Is the 6-meal a day method just flat-out better than 3-5 meals a day?

[ko_kidd]

Is the 6-meal-a-day method what a lot of people are doing these days?

I just find it hard to spread out meals that much when you're working and/or tired and so on, how do you guys manage and what's your experience with this versus a few meals a day?

[EvoSummer]

It just seems to keep your metabolism high. What I do when I have real busy days is either cook stuff the night before and have it packaged and ready to go or make a big sandwich, eat half for a meal, then eat the rest 2-3 hours later. I can pretty much always take a 2-5 minute break to finish my quick meal.

[The Director]

When you weight lift, youre body is usually always hungry, atleast with me. I find it better eating 5 meals a day, than 3 because then Id have to chew on packs of gum to make time go by.

[pimpalot805]

You should of gave a more even range; asking if 3-5 is better than 6 a day, just doesn't sound right.

Next time ask if 3-4 meals is better than 6-7.

But to answer your question, the answer is yes.

Speed up your metabolism, better absorbtion of nutrients from food, will cancel out binging and possible late night cravings.

I just see so many beneficial reasons behind it.

My work gives us 10 minute breaks every 2 hours. And I receive a 1-hour lunch break.

My work-day is 8-5, so my breaks at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm consist of apple/peanut butter or a protein bar, it's quick and easy so that I can eat it in 10 minutes.

So I have it good.

Not everyone else is as lucky as I though.

[quest55720]

It is what works for me because it keeps me from snacking and cheating. If I am eating ever few hours I have 0 desire to go to the vending machines at work or to the kitchen at home for extra food. During my recent road trip I was doing 3 meals a day but I was snacking like crazy in between.

[MrAnonymous]

Don't forget...your body cannot store protein. So approximately every 3-4 hours your body has used up the protein from your previous meal. Once it runs out, it has to resort to breaking down muscle as a source of amino acids for metabolic functions. Eating a balanced meal every 3 hours is very important, but if you absolutely cannot get your carbs or fats in a meal you MUST try to get your protein to prevent muscle loss.

So, eating every 3 waking hours is very important in order to prevent muscle loss. This works out to be about 6-7 meals per day.

[richie74]

Don't forget...your body cannot store protein. So approximately every 3-4 hours your body has used up the protein from your previous meal. Once it runs out, it has to resort to breaking down muscle as a source of amino acids for metabolic functions. Eating a balanced meal every 3 hours is very important, but if you absolutely cannot get your carbs or fats in a meal you MUST try to get your protein to prevent muscle loss.

So, eating every 3 waking hours is very important in order to prevent muscle loss. This works out to be about 6-7 meals per day.

You are dead wrong.

[kodlawnman]

Ive noticed the more I prepare food ahead of time the better I eat,I got ziplock bags of everything

[Joe HadEID]

Is the 6-meal-a-day method what a lot of people are doing these days?

I just find it hard to spread out meals that much when you're working and/or tired and so on, how do you guys manage and what's your experience with this versus a few meals a day?

Tupperware
Eat every 2 hours... keep metab. working!

Don't forget...your body cannot store protein. So approximately every 3-4 hours your body has used up the protein from your previous meal. Once it runs out, it has to resort to breaking down muscle as a source of amino acids for metabolic functions. Eating a balanced meal every 3 hours is very important, but if you absolutely cannot get your carbs or fats in a meal you MUST try to get your protein to prevent muscle loss.

So, eating every 3 waking hours is very important in order to prevent muscle loss. This works out to be about 6-7 meals per day.

umm... who told you that?

[MrAnonymous]

You are dead wrong.

umm... who told you that?

"Muscle growth isn't just a result of building up the muscle. It's also a matter of preventing it from being broken down. When you skip meals, your body's need for amino acids doesn't stop. When you cut off the continual inflow of amino acids from protein foods, your body simply goes to a different source-your own muscle. Innocently missing a few meals puts you in a catablic state - you literally eat your own muscle tissue - the muscle you worked so hard in the gym to develop".......

"Your body doesn't have the ability to store proteins. Amino acids only remain in your bloodstream for about three hours after each meal. After that, you go into a state called negative nitrogen balance, a condition in which you are burning up your own muscle protein. That is why it's crucial to eat a meal with protein every three hours."

-Tom Venuto, professional natural bodybuilder

http://64.62.135.218/images/uploads/tom-venuto-3.jpg

[Joe HadEID]

"Muscle growth isn't just a result of building up the muscle. It's also a matter of preventing it from being broken down. When you skip meals, your body's need for amino acids doesn't stop. When you cut off the continual inflow of amino acids from protein foods, your body simply goes to a different source-your own muscle. Innocently missing a few meals puts you in a catablic state - you literally eat your own muscle tissue - the muscle you worked so hard in the gym to develop".......

"Your body doesn't have the ability to store proteins. Amino acids only remain in your bloodstream for about three hours after each meal. After that, you go into a state called negative nitrogen balance, a condition in which you are burning up your own muscle protein. That is why it's crucial to eat a meal with protein every three hours."

-Tom Venuto, professional natural bodybuilder

http://64.62.135.218/images/uploads/tom-venuto-3.jpg

interesting! i didnt know that if u skip a meal all that could happen.... thanks for the info bro... repped!! but i still wanna reasearch more about it..

[The Brotherhood]

Layne Norton's ongoing research is at the moment observing that 4 meals seems to be optimal.

[depo12]

IMO, 3 meals is not enough...even 4 is pushing it, but anything over 4 is fine...if you can break it down into more meals, it will probably be better for speeding up your metabolism, but it may not even have enough of an effect to notice...whatever works for your body, you have to find out...if you're having trouble I'd say shoot for 5, but if you can get 6 great...don't worry too much about it as there have been studies done that prove it doesn't even make that much of a difference

[str8flexed]

Layne Norton's ongoing research is at the moment observing that 4 meals seems to be optimal.

4-5 probably, with one meal coming at night (wake up and eat)

and yes I do this LOL

[Want2BeStrong]

If I only had 3 meals a day, it would be hard to get enough calories in, even on a cutting diet. As it is I can barely eat more than 700 clean calories in a single meal, so smaller, more frequent meals works well.

The biggest thing is the metabolism boost. You'll find that you can eat more food/calories total in a day, but you don't eat as much at a single meal.

I think in general as long as you don't go too long without food, you should be fine. Like, don't eat lunch at noon and then nothing else until dinner at 6 - that is the worst! Even just a light snack in between will help keep your metabolism up and running.

[The Brotherhood]

4-5 probably, with one meal coming at night (wake up and eat)

and yes I do this LOL

Would a casein shake/blend work? I can't see myself eating a whole meal without falling asleep into my steak lol

[Joe HadEID]

Would a casein shake/blend work? I can't see myself eating a whole meal without falling asleep into my steak lol

i drink my casein prebed... casein takes longer thru ur body so yes, ur good

[str8flexed]

Would a casein shake/blend work? I can't see myself eating a whole meal without falling asleep into my steak lol

no, even if you keep amino acid levels elevated; protein synthesis becomes refractory to it. the whole point of larger meals spaced further is the bolus effect on protein synthessi

[The Brotherhood]

no, even if you keep amino acid levels elevated; protein synthesis becomes refractory to it. the whole point of larger meals spaced further is the bolus effect on protein synthessi

Ie. Whole meal with carbs and fat? What about with a dosage of 6g L-leucine

[str8flexed]

if you just wanted to down a leucine drink when you wake up that would do it

[ko_kidd]

Lots of good advice and opinions, thanks.

[TySJI]

"Your body doesn't have the ability to store proteins. Amino acids only remain in your bloodstream for about three hours after each meal. After that, you go into a state called negative nitrogen balance, a condition in which you are burning up your own muscle protein. That is why it's crucial to eat a meal with protein every three hours."

-Tom Venuto, professional natural bodybuilder

3 hours in the bloodstream, but it doesn't all hit the bloodstream as soon as you get it down your throat!

Personally, I don't think the number of meals matters that much. Total calories and appetite surpressants are the most important things IMO.

[str8flexed]

3 hours in the bloodstream, but it doesn't all hit the bloodstream as soon as you get it down your throat!

Personally, I don't think the number of meals matters that much. Total calories and appetite surpressants are the most important things IMO.

tom is incorrect. when you eat protein in a whole meal (ie not just by itself) but with carbs & fat digestion is slowed significantly... with whey as the only protein source amino acids are still elevated above baseline 5 hours post meal. Amino acid availability does not ensure elevated protein synthesis. My research has shown this specifically

[Lowerthefever]

I just have 4 solid meals per day. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and desert. Snacks as well.

Traditionally

[TySJI]

tom is incorrect. when you eat protein in a whole meal (ie not just by itself) but with carbs & fat digestion is slowed significantly... with whey as the only protein source amino acids are still elevated above baseline 5 hours post meal. Amino acid availability does not ensure elevated protein synthesis. My research has shown this specifically

After the aminos leave the bloodstream and enter cells, do you have any idea how long the cells have aminos 'on hand'? I can't see the cells using them up right away either. I suppose it would depend on how desperate they were at the time, but I wonder if its generally minutes or sometimes upwards of hours?

[ko_kidd]

How about the spacing of the meals?

Something like

7-8 AM

10 AM

12 PM

3 PM

6 PM

9 PM

sound reasonable?

The spacing is a little confounding to me, can anyone give some examples/advice on this?

[patelucr]

eating six times a day, helps me about, keep my sanity. I feel better, think better.

[MrAnonymous]

tom is incorrect. when you eat protein in a whole meal (ie not just by itself) but with carbs & fat digestion is slowed significantly... with whey as the only protein source amino acids are still elevated above baseline 5 hours post meal. Amino acid availability does not ensure elevated protein synthesis. My research has shown this specifically

gotcha...thanks for the info! definitely makes sense