How Many Times a Day Should You Be Eating?

How many times per day do you eat? Is it structured and scheduled or does it vary? Do you fast for a full day or for a specific window? After you've answered that first question, think about why you eat this way.

If you're anything like me and your days range from 5 am wake-ups to 10 pm returns home in the same week, you're probably a little all over the place! I'm here to explain why there are differing opinions on how many times per day is best to eat, and why it sort of doesn't matter.

Where did the '3 meals per day' guideline come from?

The societal norm of eating three meals per day likely stemmed from how we spent our days culturally. We'd wake up fasted from sleep, be hungry and eat before leaving for the day to school or work. A few hours, around midday, we were hungry again and needed a break. A few hours after that, hunger strikes and dinner is served! It simply mixed with the flow of our days.

You might be on a different schedule than a typical work or school day, therefore 3 meals per day might not be what you practice. And you might also be thinking about other countries who have different meal timing habits than we do in the US!

Eating 3 square meals per day also helps with planning. Usually the mindset of "let me wait to get hungry and see what I can do about it" doesn't fly and causes way more chaos than we want.

Eating 3 full meals per day might work for you if you have a pretty reliable schedule and those you eat with are on the same schedule you are! It also flows with your day and your breaks from work or school will lend nicely to a break for food.

The rise of 6 small meals per day:

The shift to the popularity of 6 small meals per day dates back to the 1980s as a way to maintain energy, regulate appetite and "boost" metabolism (though it wasn't necessarily a new idea). The 3 meal per day schedule is fine, but long hours in between meals sometimes isn't best for hunger management. As we shifted more toward health and wellness as a society, it was believed that 6 meals per day was better for us as we were able to eat smaller amounts more frequently, keeping our bodies stable.

There is an argument that eating 6 small meals per day is better for our metabolism, but that's not necessarily true. There is no evidence (that I know of) that points to meal frequency being more important than overall intake.

It's also fun to keep in mind that the food industry plays a big role in how we eat, and companies that sell snack foods need us to eat them! When would be the perfect time for that? In between meals.

Eating 6 small meals per day might work for you if you are an athlete or highly active, prefer to eat less at a time, are recovering from disordered eating or are hungry more often.

So, what about snacking?

I love a good snack! When my clients and I are talking about how to add snacks in, we go through these few questions:

1. Why are you snacking? (this can be anything; bored, tired, hungry, social)

2. What you’re snacking on?

3. Are you hungry?

I am a snack fan because I look at them like little ways to get more nutrition in during the day, and save yourself from a hangry episode before your next meal. They can also be a great energy boost! As long as you're choosing wisely.

Many people snack mindlessly (while watching TV, on the phone, in the car, etc.) and these experiences tend to be less positive and more, well... mindless. If this is something you do, you might want to direct your attention to the three questions above!

Does meal frequency affect metabolism?

A common myth is that eating frequently revs your metabolism. I can see where this thought comes from because our bodies use energy to digest and metabolize what we eat, but our metabolism is influenced more by total calorie intake, protein, body composition and physical activity than when we eat.

The rate of energy used to "burn" what we eat will be the same no matter when you eat that thing (unless it's close to when you sleep, and even that's uncertain & a conversation for another time!). While this next fact varies depending on many factors, it takes about 4 hours for your stomach to empty about half its contents.

What meal schedule is best?

I know you want an answer to this, so let's lay it out.

3 meals/day may work well for:

• People who like structure

• Those who prefer or only have time for larger meals

• Busy schedules

• Individuals trying to reduce constant grazing

  
  

4–6 eating occasions may work better for:

• Athletes who need to meet certain goals in certain windows

• Highly active people who need more energy

• People prone to extreme hunger (due to treatments or medications)

• Those recovering from restrictive eating patterns

• Individuals who feel better with smaller portions

Fewer meals or intermittent fasting may work for:

• People who naturally aren’t hungry in the morning

• Those who prefer simplicity

• Some individuals with insulin resistance

• People who dislike frequent eating

Generally, I rarely recommend intermittent fasting. However, everyone is an individual and I just got done telling you to do what works for you!

A note about meal timing

Meal timing and meal frequency aren't the same! Meal frequency is how often we are eating, and meal timing is when we are. For example, it's generally recommended to eat more in the earlier parts of the day and less at night or close to bed. It's also generally recommended to refuel from a training session within a couple hours of that session (vs. not eating at all). It's also generally recommended to be as consistent as possible in these strategies because your body likes it!

If you are having issues with sleep, hunger cues or blood sugar that can't be explained by other factors you've looked into, checking your meal timing might be worth it!

Takeaway

You don’t need to eat every 2 hours to be healthy. And, you don’t need to force yourself into 3 perfect meals either. Nutrition is less about following rigid rules and more about finding a rhythm your body actually feels good with.

The best meal schedule is going to be one that:

• Supports your energy

• Helps you feel satisfied

• Fits your lifestyle

• Encourages consistency

• Supports a healthy relationship with food

Want some help figuring this out for yourself? I'd be glad to talk through it with you! Contact me here, or email me at wendy@wellnessbywendy.com