How many meals do you eat and why?

[thepowerof140]

Four here for me (Was never fooled by the 6-8 small meals b*lls**t).

I have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a second dinner. Breakfast is usually reasonably heavy because I'm hungry first thing in the morning, I also have a light snack between then and lunch. Lunch is lighter, The first dinner is heavier than breakfast, and the second dinner is on par with the first dinner. The reason I have two dinners is because I'm at my most hungriest in the evenings and also like eating a relatively big meal an hour or so before bedtime.

So purpose of this thread? Simply intrigued to see how other people optimise the frequency of food they eat and reasons why they do it.

[ChaoticReignPbt]

Typically 5 during the week. I just enjoy eating often and it works with my schedule. Weekend it's anywhere between 2 and 4 depending on if I end up going out for some crazy dinner or meal.

[Mrpb]

Usually four when bulking, three when cutting.

If I would eat three when bulking the meals would be bigger than comfortable.

[fade2green514]

i just eat 1 bite at a time, and each meal is spaced out 10 minutes throughout the day. so i eat about 96 one bite meals throughout the day. its the new fad and they say you need to in order to lose weight.

just kidding nobody cares it doesnt matter. lol

[WonderPug]

Typically 2 or 3 meals per day, based on appetite and convenience.

[shesprints]

3 meals and 2 snacks--too small to be called meals, really. Well, actually what happens is:

breakfast
workout
postworkout bite of something because I went too hard and am hypoglycemic aaah
lunch
work
snack
more work
dinner
more work
omg I'm still hungry what can I put together to hit the macros I missed while running back and forth between students? (Last night it was cantaloupe and goat cheese, don't knock it 'til you've tried it)

My schedule is sort of strange, though. As I'm a tutor, I'm out between 2 pm and about 9:30. It's great because I get the gym to myself midmorning and TDEE is high because I walk between students' homes (they're all in one basic area). It's less than optimal because sometimes I sort of have to have dinner 1/2 before a student and 1/2 after or something. I'm also a rather high-strung person with an ED history and hate making time for food, so I have the bad habit of finding myself with leftover macros to fill late at night. Because I'm also trying to increase running mileage and need the glycogen in my system, it's not the best situation, but I'm tweaking it.

[magic15]

12-14 meals per day : the following are the times I eat for optimicious
6
630
8
845
9
915
1145
1
108
129
5
502
8
807
1116

[Zantei]

3 main meals, lots of smaller ones - only been on this for about a month and working towards a full on bulk

Wakeup protein - 124 cals
Breakfast - 800 cals
Mid morning protein - 124 cals
Lunch - 800 cals
Post lunch protein - 124 cals
Dinner - 600/800 cals
post dinner protein - 124 cals

This is after a year of malnutrition (1800 cals a day and months at a time on zero carb). Lost all my weight (was obese at 100+kg) but am all about clean bulking now.

[Foe1605]

No set schedule for me. Usually large breakfast and lunch w/ snacks thrown in between, then light dinner during the week. Weekends are high volume training days, so I tend to eat a lot more, usually consumed over three large meals.

[WMLifting]

Anywhere from two to four. I only need ~2500 calories to gain weight so eating this in even two meals is easy. I tend to just eat lunch, early dinner, and something in the late evening. I don't like eating in the morning, and I don't like eating before I sleep.

[EjnarKolinkar]

5@800 cals would be

4@800 is reality

3@800 is a diet. I skip the first meal so I can sleep without hunger.

I don't consciously target 800 but have found through tracking that my hunger dictates this ammount for best satiety. Although if sleep is becoming an issue I will switch to eating a snack later in the evening and be less happy with earlier meals which looks like 4 @ 600. These are generalizations. I am by nature hungrier in the evening. While I enjoy a morning meal, it's the easiest to reduce and not go bonkers.

[MichielN]

4 (breakfast, 1 hour pre WO, dinner post WO, and before bed time).

When cutting I do IF, so generally 3 meals in a 6 to 8 hour window.

[naturalguy]

3-4 whole food meals and 1-2 shakes per day. I do it because I find it easier/better for digestion this way.

[momat94]

As many as I feel I need

[StephSkywalker]

Anywhere between 3-6.. It all depends on how the day shakes out. Some days I may extra calories because my main meals weren't as calorie dense or just small overall, so I may throw another meal in if I'm still hungry later in the day

[ShayS05]

3 Primary meals, 2 snacks. Sometimes 3 snacks.

[WonderPug]

3-4 whole food meals and 1-2 shakes per day. I do it because I find it easier/better for digestion this way.

It's interesting how often people who sell protein shakes, like you, say this.

[dgrierms]

Four here for me (Was never fooled by the 6-8 small meals b*lls**t).

I have breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a second dinner. Breakfast is usually reasonably heavy because I'm hungry first thing in the morning, I also have a light snack between then and lunch. Lunch is lighter, The first dinner is heavier than breakfast, and the second dinner is on par with the first dinner. The reason I have two dinners is because I'm at my most hungriest in the evenings and also like eating a relatively big meal an hour or so before bedtime.

So purpose of this thread? Simply intrigued to see how other people optimise the frequency of food they eat and reasons why they do it.

Five or six. I have a hard time eating a lot in one sitting. Also, I work a desk job and have the freedom to eat at my desk as much as I want. My meals are usually a big breakfast, snack, big lunch, snack, workout, big dinner, and another snack if I still have some calories to get.

[Bema]

Typically 2 or 3 meals per day, based on appetite and convenience.

Same here.

[StephSkywalker]

It's interesting how often people who sell protein shakes, like you, say this.

This again? Some people just like shakes Pug, not necessarily because he is a rep

[cls91]

This again? Some people just like shakes Pug, not necessarily because he is a rep

I honestly don't see the hate for shakes...I understand theres no nutritional benefit and its marketed 'processed fast food'.

But its an extremely cheap (compared to other protein sources), quick, and easy way to get a decent portion of complete protein into your day. And its so few cal's that it shouldn't hinder anyone's ability to meet micro/fiber goals, assuming they have a decent diet overall and apply some common sense.

Every time I see someone mention a shake they get harassed, but with ice cream/pop tarts (some favorites here), which have significantly more calories, and significantly less essential macronutrients, its ok because IIFYM



^ saying that, I do like to use whey as a baking substitute, but I can't remember the last time I actually made a 'shake'.

[APipeDream]

Typically 2 or 3 meals per day, based on appetite and convenience.

Same here.

Ditto

[apierce1992]

Usually ends up as 2 meals and a snack somewhere. I like to get a meal after class at noonish, get a snack before work and then eat a meal during my break at work

[WMLifting]

I honestly don't see the hate for shakes...I understand theres no nutritional benefit and its marketed 'processed fast food'.

But its an extremely cheap (compared to other protein sources), quick, and easy way to get a decent portion of complete protein into your day. And its so few cal's that it shouldn't hinder anyone's ability to meet micro/fiber goals, assuming they have a decent diet overall and apply some common sense.

Every time I see someone mention a shake they get harassed, but with ice cream/pop tarts (some favorites here), which have significantly more calories, and significantly less essential macronutrients, its ok because IIFYM



^ saying that, I do like to use whey as a baking substitute, but I can't remember the last time I actually made a 'shake'.

I only advocate it for those looking who have dietary restrictions, know how to eat right, actually eat right, enjoy them, and don't use it as a main source of protein. I just hate seeing people say "oh just use 4 scoops a day and don't worry about protein intake". That's when I draw the line.

[chemo29]

Honestly, I would eat all day if I could.

Why? Why not?

[cls91]

I only advocate it for those looking who have dietary restrictions, know how to eat right, actually eat right, enjoy them, and don't use it as a main source of protein. I just hate seeing people say "oh just use 4 scoops a day and don't worry about protein intake". That's when I draw the line.

Exactly, which is why I said for people with a balanced diet and who apply some common sense.

But so many people post daily saying they either have money and/or time restrictions, so I personally don't see the recommendations of 100-150 cal from a scoop of whey to be the devil

I think that people jump to the conclusion that whey = garbage too quickly, and the actual benefits of the supplement are very rarely posted.

[Credz]

During the week is usually 2 meals sometimes 3 but on the weekends normally 3.

[Lombardment]

breakfast
lunch
second lunch
dinner
snack

dont believe in the 6-8 meals a day but because of work it goes this way, would much rather go eat a big ass breakfast and dinner then this. in the weekends i do 2 meals with some snacks

[WMLifting]

Honestly, I would eat all day if I could.

Why? Why not?

Unendless stomach crew checking in!

Exactly, which is why I said for people with a balanced diet and who apply some common sense.

But so many people post daily saying they either have money and/or time restrictions, so I personally don't see the recommendations of 100-150 cal from a scoop of whey to be the devil

I think that people jump to the conclusion that whey = garbage too quickly, and the actual benefits of the supplement are very rarely posted.

Very agreeable. Plus it's cheap and high quality.

[thepowerof140]

Wow, wasn't expecting so many replies! I've repped as many of you as I could until I was out!

Does anybody (non-bulkers) actually follow 8 meals or more?