Does it have to be all at once?

gloryrest
gloryrest Posts: 47 Member
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
I have not watched my weight in so long. I need the guidance. So I'm here on MFP. The help is here but the will power and creativity for a healthier me is left up to me. Now this information is old news and I'm sure something new has come since but I wanted to share. So 8 small meals a day was the ticket to a healthy diet (boost metabolism) many years ago. I have no idea how to eat 8 small meals in a 24 hour day; but I realized that meal is just a term and the interpretation is different for everyone.

So here is my interpretation: 8 small meals a day could be your 3 meals and snacks a day just broken down and consumed throughout the day. Example: My breakfast may be coffee, oatmeal, flaxseeds (technically broken down that's three meals with 5 more to go) My lunch may consist of a salad, a piece of fruit (2 small meals with one more to go) Snack: a cup of fresh fruit. All broken down and eaten at different times. End result: I'm constantly eating (satisfaction) I'm within my ranges (satisfaction) Possibly eliminating the ability to over indulge because I pace the meals for my (satisfaction).

Not the Gospel, just a thought. Please add any tips you may have as well. *I just realized dinner was not mentioned but the point of it all is to be satisfied with your choices for the day*

Replies

  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I do the same thing because I need to eat all the time. I call it grazing.
  • runlaugheatpie
    runlaugheatpie Posts: 376 Member
    welcome to MFP :)

    so you consider each "item" a meal? coffee, oatmeal and flaxseeds are three meals?

    based on what you wrote, if you had 8 small meals a day there there would be nothing left for dinner.

    or do I completely misunderstand you?
  • gloryrest
    gloryrest Posts: 47 Member
    dls06 grazing.. I like it
  • gloryrest
    gloryrest Posts: 47 Member
    lowfatpie, I realized dinner was omitted. Not sure if you can see my edited comment-- but the point is to spread whatever your allotted foods are for the day to find that satisfaction. You know instead of eating up everything in one sitting per meal, you can pace, nibble and graze as dls06 mentioned. (hope that brings clarity)
  • ansonrinesmith
    ansonrinesmith Posts: 741 Member
    I do the same thing because I need to eat all the time. I call it grazing.
    I heard the term grazing from my doctor a year or so ago. So the concept is still considered a good practice.
    I do the same with my lunch. I bring a snack of cheese cubes that I eat around 10, eat my wrap at 11, my chips around 12 and my apple around 1. I don't feel hungry like I normally would around 1pm.
  • sincereme
    sincereme Posts: 276
    My day (Example)

    Breakfast = Coffee, Cream - Eggs Mug and 1/2 banana
    Lunch = Spinach, Chicken and dressing
    Snack = Almonds
    Dinner = Broccoli, Chicken and small salad
    Snack = 6 Triscuits and Cheese

    **I don't have a snack between Bk and Lun because I eat Breakfast at 8a and lunch at 11a.*

    I eat every 3 - 4 hours and it helps me keep satisfied and no feeling sick, etc. Also, helps me stay in my calorie range. When I workout, I try to eat back some of those calories, even though it is tough sometimes...lol
  • taem
    taem Posts: 495 Member
    You know instead of eating up everything in one sitting per meal, you can pace, nibble and graze as dls06 mentioned. (hope that brings clarity)

    I have a differing opinion. I do not believe in small meals as it does not allow your digestive system to rest so the body can do other functions. I think should eat as much as you can (starchy foods such as potatoes, rice, corn and vegetables) so the diet is different. Make sure your dietary foods meet your frequency if you do smaller meals. Good luck to you.
  • gloryrest
    gloryrest Posts: 47 Member
    Taem, Thank you. That is a different perspective. I will ponder and revisit. Thanks again
  • InaWarZone
    InaWarZone Posts: 35
    I have looked into this also, not knowing if it was fact or myth. Bottom line is it doesn't matter if you have 2 meals or 27 per day as far as metabolism is concerned. In fact it takes over 36 hours fasting to start to slow the metabolism.

    I have learned that it is very important to watch exactly what you eat after exercise, read:

    http://lifetime-weightloss.com/blog/2010/8/19/making-the-body-a-better-fat-burner-pre-and-post-exercise-nu.html

    Good luck!
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    My dairy is open, so you can see how I break it out. I allot a certain amount of calories to each of my 5 main meals and whatever is left over I indluge in an evening snacksie. Breakfast, 10:30 snack, lunch, 2:30 snack, dinner, snacksie. I generally go around 200, around 150, around 300, around 150, around 400 + wine, snack. I have more calories than that to play with, so when one goes over I don't fret.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
    Hi and welcome!

    Personally grazing doesn't work for me and I use it as an excuse to eat more. I don't feel satisfied unless I have a main meal that fills me. I just keep my meals within the limits MFP sets me, and if I'm hungry and have calories left over or have exercised up some more, then I have a snack if and when it suits, again within my calorie limits.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I do a combination of grazing and one big meal. I like to have a real meal in the evening, with a full plate and wine. So I just snack throughout the day and exercise regularly and this leaves plenty of calories for a nice dinner with my family. But really you just have to find whatever schedule fits your life. If you want to eat all day, then do the many small meals thing. If you like a big meal, then eat light and save calories for a big meal. You may need to adjust your plan several times before you find one that really works for you. As long as you are getting a good mix of healthy foods and staying within your calorie goals you'll do fine.
  • runlaugheatpie
    runlaugheatpie Posts: 376 Member
    OK I understand now :) grazing :)

    so I think it works differently for each individual's regular schedule. For example, I am up at 5am every day as I have a long commute to work (2+ hours) and I pretty much don't go to bed until 10 - 11pm. I used to have "Breakfast 1" and "Breakfast 2" on my diary because pretty much I eat something before I leave the house (at 6:30) but by the time I get to work at 9 I'm hungry again. I've changed this now to 5am- 12pm because during that time I am kind of grazing.

    Same with the afternoon. I simply can not NOT eat between after lunch and 7pm when I'm home. So I have a section called 1pm - 7pm.

    Everyone has different needs of course and finding out how to work those things according to your body is a delicate process. I think a lot of people already graze, but I too have used the excuse "it's time for my 10am snack" to eat even if it wasn't truly necessary.

    I'm trying myself to spread my food out a bit more and though I am hungry, it's unfortunately the only way to have enough calories left over for dinner which is my personal "pleasure" meal!
  • gloryrest
    gloryrest Posts: 47 Member
    Inawarzone, I thought in order to lose weight you had to speed the metabolism not slow it down?. . . .at any rate the purpose of the spreading your assigned meals was to feel satisfied. Oh well, time will tell as we listen to our individual bodies. I"m just determined not to be sad in the transitions lol
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    dls06 grazing.. I like it

    This is what I ate yesterday. I went over a little on fat and protein but was still under calories. It's all about PORTION CONTROL!
    I don't eat breakfast, ever.

    Breakfast
    Sugars - Granulated (sucrose), 1 tsp 16 4 0 0 0 0
    Milk - Reduced fat, 2% milkfat, 1 fl oz 15 1 1 1 13 2
    Coffee - Black, 10 fl oz 0 0 0 0 0 0

    Lunch
    Golden's - Spicy Mustard, 1 tsp 5 0 0 0 50 0
    Empire Kosher - Fat Free Turkey Breast Slice, 2 slices 33 1 0 7 200 20
    Alpine Lace - 2% Low Fat Swiss Cheese, 0.5 slice 25 1 2 4 48 8
    Generic - Pepperidge Farms, Light Style, 7 Grain Bread, 2 slice 90 18 0 4 150 0
    Tomato - Raw, Red, 0.25 tomato 3 1 0 0 2 0
    Allens - Mixed Greens, 1/8 cup 11 1 0 1 0 0
    Jolly Time Healthy Pop - Crispy White Naturally Flavored, 0.5 container (12.5 cups poppeds ea.) 125 29 3 5 325 0

    Snack
    Chicken Grilled - Thigh, 2 Thigh 258 2 25 34 0 0
    Fresh Fruit (Generic) - Cantalope, 0.5 cup cubed (160g/ 6oz) 27 6 0 1 13 0
    Baked Red Potato - by oz., 2 ounce 50 10 0 2 6 0

    Dinner
    Aloha Shoyu - Lower Salt Soy Sauce, 1 tbsp 0 1 0 0 620 0
    Argo - 100% Pure Corn Starch, 0.5 tbsp 15 4 0 0 0 0
    Fresh & Easy - Stir-Fry Vegetable Blend, 1 cup 35 6 0 1 25 0
    Brown Rice - Uncle Ben's - Natural Whole Grain Brown Rice, 0.5 cup cooked 85 18 1 2 0 0
    Chicken - Boneless/Skinless Chicken Breast, Raw-Correct, 2 oz 72 0 0 14 28 30

    Snack
    Bell Pepper - Red - Large - Raw, 0.5 pepper 25 5 0 1 3 0
    Albertsons - Zesty Italian Dressing, 1 tbsp 40 2 4 0 245 0
    Tomato - Raw, Red, 1 tomato 10 5 0 1 6 0
    Kellogg's Fun Pack Cereal - Honey Smacks, 1 Box (32g) 120 28 1 2 60 0

    Snack
    Sabra - Hummus - Supremely Spicy, 1 Tbsp (28g) 35 2 3 1 65 0
    Blue Diamond - Almonds - Whole Natural (Raw), 1 oz 160 6 14 6 0 0
    Snyder's - Mini Pretzels - 100 Calorie Pack , 1 Bag 100 22 0 2 220 0

    Totals 1,355 173 54 89 2,079 60
    Your Daily Goal 1,410 176 47 71 2,500 300
    Remaining 55 3 -7 -18 421 240
    Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Chol
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    Meal timing is a myth, you can eat 100 meals or 1 meal a day, it won't effect your weight loss.
  • gloryrest
    gloryrest Posts: 47 Member
    tigersword-- thank you for your input and you are right hahahaha. .but we are speaking in terms of comfort lol
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