how often do you eat?

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2

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  • Shannonnn92
    Shannonnn92 Posts: 86 Member
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    1. pre-gym breakfast
    2. post-gym breakfast / mid-morning snack
    3. lunch
    4. afternoon snack
    5. dinner
    6. snack (sometimes)
    That's basically the layout of my meals, but if I get hungry I eat something and if I'm not hungry at any of those times I don't.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    You're cheating yourself out of progress if you're skipping breakfast, IMHO. The earlier you eat, the earlier you'll be hungry again. Proof that eating starts your metabolism. Why wait?

    Do you have said proof?



    Everyone knows that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Said proof will be if you give it a try and see what happens.

    But here is some information for you to read: http://www.the-invisible-gym.com/why-it-is-so-important-to-eat-breakfast.html

    Please also feel free to google it yourself as well.

    ::SIGH:: did you even read that link you posted?
    Three to four hours after you eat, your metabolism shuts down and acts as if it needs to store food. This is a great function to have if a famine were to break out, leaving you without food for days. Since this is likely not the case for you, it is pretty annoying when your body starts packing on the pounds in an attempt to protect you from starvation! Eating breakfast communicates with your body the fact that you are healthy, well fed and not in need of extra fat storage.

    ^ that is a load of BS that is not supported by science
  • emmyvera
    emmyvera Posts: 599 Member
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    I eat 4-6 times a day. I eat 1,200 calories plus my exercise calories. I prefer smaller meals, but I do sometimes switch it up.

    1. Breakfast 7-8 am
    2. Morning Snack 10 am
    3. Lunch 12-1pm
    4. Afternoon Snack 3-4pm
    5. Dinner 5-7 pm
    6. Post Workout Shake (if I need the calories and/or I'm hungry after a hard workout)
  • MattGetsMad
    MattGetsMad Posts: 429 Member
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    I eat every day between noon and 8 pm. Typically 3 meals, with the first two being within a 2 hour span. As sidesteal said, meal frequency is a personal preference thing and offers no metabolic benefit/detriment one way or the other.

    The First Law of Nutrient Timing is: hitting your daily macronutrient targets is FAR more important than nutrient timing.

    I've been doing this too, most days. I've seen my weight-loss speed up too. Use to firmly believe it was very important to jumpstart your metabolism with food. Now I can see that is not the case.

    As long as you are losing weight and gaining health, there really is no "wrong" way to do it. Dedication and patience above all else will make you hit your goals.

    Good luck to all you!
  • barbiebarkley
    barbiebarkley Posts: 167
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    i eat 4 times a day.3 meals and i usally eat something before working out!!!!
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    For the most part I log 3 smallish meals and then everything else goes under snacks, which means I eat all day!
  • cheshirequeen
    cheshirequeen Posts: 1,324 Member
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    i am maintaining, but i eat every couple of hours. i work out doing zumba and it really works up an appetite, so i make sure i keep those meals keeping me going.
  • frugalmomsrock
    frugalmomsrock Posts: 1,123
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    I eat when I'm hungry. Sometimes I skip breakfast. Sometimes I eat three meals a day. Sometimes I have seven or eight little meals. Just depends on what my body says. No schedule.
  • tabrez1989
    tabrez1989 Posts: 3 Member
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    i have breakfast when i woke up within an hour. Then the rest of the day i just eat dont have a specific time.
  • raines_eric
    raines_eric Posts: 49
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    7am - Breakfast
    9am - Snack (usually a piece of fruit)
    11am - Lunch
    1pm - 2nd Snack (usually a piece of fruit)
    3pm - 3rd Snack (not every day, only when hungry, probably twice a week on average... snack type varies)
    5pm - Dinner
  • BlackRangerX
    BlackRangerX Posts: 133 Member
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    Breakfast (6am), Post Breakfast (8am) Pre-Lunch (10am), Lunch (1pm), Snack (3pm) , Pre Workout (5pm) , Dinner (8pm), Midnight snack or Midnight Dinner (11pm-12am). THEN SLEEP.

    Problem is, I'm still always hungry.
  • BirchBayLady
    BirchBayLady Posts: 17 Member
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    I lost 65 pounds last year on Medifast which is 5 small "meals" (aka protein supplements/shakes) plus a sensible dinner. Now I've changed to Wonderslim which is 6 small "meals" and a sensible dinner. It works for me. I lose about 2 pounds a week when I stick with it.
  • raiderrodney
    raiderrodney Posts: 617 Member
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    When working I eat breakfast, lunch, after workout protein shake, dinner.

    When off I usually eat 2 bigger meals and maybe a snack.

    The whole eating breakfast and many small meals to maximize metabolism argument is starting to fade for me. I do just as good or better not doing this. I think it takes much longer fasts before your body goes into a starvation mode ;)
  • mummyv811
    mummyv811 Posts: 237
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    Breakfast - 7.30-8am
    Lunch - 1pm
    Dinner - 5.30-6pm

    Sometimes snack at 11am, 4pm or after dinner! Very rarely all 3! :/
  • eeebee
    eeebee Posts: 471 Member
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    every two hours
    8am, 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm, 6pm water water water

    ^^Agree^^ I like that eating pattern, much better than going 4+ hours with no food which a lot of people do during the day.
  • bigbeardiver
    bigbeardiver Posts: 154 Member
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    I eat 4-6 times a day. I eat around 2,200 calories. My RMR is 2,053 and I typically burn 1,000 calories in excercise 5-6 days a week. I tried getting 3,500 calories in but can't eat that much.

    1. Breakfast 6-8 am - Whey shake with peanut butter and banana
    2. Morning Snack 10 am - apple or some other fruit, small babybel cheese
    3. Lunch 12-1pm - typically dinner left overs from the night before
    4. Afternoon Snack 3-4pm - peanut butter and jelly sandwhich, greek yogurt
    5. Pre/Post Workout Shake - Whey shake at the gym
    6. Dinner 7-8 pm - veggies, meat (pork, chicken) and starch

    Don't typically snack after dinner because it is so late but if I do it is usually almonds or some type of nut for more protein.
  • 76tech
    76tech Posts: 1,455 Member
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    4-6 times a day.

    breakfast which is usually a bit over 400 cals.
    11am snack usually 200-300 cals. skipped if i'm working out.
    lunch around 1pm. 200 cals or more.
    workout recovery meal. i work out anywhere from 11am to 6pm so this one sort of floats around. 150cals or more.
    dinner. whenever i finish cooking it, usually 350+ cals.
    night snack. about an hour before bed. 200+ cals.

    Everything adjusts based on what I'm doing that day, how big the meals are, etc.
  • cgrout78
    cgrout78 Posts: 1,679 Member
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    i eat all the time...at least 5 times a day...sometimes 6.
  • thcri
    thcri Posts: 459 Member
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    I just joined Farrell's Extreme Body Makeover and they want you to eat 6 meals a day. No research here but they claim your body starts starvation mode at 4 hours from the time you last ate. Only one day into it so we shall see how it works out.
  • MattGetsMad
    MattGetsMad Posts: 429 Member
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    I just joined Farrell's Extreme Body Makeover and they want you to eat 6 meals a day. No research here but they claim your body starts starvation mode at 4 hours from the time you last ate. Only one day into it so we shall see how it works out.

    Do they want you to set an alarm to eat something in the middle of the night???

    Couldn't help myself.

    Good luck to you anyway!

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