Sport 5 or 6 Meals?
- Thread starter 55865586
- Start date
Sport Fitness
Yes.
<begin layman's take>
1. You're body is consistently working to break down and digest food.
2. If your body is fed frequently and consistently, it feels less of a need to store food for 'emergency' situations (because it knows that in 2 or 3 hours, more is on the way).
</end layman's take>
<begin layman's take>
1. You're body is consistently working to break down and digest food.
2. If your body is fed frequently and consistently, it feels less of a need to store food for 'emergency' situations (because it knows that in 2 or 3 hours, more is on the way).
</end layman's take>
It also keeps you from getting hungry and snacking on crap food...because you eat at least every 3 hours while you're awake.
it also regulates your blood sugar, which means you don't get tired and sleepy after a big meal.
The analogy I like to make is that your body is a steam engine. If you don't put enough coal in the furnace, the train slows down. If you put too much coal in the furnace, you smother the flames, and the train slows down.
You put the 'optimal' amount of coal in, and the right schedule, and the fire burns nice and hot.
Also, think about evolution. 5,000 years ago, LOTS of humans were hunter/gatherers. When there was food, you ate it, even if it was a hunk of flat bread and some berries, cuz who knows when more food would come.
"3 square meals a day" has only been around for a thousand years or so, and was largely a 'social' thing, imposed by changes in society to eat before and after work, and once in the middle.
Our bodies haven't really evolved to eating like that. and if you think about it, right now...do you ONLY eat 3 times per day? or do you have a late morning yogurt? or some afternoon peanuts/popcorn/candy bar/chips/etc?
chances are you already eat 5 times a day...and you simply need to balance out calories more evenly, and pick some better food choices.
Its not as radical as you think...and it does help a lot.
it also regulates your blood sugar, which means you don't get tired and sleepy after a big meal.
The analogy I like to make is that your body is a steam engine. If you don't put enough coal in the furnace, the train slows down. If you put too much coal in the furnace, you smother the flames, and the train slows down.
You put the 'optimal' amount of coal in, and the right schedule, and the fire burns nice and hot.
Also, think about evolution. 5,000 years ago, LOTS of humans were hunter/gatherers. When there was food, you ate it, even if it was a hunk of flat bread and some berries, cuz who knows when more food would come.
"3 square meals a day" has only been around for a thousand years or so, and was largely a 'social' thing, imposed by changes in society to eat before and after work, and once in the middle.
Our bodies haven't really evolved to eating like that. and if you think about it, right now...do you ONLY eat 3 times per day? or do you have a late morning yogurt? or some afternoon peanuts/popcorn/candy bar/chips/etc?
chances are you already eat 5 times a day...and you simply need to balance out calories more evenly, and pick some better food choices.
Its not as radical as you think...and it does help a lot.
Honestly, not to go against the grain, but I advocate eating however many meals you can comfortably fit into your daily regimen. If that means 3-4, so be it. If that means 5-6, great.
Assuming cals and macros are accounted for, in my experience there really isn't going to be much of a net difference, if any at all, once said and done.
Just as some are more satiated on more meals, I've met a good number more satiated on fewer meals. Go by what feels right for you and your personal preferences/schedule.
I can tell you that I've gotten just as lean (leaner actually) eating 3 meals as I did 6.
Here's an interesting article by a guy I thoroughly respect with some info. Some of the research used is shotty at best.... but it's what we've got to work with for the time being unfortunately.
Assuming cals and macros are accounted for, in my experience there really isn't going to be much of a net difference, if any at all, once said and done.
Just as some are more satiated on more meals, I've met a good number more satiated on fewer meals. Go by what feels right for you and your personal preferences/schedule.
I can tell you that I've gotten just as lean (leaner actually) eating 3 meals as I did 6.
Here's an interesting article by a guy I thoroughly respect with some info. Some of the research used is shotty at best.... but it's what we've got to work with for the time being unfortunately.
Truthfully, I just like keeping it as simplistic as possible and I hate thinking in terms of black and white. There's far too much viable gray out there when it comes to conceptual fitness and nutrition.
Utilitarianism is good.
Utilitarianism is good.