I`m going to try this five small meals a day thing

Eating has been a little bit of a chore for me, lately.

First, because I eat mostly out, and near my job (or, near my apartment for that matter) I am practically forced to eat doughy, greasy, sugary, salty things. Second, because I usually eat three large portions and most times they make me feel bloated. I feel like I finish my meals out of obligation since they are such large portions.

Some days, I'll eat nuts, raisins and whatnot in-between meals to hold me out.

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So, today is Sunday and I decided it might be a good day to experiment with cooking my own meals and eating five small portions. I always make my own breakfast, anyway: skim curdled milk, cereal, banana, and an apple. Green tea to drink.

I just came back from my jog, and already I`m eating my second meal (in-between breakfast and lunch): avocado, with honey and lime juice. For lunch, I bought a can of sardines in tomato sauce, broccoli, green peas, carrots, and potatoes. It`s all pre-made, so it should take me no more than 20 mins. to prepare. Then, I`ll snack on something around 4pm, and have dinner.

Ok, I admit. I`m doing this in part as my final bid for the six-pack abs. :2thumbsup:
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How many meals a day do you eat? What are they and who prepares them?

 

make sure you eat something as soon as u wake up in the morning

almonds work well to curve your hunger throughout the day.

 

I do.

Edit --- small meal #4:



Took me all of 10 mins. to prepare.

 

More numerous, smaller meals is a more healthy way to go in my opinion.

 

Cool! Do you count calories?

Edit: Voila! Finished eating my food.

 

Nope.... I did when I was looking to build mass... higher the better but not since I gave that craziness up. I don't hold weight very well and I'm at peace with that.

 

Do you need calories to build muscle mass? Or, just protein?

 

Both

 

It's much better and healthier to eat small meals every 3 hours, then a few large meals.

Not only does it spread the energy intake out over the day (like you use it) but it also causes a lot less stress on your body.

Someone did a study years back (no I have no clue who or where, it was in a book on diets (as in eating diets not, weight loss ones), using rats.

It was something like they took three groups, let one eat as much as it wanted to, one ate what was considered a 'normal diet' and a third group that was on a calroie restricted diet. They got something like half (dont quote me on that) what the second group did... They lived almost twice as long as the first group did, and 50% longer then the second group...

Note, all those numbers may be off, but the general idea is right... lol

 

I really should google things before I post them instead of after...lol

http://longevity.about.com/od/lifelongnutrition/p/calorierestrict.htm

 

I think this may be the book I originally read this in, but I wouldn't swear to it;

http://longevity.about.com/od/longevity101/gr/longevity_diet.htm

 

I replaced my pies and butty snacks with Spinach, Nuts and Raisins(*)
Try to have a decent breakfast of mueslli and fruit
Eat little and often (*)
Though sometimes I fear, the damage has been done - still persistance is not so futile

 

What's considered a meal? I eat on my breaks, 3x during 8 1/2 hours, but mostly just snack type of foods and usually once I get home. I had yogurt as my
Bfast on my first break and I'm now on my second break where I had cheerios and pineapple. Does that suffice as a small meal? I'm really working on obtaining that six pack to. Kinda. Not really. Btw, your small meals sound much better than mine. I'm too much of a lazy ass to prepare anything, and seeing as I'm up at a 445 each morning, I don't anticipate that changing.

 

I can't do that. I usually eat 2 super huge meals a day. 1 meal for me is like 6 double cheeseburgers the big ones. yeah it is unhealthy but whatever. eating is something I enjoy a lot and I refuse to give it up haha

 

Yeah but rats aren't stressing about what they eat all the time. If you're on a diet you're constantly worrying if you're eating the right thing. That's got to take a toll on the body and lifespan. A lot of people who just eat whatever they want are more relaxed and happier.

 

I think I would define a meal as at least three of the most essential food groups: fruit or vegetables, grain (preferably whole), and protein.

I`m leaving dairy out, because it is more controversial than Charlie Sheen.

Edit: I`m also a lazy ass and traditionally will sacrifice health for the convenience of eating out. Let`s see how long my fooling with health lasts. BTW, the small meals thing makes me less lazy because they are easier to prepare.

 

Basically, you're saying you don't like Milk. I like sour cream or milk though,:devil:

 

mmmmmmmmmmm sour cream goes so good with mexican food.

 

If you approach any change of diet as a 'diet' then you are right... It's about changing your lifestyle and the choices you make.

decades ago, 3 large meals made sense because people would get up in the morning, eat, go to work for half the day, stop to eat and rest, then work the rest of the day til supper, do some more work til dark, and then pass out...

So, you have to ask yourself... do you work enough to justify eating the same as people who slaved their asses off for 16-18 hours a day?

People wonder why they get fat and out of shape while they sit on their asses all day, and eat like lumberjacks....

Every 3 hours or so, you should eat 1/5 of your daily requirements... those aren't based on what some piece of paper says humans need... its based on how much energy you expend... If you take in more then you expend, you gain fat.... simple...

You also shouldn't eat within 3 hours of bed.

 

I don't listen to any of these "should/Should nots". I drink about 300mL of cream every day, eat loads of meat and barely any fruit or veges, and I'm not fat at all. I don't exercise beyond going on weekend hikes and walking up hills once or twice a week. It's just my opinion that everyone's body is totally individual and diets are usually more harmful if the aim is to lose weight. If you're eating for other health benefits - cholesterol, heart, immune system then that's fine.