3 big meals or 6 small meals-what works best for you?

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  • dmpizza
    dmpizza Posts: 3,321 Member
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    I read that Jenifer Aniston eats 5 small meals. If it works for her, it must work for everyone.
  • adrian_indy
    adrian_indy Posts: 1,444 Member
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    For the first time in my life, I have gone from 2-3 large meals to 5 small meals a day. Since I also for the first time started counting calories, I can not tell what the major contributor to my weight loss has been. But the smaller 5 meals, counting calories, and exercising 1-2 (preferably twice) a day has really spike my metabolism. There are days where I have cheated, but kept right on with 5 meals and I have continued to lose the weight in spite of the cheat meal.

    Genetically, I tend to hold on to fat. I easily put muscle on but even in the best shape of my adult life I could never conqueor my love handles. I think the trick to it is to never let your body feel like it has to hold on to the fat. My suggestion is to give it a try. Technically 6 would be ideal, I just can't fit it into my day. Put a lean protein source in every meal (harder to digest, burns more calories) and mix it with 5 fruit or veggies through out the day. Seems to have been working for me.
  • neela31
    neela31 Posts: 180 Member
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    I eat pretty often. It really depends on my hunger at the moment. I have something pre workout and post workout. I'll eat again once I get to work, then lunch, a snack, dinner, and another snack. I guess I eat about 7 times!!
  • solpwr
    solpwr Posts: 1,039 Member
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    I've set up my diary in 3 hour intervals.

    <9AM
    9-noon
    noon-3
    3-6
    6-9
    >9PM

    I try to eat something during every period. Usually happens, unless I'm really busy.
  • TeamLeela
    TeamLeela Posts: 3,302
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    I've set up my diary in 3 hour intervals.

    <9AM
    9-noon
    noon-3
    3-6
    6-9
    >9PM

    I try to eat something during every period. Usually happens, unless I'm really busy.

    that's exactly how mine is set up!!
  • solpwr
    solpwr Posts: 1,039 Member
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    I've set up my diary in 3 hour intervals.

    <9AM
    9-noon
    noon-3
    3-6
    6-9
    >9PM

    I try to eat something during every period. Usually happens, unless I'm really busy.

    that's exactly how mine is set up!!

    Did you do the math to get the intervals right? I'm pathetically bound to math.
  • jamiesadler
    jamiesadler Posts: 634 Member
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    3 300 calorie meals and 3 100 calorie snacks or as close to it as I can get.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    i eat from 2:30 -10:30 pm, normally a small meal, a large meal and dessert
  • CINDYLOU1966
    CINDYLOU1966 Posts: 31 Member
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    hi
    I like to learn how to eat these 6 small meal .. but I not sure how to go about it and what to eat and how to do meal plans for the day . do you know where i can to to look at differtant meal plans and how much calories there are in them .. and what is the righ amount each mean and snak for calories ? if anyone know please let me know thanks you all so much . i am trying to stay with in 1200 to 1500 cal a day with my work out .. thanks
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    I like one big filling meal heavy on the protein and veggies, and three smaller meals/snacks. Sometimes my big meal is in the morning, and sometimes around 4:00 in the afternoon... If I eat my big meal at 4:00 then my evening snack is usually just 100 calories, If I have my big meal in the morning then I have a 100 or so calorie snack for lunch and then one small meal in the late afternoon/early evening and a 300 calorie snack while watching TV at night (usually a piece of fruit and some popcorn)

    I've tried spreading my calories out evenly throughout the day but it leaves me very unsatisfied if I don't feel completely full (but not overstuffed) at least once in the day.
  • engineman312
    engineman312 Posts: 3,450 Member
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    I've set up my diary in 3 hour intervals.

    <9AM
    9-noon
    noon-3
    3-6
    6-9
    >9PM

    I try to eat something during every period. Usually happens, unless I'm really busy.

    that's exactly how mine is set up!!

    mine is very similar too. it's actually set up in 4 hour blocks, and part of it is mental. now i go, "danny, you just ate your morning snack at 8:30am. you can't eat lunch until at least noon."
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    i usually have 3 meals, and 3 snacks!

    During the week is roughly like this:

    Breakfast - 7am - 300cals
    Morning snack - 11am - 100 cals
    Lunch - 12.30 - 400/500 cals
    Afternoon snack - 3pm - 100 cals
    Pre workout snack - 4.30pm - 100 cals
    Dinner - 7pm - 700 cals
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    Usually 4 proper meals, and a fifth small thing (protein shake) + snacks.

    I just see it as breakfast (9-10am) lunch (12-2pm) dinner (4-6pm) and evening meal (8-9pm) Protein shake before bed about Midnight.
    Snacks I'll just have randomly, or if I'm really hungry when food is cooking and I can't wait.
  • stephabef
    stephabef Posts: 936 Member
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    6 (or more!) small meals! I've always been a grazer and I'm never hungry enough for a big one.
  • lalala06
    lalala06 Posts: 153
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    i do 3meals and 3snacks..
  • sewedo1
    sewedo1 Posts: 200 Member
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    I eat 4-5 times and find this keeps me most satisfied and has helped me to lose weight at this stage of my life. I usually eat at ~7 am, 10:30-11 am, 1:30/2:00 pm (sometimes don't feel the need for this one and skip it), and 5 to 6 pm. I'm rarely hungry after dinner.
  • solman66
    solman66 Posts: 175 Member
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    Eating when I'm hungry (and only then) is what works best for me. Sometimes it's 3-4 meals + snacks, sometimes it's 2 and no snacks. Just depends on the day and my activity level for that day. On weekends I generally do well with two 700+ calorie meals. Weekdays I'm more apt to eat 3 meals and maybe a light snack if I eat a light lunch.
  • 4abeach
    4abeach Posts: 5 Member
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    I've realized I am an evening snacker! So I have begun planning for it and it kind of works (I hate to say!). I don't really want to eat until noon so I just let it happen naturally now and it seems to be working for me. I usually have lunch, then dinner, then several snacks and maybe a beer or a glass of wine. If I do it this way I stay under my calories. I am sure this is not good, but I like it! SHOOT!! Is this bad????

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