3 meals a day vs snacks

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  • lechesucio
    lechesucio Posts: 29 Member
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    My nutritionist encouraged me to have 5 'snacks' instead of the meals since I had issues with getting hungry. But I found that I wasn't satisfied by the small snacks throughout the day. I much prefer having fewer, more substantial 'meals'. It helps me feel like I'm not on a diet.
  • texasredreb
    texasredreb Posts: 541 Member
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    If I snack, I have it either between lunch and dinner (if I'm really hungry); or after dinner (if I haven't eaten enough calories).
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    lechesucio wrote: »
    My nutritionist encouraged me to have 5 'snacks' instead of the meals since I had issues with getting hungry. But I found that I wasn't satisfied by the small snacks throughout the day. I much prefer having fewer, more substantial 'meals'. It helps me feel like I'm not on a diet.

    Agreed.

    Meals vs snacks (or number of meals and/or snacks) is all just personal preference, but I dislike snacking and very much prefer having just 3 (or sometimes 2) more substantial meals.
  • mangofish44
    mangofish44 Posts: 57 Member
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    I never feel that satisfied with a snack. If I do, it usually will be a few hours before dinner and will be nuts with some manchecgo or parmessian cheese typically. Those foods help fill me up
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,013 Member
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    I like three meals because I like to feel full. When I graze and break it up over many sittings during the day, I am always still kind of hungry. The other way, I get full and don't think about food for several hours.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,246 Member
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    What ever works for you and helps you stay on target is the best way to do it.

    Personally I rarely snack. My schedule looks something like this most days:

    8am-9am Breakfast

    12pm-1pm Lunch

    5pm-6pm Dinner

    7pm-8pm After dinner tea with a serving of cookies or chocolate
  • JustAMurmur
    JustAMurmur Posts: 7,867 Member
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    Personal preference. It all depends on what works best for your body.
  • missysippy930
    missysippy930 Posts: 2,577 Member
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    Athijade wrote: »
    What ever works for you and helps you stay on target is the best way to do it.

    Personally I rarely snack. My schedule looks something like this most days:

    8am-9am Breakfast

    12pm-1pm Lunch

    5pm-6pm Dinner

    7pm-8pm After dinner tea with a serving of cookies or chocolate

    You say you rarely snack, and list your daily pattern.

    Isn’t your 7-8 pm tea and cookies or chocolate a snack?
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    Danp wrote: »
    Is dessert a snack?

    These are the important questions we tack on the MFP forums =)

    I vote for yes.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
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    If I eat dessert I eat it immediately after dinner, so it's more a continuation of dinner than a snack (which I see as something between meals that tides one over).

    But it's just semantic.

    In my mind, like the prior poster, I sometimes have dessert (which is not always sweet, sometimes it's cheese), but rarely snack.
  • aokoye
    aokoye Posts: 3,495 Member
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    Ah yes I see where you're coming from. If I'm eating dessert at a restaurant then I eat it right after dinner, but if I'm at home it's typically at least an hour after dinner, more often than not more. I also have dessert fairly rarely. What's more common is that I will have a few sweet things (a canelé and a cookie) throughout the day and one of them might land after dinner.
  • trunkmonkey1977
    trunkmonkey1977 Posts: 42 Member
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    I have read so much different data on this. Some will say IF is the answer. While others say snack. Me, i have done both. I prefer to be like a cow, snack all day with no heavy meals.
  • no1elseislikeme
    no1elseislikeme Posts: 69 Member
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    I seldom eat breakfast or lunch. I’ve just never been the type to do so. So, I snack during the day and then I usually have dinner and dessert. It’s what seems to work best for my body.
  • jnomadica
    jnomadica Posts: 280 Member
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    I prefer multiple small meals through the day:
    7am breakfast
    11am lunch #1
    2:30pm lunch #2
    6pm dinner
    8pm dessert/snack

    I prefer not to feel overly full, and I love getting to eat so frequently. It’s interesting to see how different preferences are!
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 657 Member
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    staticsplit wrote: »
    My day usually goes like this, but not always:

    8 - 9 am - milky coffee (hardly ever hungry first thing, though if I am then I have something)
    ....
    I don't like eating too much and feeling full, plus I get shaky if my blood sugar goes low. I love snacks.

    I'm similar, except my day starts way earlier! I basically have small meals in the first part of my day and save about half of my calories for dinner.

    4:30am: Milky Coffee
    6:00am: Breakfast
    10:00am: "Second breakfast" (snack)
    12:00pm: Lunch
    5:30pm: Dinner
  • suziecue25
    suziecue25 Posts: 289 Member
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    I eat 3 meals a day and generally have a snack [not necessarily a healthy one] after dinner, which is usually my biggest calorie meal.

    If I grazed on snacks all day I know I'd eat far too many calories...that's just me.
  • corrarjo
    corrarjo Posts: 1,157 Member
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    @lucym0802 My cats start begging for food ~6am, when they're hungry. They eat again around noon and 6pm. I don't feed them on my schedule, but on theirs. They don't know what time it is. They're synchronized because they eat together. Sometimes I wonder if the hunger drives the schedule or the schedule drives the hunger.

    Since I quit processed foods I've "lost" my appetite and have no "cravings". I eat when I'm hungry, usually between 12 - 2pm, and again between 6 - 9pm. I usually eat two full meals. First meal is a salad, the second is something savory. They both fill me up. I may have a small breakfast of oats and berries early in the day. That helps add fiber and carbs if I need them. I have no desire for snacks. If I'm lacking some nutrients I'll try to incorporate them into one of my meals.

    This is what is working for me.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    My pref is 3 good sized meals plus 2 small snacks but that's a personal thing.

    The main thing is doing what works for you and enables you to stay within your allotted calories consistently.

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