Weight-Loss So about "tricking" your metabolism

[budokon_addict]

I heard if I ate 5 small meals a day for 4-5 days, then went back to eating 3 normal meals a day for a few days. Then back to 5 small meals it would trick my metabolism. Kind of like reseting it to burn more calories. Does that work?

 

[Preacher]

I heard if I ate 5 small meals a day for 4-5 days, then went back to eating 3 normal meals a day for a few days. Then back to 5 small meals it would trick my metabolism. Kind of like reseting it to burn more calories. Does that work?

My understanding is that 5 small meals a day will keep your body processing continuously instead of stopping and starting, causing your body to burn more calories and do so more efficiently.

I don't know about only doing it for a few days and then going back, it seems as though your body would need more time to adjust. I know my diet took a few weeks before my body went, "What the hell? We're starving! Start storing everything that passes the lips!"

I am guessing that it will take a couple of weeks for my body to recognize the new regimen and change again.

I started the 5 meals scheme yesterday and am hoping for results. I'll post more info if I see any changes.

 

[allcdnboy1]

I work with about 6-8 meals a day (working at home allows that) so that my metabolism never stops. I find that I eat a lot more, overall, but I never eat enough to be full (you never should), but I'm never hungry either. Also, drinking plenty of water will help ... takes calories to digest the water and sometimes your body will tell you you are hungry, when i really just needs water.

As for the "trick" ... I don't think that would work ... for the same reason that you can have 1 cheat day a week. Once your body gets into a rythm (probably about 2 weeks of being consistant), you can have cheat-days where you can eat anything you want and your body will turn into high gear and burn it all up ... if you do it more than once a week, then you will ruin any rythm that your body was trying to get in. Now, if you do the same thing with only 3 meals a day, then your metabolism will just slow down to accomidate the lack of food.

The biggest problem with weight loss is that our body likes routine ... you mess with it and your body will mess with you. Another example (sorry for the long post), is the starvation diet. If you don't eat much in the hopes that the lack of calories will help you lose weight (which it will initially - a lot of it coming from muscle protein because it's more easily available than fat) , then as soon as you eat anything of a decent size your body turns it all into fat and stores it because it doesn't know when it will get another meal like that ... and, for the same reason, any junk food that gets eatin during starvation diets is 1000x worse for you than if you had regular diet and were eating junk food on a regular basis (which is still really bad )

 

[budokon_addict]

Okay, I just started the 5 meals a day thing and I drink a lot of water (that's basically all I've had to drink for the past 3 days) Well thanks for the advice I'll just stick with what I'm doing then

 

[ToothlessFerret]

I switched to 5 or 6 meals per day about four weeks ago or so. It took me a while to break free of the 'big' evening meal thing, but so far, I think that its the way to go. It is a more natural way of eating. In our cultures, we are taught to eat two or three big meals each day. It upsets our metabolisms - all this starvation and oversized meals. The wrong types of carbs (high GI) at the wrong time of day and with the wrong kinds of other foods (fats) leads to extra body fat. The rush of glucose in our body kicks in the production of insulin, which signals for fats to be stored as body fat. At least thats the way I understand it (waits for real expert to correct me with hyperlinked evidence).

Eating 2 or 3 big meals, with periods of starvation inbetween is bad news for muscle maintenance and growth - they need fresh protein. Our bodies crave, and tell us to snack. Unfortunately in western civilisation, we increasingly snack on the worst possible foods and drinks. Snacking isnt wrong - its natural - snacking on junk is the problem. Then we feel bad about it - "dont spoil your dinner" is what we are told as we grow up.

If you check out body fitness and body building websites - that is the advise that you often get - eat early (a good breakfast), eat carbs earlier rather than later, eat smaller meals more often 5 to 8 times per day. Work out your calorific requirements, and depending on if you want to bulk up or lose body fat, tailor your calorific intake and protein intake sensibly.

As to changing back and forward from 3 to 6 meals per day - sounds crazy. I feel that half of the solution to weight loss is changing habits - and that can take weeks.