UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »I usually just eat 2 big meals a day, but I’m trying to eat every 2-3 hours now to see if it helps prevent cravings and overeating.
Does anybody have success stories from doing this? Do you feel better doing one or the either?
Well going from your previous posts I would say the cravings and 'overeating' is due to the fact you only eat fruit and vegetables and probably not eating sufficient calories.
And how is this helpful? I like eating my fruit and vegetables, I find that I do eat enough calories (2000-3000 calories a day, actually), and “overeating” is just overeating. As in, I’ve reached 2500 calories for the day but then decide to eat 1000 calories worth of airpopped popcorn. Sound impossible? Haha nope
So are you still training? Running? Cycling? Marathon? Track meets? Ifso, you aren't getting sufficient calories and particularly not getting sufficient protein and good fats.
Just overeating? Yet just yesterday you said on a post you are binge eating.0 -
Totally a personal preference as long as all your food is within, and close to, your calorie goal. I have breakfast about 10, lunch about 2 and dinner about 6 - that works for me.
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tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »I usually just eat 2 big meals a day, but I’m trying to eat every 2-3 hours now to see if it helps prevent cravings and overeating.
Does anybody have success stories from doing this? Do you feel better doing one or the either?
Well going from your previous posts I would say the cravings and 'overeating' is due to the fact you only eat fruit and vegetables and probably not eating sufficient calories.
And how is this helpful? I like eating my fruit and vegetables, I find that I do eat enough calories (2000-3000 calories a day, actually), and “overeating” is just overeating. As in, I’ve reached 2500 calories for the day but then decide to eat 1000 calories worth of airpopped popcorn. Sound impossible? Haha nope
So are you still training? Running? Cycling? Marathon? Track meets? Ifso, you aren't getting sufficient calories and particularly not getting sufficient protein and good fats.
Just overeating? Yet just yesterday you said on a post you are binge eating.
Some days I overeat, some days I binge eat. They’re different, especially mentally. I overeat on vegetables, sweet potatoes, popcorn... I binge eat on nut butters and processed foods I avoid at all costs.
I guess it’s just a cycle for me of eating just whole plant foods, then having a day where I just want to devour the entire kitchen. I’m hoping having multiple meals or snacks in a day will help me.
I am still training for a marathon and 50 Mile race in July, but the last two weeks I’ve been slacking and have only run around 25-35 miles each week. I’m getting back into it, though. The weather in February makes it hard to be motivated to run 10+ miles at 6 am in the morning.1 -
UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »I usually just eat 2 big meals a day, but I’m trying to eat every 2-3 hours now to see if it helps prevent cravings and overeating.
Does anybody have success stories from doing this? Do you feel better doing one or the either?
Well going from your previous posts I would say the cravings and 'overeating' is due to the fact you only eat fruit and vegetables and probably not eating sufficient calories.
And how is this helpful? I like eating my fruit and vegetables, I find that I do eat enough calories (2000-3000 calories a day, actually), and “overeating” is just overeating. As in, I’ve reached 2500 calories for the day but then decide to eat 1000 calories worth of airpopped popcorn. Sound impossible? Haha nope
So are you still training? Running? Cycling? Marathon? Track meets? Ifso, you aren't getting sufficient calories and particularly not getting sufficient protein and good fats.
Just overeating? Yet just yesterday you said on a post you are binge eating.
Some days I overeat, some days I binge eat. They’re different, especially mentally. I overeat on vegetables, sweet potatoes, popcorn... I binge eat on nut butters and processed foods I avoid at all costs.
I guess it’s just a cycle for me of eating just whole plant foods, then having a day where I just want to devour the entire kitchen. I’m hoping having multiple meals or snacks in a day will help me.
I am still training for a marathon and 50 Mile race in July, but the last two weeks I’ve been slacking and have only run around 25-35 miles each week. I’m getting back into it, though. The weather in February makes it hard to be motivated to run 10+ miles at 6 am in the morning.
You've posted multiple threads alluding to this issue and appear to be unphased by the advice that perhaps your restrictive eating habits are leading to binges. From info you gave in another thread, you tend to eat very low fat and protein. You might have better luck resolving the binge cycle by upping both macros on a daily basis. I really don't think meal timing is your problem here.
But you've received this advice many times and appear not to want to consider it.5 -
UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »I usually just eat 2 big meals a day, but I’m trying to eat every 2-3 hours now to see if it helps prevent cravings and overeating.
Does anybody have success stories from doing this? Do you feel better doing one or the either?
Well going from your previous posts I would say the cravings and 'overeating' is due to the fact you only eat fruit and vegetables and probably not eating sufficient calories.
And how is this helpful? I like eating my fruit and vegetables, I find that I do eat enough calories (2000-3000 calories a day, actually), and “overeating” is just overeating. As in, I’ve reached 2500 calories for the day but then decide to eat 1000 calories worth of airpopped popcorn. Sound impossible? Haha nope
So are you still training? Running? Cycling? Marathon? Track meets? Ifso, you aren't getting sufficient calories and particularly not getting sufficient protein and good fats.
Just overeating? Yet just yesterday you said on a post you are binge eating.
Some days I overeat, some days I binge eat. They’re different, especially mentally. I overeat on vegetables, sweet potatoes, popcorn... I binge eat on nut butters and processed foods I avoid at all costs.
I guess it’s just a cycle for me of eating just whole plant foods, then having a day where I just want to devour the entire kitchen. I’m hoping having multiple meals or snacks in a day will help me.
I am still training for a marathon and 50 Mile race in July, but the last two weeks I’ve been slacking and have only run around 25-35 miles each week. I’m getting back into it, though. The weather in February makes it hard to be motivated to run 10+ miles at 6 am in the morning.
You've posted multiple threads alluding to this issue and appear to be unphased by the advice that perhaps your restrictive eating habits are leading to binges. From info you gave in another thread, you tend to eat very low fat and protein. You might have better luck resolving the binge cycle by upping both macros on a daily basis. I really don't think meal timing is your problem here.
But you've received this advice many times and appear not to want to consider it.
I do consider it. But I can’t just switch on a flip and be like “yeah, I’m going to eat X-Y-Z today!” Or “I’m totally not going to binge today because I am better than that.” It took me months to eat fat again. It took months for me to add more food to my list of maybe 5-10 things I ate. Months of seeing professionals, struggling to move forward... I may have a week where everything is just peachy, but then I give up. Something or maybe nothing at all happens, and I just give up. In one day, i can be hitting all my macros, im feeling great, and then BAM! I have a binge.
So yes, I’m going through multiple forums and posts, trying to figure out how other people recover. How other people get better or deal with it or ANYTHING! Because I’m sick of waking up everyday and having to make choices on what I’m going to eat, if I should, what I should and shouldn’t eat, how far I’m going to run... all of this on top of life. On top of taking care of my little sister and going to school and working and trying to still be happy. And me. And read books and sing songs and play with my cats and talk to my friends. So excuse me, if it seems like I’m not taking the advice into consideration. It’s just so exhausting. And hard. And i don’t have any faith in myself most days.0 -
The only way to know is to experiment and see what works for you. I eat 3 meals a day with no snacks becauseihavemore success with less cravings (plus I like volume more food). I have tried 2 meals, eating every 2-3 hours, which works for some people. Like I said experiment, try eating for a week every 2-3 hours and see if you like it. If not it is easy enough to switch back or try another combination.0
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UltraVegBabe wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »I usually just eat 2 big meals a day, but I’m trying to eat every 2-3 hours now to see if it helps prevent cravings and overeating.
Does anybody have success stories from doing this? Do you feel better doing one or the either?
Well going from your previous posts I would say the cravings and 'overeating' is due to the fact you only eat fruit and vegetables and probably not eating sufficient calories.
And how is this helpful? I like eating my fruit and vegetables, I find that I do eat enough calories (2000-3000 calories a day, actually), and “overeating” is just overeating. As in, I’ve reached 2500 calories for the day but then decide to eat 1000 calories worth of airpopped popcorn. Sound impossible? Haha nope
So are you still training? Running? Cycling? Marathon? Track meets? Ifso, you aren't getting sufficient calories and particularly not getting sufficient protein and good fats.
Just overeating? Yet just yesterday you said on a post you are binge eating.
Some days I overeat, some days I binge eat. They’re different, especially mentally. I overeat on vegetables, sweet potatoes, popcorn... I binge eat on nut butters and processed foods I avoid at all costs.
I guess it’s just a cycle for me of eating just whole plant foods, then having a day where I just want to devour the entire kitchen. I’m hoping having multiple meals or snacks in a day will help me.
I am still training for a marathon and 50 Mile race in July, but the last two weeks I’ve been slacking and have only run around 25-35 miles each week. I’m getting back into it, though. The weather in February makes it hard to be motivated to run 10+ miles at 6 am in the morning.
You've posted multiple threads alluding to this issue and appear to be unphased by the advice that perhaps your restrictive eating habits are leading to binges. From info you gave in another thread, you tend to eat very low fat and protein. You might have better luck resolving the binge cycle by upping both macros on a daily basis. I really don't think meal timing is your problem here.
But you've received this advice many times and appear not to want to consider it.
I do consider it. But I can’t just switch on a flip and be like “yeah, I’m going to eat X-Y-Z today!” Or “I’m totally not going to binge today because I am better than that.” It took me months to eat fat again. It took months for me to add more food to my list of maybe 5-10 things I ate. Months of seeing professionals, struggling to move forward... I may have a week where everything is just peachy, but then I give up. Something or maybe nothing at all happens, and I just give up. In one day, i can be hitting all my macros, im feeling great, and then BAM! I have a binge.
So yes, I’m going through multiple forums and posts, trying to figure out how other people recover. How other people get better or deal with it or ANYTHING! Because I’m sick of waking up everyday and having to make choices on what I’m going to eat, if I should, what I should and shouldn’t eat, how far I’m going to run... all of this on top of life. On top of taking care of my little sister and going to school and working and trying to still be happy. And me. And read books and sing songs and play with my cats and talk to my friends. So excuse me, if it seems like I’m not taking the advice into consideration. It’s just so exhausting. And hard. And i don’t have any faith in myself most days.
I'm sorry you've had such a difficult time. If you have a history of disordered eating and have been under a professional's care for it, I'm not sure we have much more to offer, or that we even should, with this in mind.
I hope your find something that does work for you, in any case. I'm sure it is exhausting.3 -
UltraVegBabe wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »tiptoethruthetulips wrote: »UltraVegBabe wrote: »I usually just eat 2 big meals a day, but I’m trying to eat every 2-3 hours now to see if it helps prevent cravings and overeating.
Does anybody have success stories from doing this? Do you feel better doing one or the either?
Well going from your previous posts I would say the cravings and 'overeating' is due to the fact you only eat fruit and vegetables and probably not eating sufficient calories.
And how is this helpful? I like eating my fruit and vegetables, I find that I do eat enough calories (2000-3000 calories a day, actually), and “overeating” is just overeating. As in, I’ve reached 2500 calories for the day but then decide to eat 1000 calories worth of airpopped popcorn. Sound impossible? Haha nope
So are you still training? Running? Cycling? Marathon? Track meets? Ifso, you aren't getting sufficient calories and particularly not getting sufficient protein and good fats.
Just overeating? Yet just yesterday you said on a post you are binge eating.
Some days I overeat, some days I binge eat. They’re different, especially mentally. I overeat on vegetables, sweet potatoes, popcorn... I binge eat on nut butters and processed foods I avoid at all costs.
I guess it’s just a cycle for me of eating just whole plant foods, then having a day where I just want to devour the entire kitchen. I’m hoping having multiple meals or snacks in a day will help me.
I am still training for a marathon and 50 Mile race in July, but the last two weeks I’ve been slacking and have only run around 25-35 miles each week. I’m getting back into it, though. The weather in February makes it hard to be motivated to run 10+ miles at 6 am in the morning.
You've posted multiple threads alluding to this issue and appear to be unphased by the advice that perhaps your restrictive eating habits are leading to binges. From info you gave in another thread, you tend to eat very low fat and protein. You might have better luck resolving the binge cycle by upping both macros on a daily basis. I really don't think meal timing is your problem here.
But you've received this advice many times and appear not to want to consider it.
I do consider it. But I can’t just switch on a flip and be like “yeah, I’m going to eat X-Y-Z today!” Or “I’m totally not going to binge today because I am better than that.” It took me months to eat fat again. It took months for me to add more food to my list of maybe 5-10 things I ate. Months of seeing professionals, struggling to move forward... I may have a week where everything is just peachy, but then I give up. Something or maybe nothing at all happens, and I just give up. In one day, i can be hitting all my macros, im feeling great, and then BAM! I have a binge.
So yes, I’m going through multiple forums and posts, trying to figure out how other people recover. How other people get better or deal with it or ANYTHING! Because I’m sick of waking up everyday and having to make choices on what I’m going to eat, if I should, what I should and shouldn’t eat, how far I’m going to run... all of this on top of life. On top of taking care of my little sister and going to school and working and trying to still be happy. And me. And read books and sing songs and play with my cats and talk to my friends. So excuse me, if it seems like I’m not taking the advice into consideration. It’s just so exhausting. And hard. And i don’t have any faith in myself most days.
I'm sorry you've had such a difficult time. If you have a history of disordered eating and have been under a professional's care for it, I'm not sure we have much more to offer, or that we even should, with this in mind.
I hope your find something that does work for you, in any case. I'm sure it is exhausting.
I guess it’s less about what you can offer me and more about what has worked for you. I’m looking more for inspiration and motivation than advice. It’s easier to want to get better knowing there are others out there who struggle and have overcome it through trial and error. A professional has only ever given me ultimatums, advice, lists to check-off, and names of more specialists to see. It is there job to do that.0
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