Must you follow the Three Square Meals a day mantra to live a healthy lifestyle

[MadSquabbles500]

Does when you eat matter if what you are eating is good nutritional value, and you get enough of it when you do eat? When I say good nutritional value, I mean you don't eat any junk food, and soda only occasionally, and you only eat protein, veggies, fruits, and carbs, plus you get a good amount at each sitting. Yet, you don't follow the traditional breakfast, lunch, dinner routine. Can you still eat in a healthy manner without following that tradition of three square meals a day?

Lets say this is for someone who just works a 9-5 desk job, paper pushing, cubicle uses his brains instead of brawn to put food on the table. His only exercise is your generic judo class twice a week, the occasional pickup game on the weekend, and infrequent trips to gym to pump some iron, and chat with the boys but only when you have beaten the latest video games. So basically, and I asking for a person who is of average build, average weight, not a serious athlete, but plays for fun, will sometimes enter tournaments and play in beer leagues. Not looking to build massive muscles, or tryout for a pro team.

Would you say this person still must follow the 3 square meals a day mantra that has been drilled into us from birth? If so, but he does not, tell me what negatives are happening to his body?

 

[VulcanNervPinch]

Around 5 small meals is better for you than 3.


The fewer you have, the more difficulty regulating blood sugar you may have and you get a more negative impact on your metabolism.

 

[PabloZed]

Around 5 small meals is better for you than 3.


The fewer you have, the more difficulty regulating blood sugar you may have and you get a more negative impact on your metabolism.

Actually, I read recently that the notion of five smaller meals being better than three is not supported by research, in part because of the difficulty measuring the five smaller meals. Turns out people overeat each time.

The consensus appears to be that calories and where you get them matter most. So you can eat when it is best for you, particularly since you're not an athlete in training. Research does show that we should skip breakfast, however. Seems it really is the most important meal of the day.

 

[Modern Warrior1]

Around 5 small meals is better for you than 3.


The fewer you have, the more difficulty regulating blood sugar you may have and you get a more negative impact on your metabolism.

No.



How often you eat doesn't matter much at all for the average person. They should just eat when they are hungry, and until they are satiated. A case could even be made for eating less often.

 

[rorydaboss]

Absolutely not. It really just matters what you eat. I believe that you could eat 1 meal a day or spread it out to 10 small meals and if you were eating the same exact thing it would have basically no difference on overall health or performance.

 

[IndyCovaHart]

Every fucking year you'll find someone, somewhere saying that something is just a myth.

3 meals, 5 meals, 7 meals... every fucking publisher need to publish.

 

[Patryn]

Around 5 small meals is better for you than 3.

Studies have shown this to be false. Pretty sure you're using old broscience. Smaller meals throughout the day simply make it easier to follow a high cal diet, and there are concerns about protein absorption rates for massive bodybuilders or roid users. For most people, and natural athletes, the number of meals does not matter. Your macros matter.

 

[ebe9]

I fit all my macros in one big meal 5 days a week. This is how I regulate blood sugar but also grow big and strong.

 

[anaconda]

Around 5 small meals is better for you than 3.


The fewer you have, the more difficulty regulating blood sugar you may have and you get a more negative impact on your metabolism.

Please stop spouting nonsense.

In fact, doing intermittent fasting on a regular basis (going with NO meals for long periods of time) can actually help with insulin resistance and have a positive effect on your hormonal regulation.

 

[SeanBen]

Wonderful and useful diet supplement chart..

 

[Ahm]

man, I have serious doubts about this as well...

some sources (say, gracie diet, for example) say 3 meals is a must, and eating more times is bad. but other sources say you should eat every 3 hours!!!! big question is: which one to trust??

now, from what I have researched, I think what usually makes people lose weigh is 2 things:

1) eating less: not just better, such as replacing junk food with vegs, but actually decreasing your daily calory consumption. this is very difficult, because your body is already used to receive the amount of food you eat, so you will suffer. but problem is most people eat more than they need, and our bodies just don

 

[Modern Warrior1]

man, I have serious doubts about this as well...

some sources (say, gracie diet, for example) say 3 meals is a must, and eating more times is bad. but other sources say you should eat every 3 hours!!!! big question is: which one to trust??

now, from what I have researched, I think what usually makes people lose weigh is 2 things:

1) eating less: not just better, such as replacing junk food with vegs, but actually decreasing your daily calory consumption. this is very difficult, because your body is already used to receive the amount of food you eat, so you will suffer. but problem is most people eat more than they need, and our bodies just don

 

[rorydaboss]

man, I have serious doubts about this as well...

some sources (say, gracie diet, for example) say 3 meals is a must, and eating more times is bad. but other sources say you should eat every 3 hours!!!! big question is: which one to trust??

now, from what I have researched, I think what usually makes people lose weigh is 2 things:

1) eating less: not just better, such as replacing junk food with vegs, but actually decreasing your daily calory consumption. this is very difficult, because your body is already used to receive the amount of food you eat, so you will suffer. but problem is most people eat more than they need, and our bodies just don

 

[Patryn]

running: all PE guys I have talked to told me this is really the best way to lose weight/burn calories. It is the most efficient one really. This also sucks, because it is the most boring one....

If you are already an active individual, running will not benefit you with regard to weight loss any more than a caloric deficit.

 

[anaconda]

man, I have serious doubts about this as well...

some sources (say, gracie diet, for example) say 3 meals is a must, and eating more times is bad. but other sources say you should eat every 3 hours!!!! big question is: which one to trust??

now, from what I have researched, I think what usually makes people lose weigh is 2 things:

1) eating less: not just better, such as replacing junk food with vegs, but actually decreasing your daily calory consumption. this is very difficult, because your body is already used to receive the amount of food you eat, so you will suffer. but problem is most people eat more than they need, and our bodies just don

 

[MadSquabbles500]

2) running: all PE guys I have talked to told me this is really the best way to lose weight/burn calories. It is the most efficient one really. This also sucks, because it is the most boring one....

so, I am still trying to learn more stuff, but it really seems that losing/controling weight is boring and hard....this means only doing jiu jitsu 3 times a week, pumping iron, and eating salads during week days won

 

[The One True]

three square meals just so happens to fit the ordinary man's schedule - a bite before work, lunch during your break, dinner when you get home, and may a snack or two in between. has nothing to do with being the optimal meal planning approach for one's health.

i do intermittent fasting which is in stark contrast to 3 (let alone 5 or more) meals per day and feel great, but really it's just a natural extension of listening to your body. why the fuck would you eat so many small meals if you're not actually hungry? or if you are hungry, why would you not eat until you're satiated and instead wait 2 hours for the next snack? just eat when you're hungry (not "bored" hungry, but actual "oh shit my stomach hurts and it's making embarrassing sounds at work" hungry) and stop when you're full (not "if i have even a sip of water i'm going to puke and shit at the same time").

 

[Nemesis48]

Mammals in nature go multiple DAYS without eating and perform fine. I used to eat two meals a day, I am currently experimenting with one. Everything is fine.

 

[The HoneyBadger**]

Actually, I read recently that the notion of five smaller meals being better than three is not supported by research, in part because of the difficulty measuring the five smaller meals. Turns out people overeat each time.

The consensus appears to be that calories and where you get them matter most. So you can eat when it is best for you, particularly since you're not an athlete in training. Research does show that we should skip breakfast, however. Seems it really is the most important meal of the day.

Research actually indicates otherwise. Ever heard of IF? Intermittent fasting. Do the research.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

an intermittent fast is suppose to last for how long? And what about shorter fasts than that? Will it have same effect in less proportion?