3 meals a day VS 6 small...which is better and what do you d

Lyra89 · March 2012

^

Acg67 · March 2012

Whatever is most convenient for you is better. Increased meal frequency has no metabolic advantage.

neverstray · March 2012

6 is ideal. I do 3 with snacks in between. I think that 6 is best because it keeps a steady stream of food in you all the time, you NEVER get hungry. It's a fantastic way to eat. But, I can't do it with my work schedule. It just doesn't work. I've tried.

runnercheryl · March 2012

I wouldn't say either is 'better'. It's what works for you.

I have three meals, and a morning snack, and add in further snacks if I have calories to eat back. I don't have all that many calories to eat anyway, and for me it's best to put them into three meals so I actually end up feeling fairly full. Six small meals would just be like unsatisfying snacks.

dg09 · March 2012

I do 2.

Sidesteal · March 2012

This is entirely personal preference.

AllTehBeers · March 2012

I eat when I'm hungry is how I go about it. Sometimes that's a bunch of small meals or a few big ones. It all comes down to personal preference and how it fits your schedule. Neither is definitively better as long as your numbers work out at the end of the day.

Great read on this further. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/529002-a-compliation-on-meal-frequency

kayms13 · March 2012

Whatever works for you. Weekdays I eat 3 meals and a morning snack. Weekends are always different (and usually the most difficult)--depends what I'm doing.

Lyra89 · March 2012

Thanks so much everyone! Glad to see that everyone doesn't do the same thing but still gets results...I find that eating every 2-3 hours makes me more hungry for some reason

Acg67 · March 2012

Thanks so much everyone! Glad to see that everyone doesn't do the same thing but still gets results...I find that eating every 2-3 hours makes me more hungry for some reason

Do whatever fits you best, if you are getting in adequate protein, fat and micronutrients, doesn't really matter if you eat once per day or 10times per day

SunnyAndrsn · March 2012

It really depends on the day for me. Some days I'm too busy at work to take a break, so I only eat 2 large meals. Other days it's 3-4.

I don't put rules on it, I'm trying to learn to listen to my body.

kennethmgreen · March 2012

All personal preference. For weight/calorie management neither method is better than the other. They are the same. For your own behavior and eating patterns, one method may feel better than the other.

For example, I tend to overeat if I go too long without eating. So frequent meals make it easier for me to hit my calorie and macro goals. For some, eating less frequently works better. Try both, keeping calories and macros constant. Pick the one that feels better.

loridaisy1 · March 2012

I love the " eat breakfast like a King, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper". When I do this, I'm full by dinner and usually just have some lean protein so I am not going to bed on a full stomach. I usually see the scale move in the morning when I follow this.