Ladies, seriously - HOW are you keeping up with this? Help!

[Eve0115]

I find it exhausting and a full time job to make and have enough food to eat 5 times a day! Is it just me? I'm aware that fitness models and highly fit women eat 5-6 meals a day when in training and I'm trying to keep up with it but I feel like cooking and preparing meals has consumed my life, or at least I spend more time managing food than working out. Is this normal? Does it get easier? Will I have to accept that I will ALWAYS spend a fair amount of time planning and preparing meals if I want to achieve the body like the girls in oxygen magazine? Maybe this is the way it is...Help! Thx.

[kimm4]

I find it exhausting and a full time job to make and have enough food to eat 5 times a day! Is it just me? I'm aware that fitness models and highly fit women eat 5-6 meals a day when in training and I'm trying to keep up with it but I feel like cooking and preparing meals has consumed my life, or at least I spend more time managing food than working out. Is this normal? Does it get easier? Will I have to accept that I will ALWAYS spend a fair amount of time planning and preparing meals if I want to achieve the body like the girls in oxygen magazine? Maybe this is the way it is...Help! Thx.

It's all about getting in your daily calories. How many meals a person chooses to eat during the day makes no difference in the end result.

[MajorTwang]

It's all about getting in your daily calories. How many meals a person chooses to eat during the day makes no difference in the end result.

This ^

There is no reason whatsoever to eat lots of small meals beyond personal preference.

The 'frequent feeding boosts metabolism' idea has been thoroughly debunked over the past few years, although it's kept alive by supplement companies who use it to sell product, and the fact that many bodybuilders & professional athletes on high calorie intakes simply find it easier to eat that way.

[JillSlap]

I can't eat like this either. It feels like I'm ALWAYS CHEWING. I eat 3 times a day, twice when I'm really busy or forget to have lunch. I always make up for it at the end of the day though.

[anonymous]

Dude, i’m gonna type as sober as possible, that honestly looks fcking pathetic and disgusting compared to my meal. and I’m being one hundred percent serious. Sorry we dont cook sht that was previously in cans. you’re a fuking joke dude, and im dead fuking serious. get a real family that cooks good food, drinks beer and wine and winecoolers and has a good fuking time, and has a million dollar house on the beach, im seriously.. dont ever post your fuking poverty dinner on these forums ever the fuk again bro, and by bro i mean never my bro, fuking *******.

[JillSlap]

Dude, i’m gonna type as sober as possible, that honestly looks fcking pathetic and disgusting compared to my meal. and I’m being one hundred percent serious. Sorry we dont cook sht that was previously in cans. you’re a fuking joke dude, and im dead fuking serious. get a real family that cooks good food, drinks beer and wine and winecoolers and has a good fuking time, and has a million dollar house on the beach, im seriously.. dont ever post your fuking poverty dinner on these forums ever the fuk again bro, and by bro i mean never my bro, fuking *******.

Rich people sure do drink some fancy wine coolers.

[sy2502]

I find it exhausting and a full time job to make and have enough food to eat 5 times a day! Is it just me? I'm aware that fitness models and highly fit women eat 5-6 meals a day when in training and I'm trying to keep up with it but I feel like cooking and preparing meals has consumed my life, or at least I spend more time managing food than working out. Is this normal? Does it get easier? Will I have to accept that I will ALWAYS spend a fair amount of time planning and preparing meals if I want to achieve the body like the girls in oxygen magazine? Maybe this is the way it is...Help! Thx.

Cut down from 6 meals a day to 3 and see the preparation time go way down.

[MajorTwang]

Dude, i’m gonna type as sober as possible, that honestly looks fcking pathetic and disgusting compared to my meal. and I’m being one hundred percent serious. Sorry we dont cook sht that was previously in cans. you’re a fuking joke dude, and im dead fuking serious. get a real family that cooks good food, drinks beer and wine and winecoolers and has a good fuking time, and has a million dollar house on the beach, im seriously.. dont ever post your fuking poverty dinner on these forums ever the fuk again bro, and by bro i mean never my bro, fuking *******.

This is why some people need a breathalyser on their laptop

[Simpy]

Cut down from 6 meals a day to 3 and see the preparation time go way down.

I find it as difficult to prep 3 meals as I do 6. Srs. If I don't prep my meals in advance on the weekend, then it just doesn't get done.

[Xx_Chop_xX]

Intermittent fasting/thread

[nakedbabytoes]

IF.
I did like you are trying to do for the first yearish. I always felt like I was either eating, thinking about when I could fit in eating, or preparing food to eat. Life was dominated by food! It was more mentally exhausting than anything else really. I longed for the old days where food was just food, not my life!
Yet I was also always left unsatisfied at meal time with my family. Since I spread my meals & cals out so much(every 2-3 hours), that each eating session was virtually just snack portions of 2-300 cals each time. I was always eating yet felt like I was still hungry too.
Then I discovered IF. I do it modified slightly(I need breakfast or else I'm very weak), but I cut out the snacks every 2-3 hours & just eat my 3 main meals that spilt my daily cal count. My b-fast is around 200 cals. My lunch is about 200 cals also. Leaving me a huge amount of cals to eat at dinner & for a snack before bed with my kids I love it!
I feel like every evening is a cheat evening even though it's not. It's in my calorie count & fits into my macros. And I am FULL & satisfied!!!
Yay!
I am so much happier with IF than I was before eating more often at the same daily cals.

[Rowyn]

Intermittent fasting/thread

Intermittent fasting is just a buzzword for what people have already suggested----that her daily caloric intake is more important than how often/when she eats. If you feel better eating larger meals, save the cals for that and don't snack in between. Really hungry at night but not in the am? Again, move more cals to later in the day.

Its not rocket science, its common sense. But these days apparently we could all be making money/reputation on the lack of common sense people now have towards food and fitness lol. Cripes, let's tell people they need to eat "clean" as if they truly don't know eating predominantly whole foods is healthier for you than processed. Then when they go wacko trying to follow clean eating to the LETTER (rather than using uhm common sense), we need a boomerang concept called IIFIYM (if it fits in your macros). Finally, if you are just plain hungry, you should be told that it may help you out a bit to eat more at one time (Intermittent Fasting). Lawd lawd lawd

[gbg]

Intermittent fasting is just a buzzword for what people have already suggested----that her daily caloric intake is more important than how often/when she eats. If you feel better eating larger meals, save the cals for that and don't snack in between. Really hungry at night but not in the am? Again, move more cals to later in the day.

Its not rocket science, its common sense. But these days apparently we could all be making money/reputation on the lack of common sense people now have towards food and fitness lol. Cripes, let's tell people they need to eat "clean" as if they truly don't know eating predominantly whole foods is healthier for you than processed. Then when they go wacko trying to follow clean eating to the LETTER (rather than using uhm common sense), we need a boomerang concept called IIFIYM (if it fits in your macros). Finally, if you are just plain hungry, you should be told that it may help you out a bit to eat more at one time (Intermittent Fasting). Lawd lawd lawd

This pretty much says it. Find what works for you. Seems as though people are over obsessed about the whole diet thing, IMO they should be more concerned with their training not counting every parcel of food they ingest.

[LisaSkinnoble]

Like the ladies here said, find what works for you and go with it. Food preparation doesn't take me all that long. Honestly, I've made some great dinners from scratch in the same amount of time something out of a box and into the oven would take. Routines help. Like Simpy, I do a lot on the weekend (our lunches all packed for the week and ready to go. Wake up, grab a container,leave.)

I'll do some prep work tonight for tomorrow night's dinner (chop veggies, marinate meat), and make use of my crockpot when I can. It also helps that we all like leftovers here, so I can buy a big roast and have it two nights.

Hit the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings, come home, make a pot of coffee, and spend a half an hour cleaning and chopping veggies for the freezer. This saves loads of time during the week.

[whatevergirl]

Intermittent fasting is just a buzzword for what people have already suggested----that her daily caloric intake is more important than how often/when she eats. If you feel better eating larger meals, save the cals for that and don't snack in between. Really hungry at night but not in the am? Again, move more cals to later in the day.

Its not rocket science, its common sense. But these days apparently we could all be making money/reputation on the lack of common sense people now have towards food and fitness lol. Cripes, let's tell people they need to eat "clean" as if they truly don't know eating predominantly whole foods is healthier for you than processed. Then when they go wacko trying to follow clean eating to the LETTER (rather than using uhm common sense), we need a boomerang concept called IIFIYM (if it fits in your macros). Finally, if you are just plain hungry, you should be told that it may help you out a bit to eat more at one time (Intermittent Fasting). Lawd lawd lawd

I really like how you put this, Rowyn.
I'm a bit taken aback...that's not the right word, I don't know what the right word is...to learn that smaller meals throughout the day bears no additional benefit, over 3 meals, say. I knew about overall caloric daily intake being what we should be looking at (as kimm states above) but...still thought there was a 'benefit' to smaller meals ( 5 or 6) spreadout.

[sonti]

Intermittent fasting is just a buzzword for what people have already suggested----that her daily caloric intake is more important than how often/when she eats. If you feel better eating larger meals, save the cals for that and don't snack in between. Really hungry at night but not in the am? Again, move more cals to later in the day.

Its not rocket science, its common sense. But these days apparently we could all be making money/reputation on the lack of common sense people now have towards food and fitness lol. Cripes, let's tell people they need to eat "clean" as if they truly don't know eating predominantly whole foods is healthier for you than processed. Then when they go wacko trying to follow clean eating to the LETTER (rather than using uhm common sense), we need a boomerang concept called IIFIYM (if it fits in your macros). Finally, if you are just plain hungry, you should be told that it may help you out a bit to eat more at one time (Intermittent Fasting). Lawd lawd lawd

BB.com, the land of the food-obsessed, many bordering on eating disorders, many in full-blown eating disorders, yet those same people think that they have it all figured out and that everyone else is just fat and/or jealous... sigh!!!!

BRB, might have had 2.5tbsp of hummus not 2tbsp and now I've blown my daily deficit. Maybe I'll count it as my 6th meal to get my metabolism going. Or call it my refeed hour and change my fasting hour. Or maybe I was just hungry. Or wasn't paying attention. Who knows.

[whatevergirl]

BRB, might have had 2.5tbsp of hummus not 2tbsp and now I've blown my daily deficit. Maybe I'll count it as my 6th meal to get my metabolism going.

i had hummus last week, and i resemble this remark.

I come from a running/cycling background, so it could just be that when some of us newbs shift over to weight lifting, we literally 'think' we need to change the entire way we look at diet. I wouldn't say that is obsessing, although, it can seem that way, at times. lol

[Rowyn]

Routines help. Like Simpy, I do a lot on the weekend (our lunches all packed for the week and ready to go. Wake up, grab a container,leave.)

I'll do some prep work tonight for tomorrow night's dinner (chop veggies, marinate meat), and make use of my crockpot when I can. It also helps that we all like leftovers here, so I can buy a big roast and have it two nights.

^^Agreed^^

Since getting enough protein is generally what I need to focus on, I will marinate and grill/roast/whatever alot of meat at once. You can then freeze individual chicken breasts that are already marinated and cooked and yummy and throw on a salad or in a sandwich. I make a big bunch of seasoned turkey/chicken meatballs at once too, and freeze them. It works out that 4 of them give me about 30 grams protein and they are fast to throw in some pasta sauce.

The crock pot is your friend. Make a cowboy style chili of mostly lean meat with a few beans and freeze leftovers and you can always pull that out.

I really like how you put this, Rowyn.
I'm a bit taken aback...that's not the right word, I don't know what the right word is...to learn that smaller meals throughout the day bears no additional benefit, over 3 meals, say. I knew about overall caloric daily intake being what we should be looking at (as kimm states above) but...still thought there was a 'benefit' to smaller meals ( 5 or 6) spreadout.

It also depends on how you feel If you feel happier and more energetic eating small amounts frequently, then that's the way to go. Personally, I could never train fasted so I always eat breakfast, that's just me. Others do fine without.

BB.com, the land of the food-obsessed, many bordering on eating disorders, many in full-blown eating disorders, yet those same people think that they have it all figured out and that everyone else is just fat and/or jealous... sigh!!!!

BRB, might have had 2.5tbsp of hummus not 2tbsp and now I've blown my daily deficit. Maybe I'll count it as my 6th meal to get my metabolism going. Or call it my refeed hour and change my fasting hour. Or maybe I was just hungry. Or wasn't paying attention. Who knows.

Lulz, did you see the new "low glycemic diet"? Another common sense approach to keeping yourself satisfied and energized by keeping steady blood sugar levels.

[Rowyn]

This pretty much says it. Find what works for you. Seems as though people are over obsessed about the whole diet thing, IMO they should be more concerned with their training not counting every parcel of food they ingest.

Exactly. The training section here doesn't get near the traffic as Fat Loss/Nutrition, and if anything it should get more.

[whatevergirl]

lulz, did you see the new "low glycemic diet"? Another common sense approach to keeping yourself satisfied and energized by keeping steady blood sugar levels.

So, are you saying that there are people who are making money off of packaging common sense approaches, and calling it something catchy?

Great points, truly.

Really makes you think of the billion $ industry of dieting, etc. But, many lack common sense when putting together a plan. I am one who prefers someone spelling out what I need to do, and following it. But, this thread has opened my eyes to NO LONGER FRETTING when I can't get my 5 or 6 meals in...

Thanks for starting this thread, OP. Albeit, it twisted a little off your original question.

[gbg]

Currently eating one LARGE meal a day with shakes. Makes no difference how many meals you eat in a day.

[sy2502]

Instead of wasting your weekends in the kitchen, why don't you simply prepare more of whatever you are making for dinner that night? And why do you need to prepare your breakfast in advance? How long can it take to pour some milk on some cereal, or to make oatmeal? Or to open a jar of greek yogurt? Maybe you simply need to choose different foods that are more convenient or quicker?

[dollface33]

I eat probably about 4 times a day. I make it easier on myself by doing my grocery shopping on Sunday and then I spend some time preparing a week's worth of meals at once. Like mentioned before, you can cook a bunch of lean meat at one time and then just cut up veggies for salads into 5 different containers, add portions of meat to 'em and bam! you have 5 salads already set for lunches. My breakfast is always a protein shake. I make a big portion of it at once, drink half of it for breakfast and put the other half in a bottle for my pre- workout shake when I get off of work. My snacks are always something simple, like an apple and yogurt or light string cheese and nuts, etc. It doesn't seem like too much preparing to me. Also, the dinners I make for boyfriend and myself always consist of lean meat, lots of veggies, and a carb like rice or noodles for him. If there's any left over from that meal (there usually isn't) I get to take a break from eating chicken salad for lunch and eat that instead. Just find what works for you. When I first started preparing my meals ahead of time, it seemed like a lot of work but you get into a routine and find ways to make it easier on yourself on the way.

[MajorTwang]

I'm a bit taken aback...that's not the right word, I don't know what the right word is...to learn that smaller meals throughout the day bears no additional benefit, over 3 meals, say.

It's only surprising because the frequent feeding idea has been taken as gospel for decades, and so many fitness people just accept it.

Then when you actually think about it & remember that each meal takes 6-12 hours to digest, you realise that the idea just doesn't hold water.

I was a fanatical bodybuilder back in the 80's & early 90's, and 6 meals a day was just accepted. One of the reasons I drifted out of the sport was the hassal of having to eat a high carb, low fat meal every 2.5 hours.

I started up again last year, and my mind was truly blown that everything I thought was true about bodybuilding nutrition is now being derided as broscience.

I'm now eating 3 or 4 meals a day with >1/3 of calories from fat, and I'm leaner, stronger & healthier than I was 20 years ago.

[nakedbabytoes]

So let me get this straight:
It's all common sense. Yet millions of people are overweight.
For years, people thought that many smaller meals a day was better for your metabolism than a few large ones. Now, it's disproven that it doesn't matter at all one's meal frequency.
Low fat. Low carb. No red meat. No artificial sweeteners. Yada yada yada.
Broscience. Science. Hype. Programs. Advertising.

Knowledge changes. People learn. Not a bad thing, just find your thing.
A name is just a name. I don't get why people get so bent out of shape when something is labeled or termed. And even more perplexed why one cares who follows it. If it helps a former unhealthy person learn how to be healthy, why is that wrong?

Heck, even people here can't agree on things in one thread about nutrition, let alone differing scientific stances in medical fields or research. And we wonder why people are confused?

You know what they say about common sense, right?
So true.

[GirLInterrupted]

OK, I'm one of those people that eats very often, small meals. I do this because I get full very easily, but then an hour later I'm hungry again. It's a little annoying because I feel like I'm always eating. I try to pick easy stuff and like someone mentioned, make extra dinner to have leftovers for the next day. I eat a lot of tuna, cottage cheese, chicken, spinach, that kind of stuff. When it comes to preparing meals I'm pretty lazy. Love the crockpot because dinner can be ready when I get home

[fitinidaho]

I work full time and usually eat 5-6 times a day.
I prepare my breakfast/lunch the night before. My lunch is usually what I had for dinner the previous night. I keep my meals simple. Basic Meat, veggies, and a fruit.
So I'll have breakfast before work (oats w/flax, raisins, cinnamon and cottage cheese)
Then on break at work (oats, banana, peanut butter)
Lunch (chicken or fish, yam, broccoli, apple)
When I get off work (cheerios, eggs, nuts)
Dinner (chicken or fish, sweet potato, broccoli, carrots)
Before bed (cottage cheese, walnuts)
Everything is basic and easy to prepare. Yes, I do have a lot of repetitive foods, but I like it, so it works for me. No stress.

[whatevergirl]

It's only surprising because the frequent feeding idea has been taken as gospel for decades, and so many fitness people just accept it.

Then when you actually think about it & remember that each meal takes 6-12 hours to digest, you realise that the idea just doesn't hold water.

I was a fanatical bodybuilder back in the 80's & early 90's, and 6 meals a day was just accepted. One of the reasons I drifted out of the sport was the hassal of having to eat a high carb, low fat meal every 2.5 hours.

I started up again last year, and my mind was truly blown that everything I thought was true about bodybuilding nutrition is now being derided as broscience.

I'm now eating 3 or 4 meals a day with >1/3 of calories from fat, and I'm leaner, stronger & healthier than I was 20 years ago.

great points.

[discdoggie]

This pretty much says it. Find what works for you. Seems as though people are over obsessed about the whole diet thing, IMO they should be more concerned with their training not counting every parcel of food they ingest.

Exactly. The training section here doesn't get near the traffic as Fat Loss/Nutrition, and if anything it should get more.

*sigh* For the millionth time, yes.


Eat within the calorie range suited for your goals, and train your ass off.

[Rowyn]

So let me get this straight:
It's all common sense. Yet millions of people are overweight.
For years, people thought that many smaller meals a day was better for your metabolism than a few large ones. Now, it's disproven that it doesn't matter at all one's meal frequency.
Low fat. Low carb. No red meat. No artificial sweeteners. Yada yada yada.
Broscience. Science. Hype. Programs. Advertising.

Knowledge changes. People learn. Not a bad thing, just find your thing.
A name is just a name. I don't get why people get so bent out of shape when something is labeled or termed. And even more perplexed why one cares who follows it. If it helps a former unhealthy person learn how to be healthy, why is that wrong?

Heck, even people here can't agree on things in one thread about nutrition, let alone differing scientific stances in medical fields or research. And we wonder why people are confused?

You know what they say about common sense, right?
So true.

This is a bodybuilding site, we are not the general population. So hopefully most of us are not the average obese American. The average person will never learn the terms IF or IIFIYM or for many, even what "clean" eating is. But some of them may actually put them to use in their daily life without even knowing they are doing so because they all make sense.

I'm not confused, are you confused? My point is that it is SAD that we have to label common sensical ideas. Ever read "The Omnivore's Dilemma"? Next time you are in a bookstore, just read the preface/intro. That is exactly his point, that we now have to be told how to eat, when to eat, what to eat. But its a truth that this needs to be done, we no longer seem to have the ability to decipher how to manage our most basic needs with any sort of self-thought. If someone says eating clean is the way to do it, people go to such extremes (cuz they do not apply any self-thought, they just moo cow follow the crowd) that they then need to be TOLD to be sensible (IIFIYM).

I have no problem with the ideas that it is probably best to eat mostly whole foods, that indulging in occasional "processed" fare won't kill you and that some people prefer to eat larger meals versus smaller ones. But the EDism of having to label and compartmentalize all this into neat little concepts is just sad really.