I eat 3 large meals a day with a snack a few hours before I go to bed. Occasionally I’ll have a protein shake or something mid afternoon if I can tell I can’t make it until dinner without food.
I eat around 6-7 meals a day, depending on what day of the week is. I get around 4000Calories a day, so my average meal is 600-700 Calories.
I do agree that splitting that to only 3 meals would be a little harder. I’ll probably be sticking to the 5+ meals for a long time.
Especially when trying to diet down, I get hungry less than an hour after eating.
I’ve been doing IF to lean out and thus far it’s great. Though even cutting I can get uncomfortably full, so I don’t know what bulking would be like.
For those of you who aren’t eating 6-8x a day: What are your goals? Are you all cutting weight or trying to maintain leaness?
From what I can gather that seems to be the case. I don’t see too many big dudes claiming they do this. And by big I mean 220lbs+
[quote]B rocK wrote:
For those of you who aren’t eating 6-8x a day: What are your goals? Are you all cutting weight or trying to maintain leaness?
From what I can gather that seems to be the case. I don’t see too many big dudes claiming they do this. And by big I mean 220lbs+[/quote]
Not huge but sitting between 190-195 on any given day at 5’8" so do have some attributable mass I’d say. I’m going to try this bulking. I’ve outlined it in my log which I linked to a few posts up I believe. We’ll see how it goes, looking to get up to a leaner 210-215 before I switch it up for the spring and get super hawtz abz!
[quote]B rocK wrote:
For those of you who aren’t eating 6-8x a day: What are your goals? Are you all cutting weight or trying to maintain leaness?
From what I can gather that seems to be the case. I don’t see too many big dudes claiming they do this. And by big I mean 220lbs+[/quote]
I’m bulking, its the calories in that matter. Only reason i see 6-8 meals a day is for shear convenience of not having to absolutely stuff your face in 2-4 meals. I would too if i had to eat 5000-7000 calories a day.
[quote]B rocK wrote:
For those of you who aren’t eating 6-8x a day: What are your goals? Are you all cutting weight or trying to maintain leaness?
From what I can gather that seems to be the case. I don’t see too many big dudes claiming they do this. And by big I mean 220lbs+[/quote]
Definitely, at a certain point it just becomes impractical to try to eat that much for some people. I’m sure that some people can, I just don’t imagine most people would enjoy having to do it.
[quote]B rocK wrote:
For those of you who aren’t eating 6-8x a day: What are your goals? Are you all cutting weight or trying to maintain leaness?
From what I can gather that seems to be the case. I don’t see too many big dudes claiming they do this. And by big I mean 220lbs+[/quote]
I’m around 225lbs at the moment, eating enough to make steady progress without significant fat gain.
[quote]chimera182 wrote:
Definitely, at a certain point it just becomes impractical to try to eat that much for some people. I’m sure that some people can, I just don’t imagine most people would enjoy having to do it.[/quote]
If you need 6000kcals+ then I can imagine it being a chore, but how many people really need to eat that much to gain? I worry about the macros and getting enough protein, the calories really don’t concern me any more.
[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:
[quote]B rocK wrote:
For those of you who aren’t eating 6-8x a day: What are your goals? Are you all cutting weight or trying to maintain leaness?
From what I can gather that seems to be the case. I don’t see too many big dudes claiming they do this. And by big I mean 220lbs+[/quote]
I’m around 225lbs at the moment, eating enough to make steady progress without significant fat gain.
[quote]chimera182 wrote:
Definitely, at a certain point it just becomes impractical to try to eat that much for some people. I’m sure that some people can, I just don’t imagine most people would enjoy having to do it.[/quote]
If you need 6000kcals+ then I can imagine it being a chore, but how many people really need to eat that much to gain? I worry about the macros and getting enough protein, the calories really don’t concern me any more.[/quote]
Good point. I’ve noticed that I need a lot less to gain than I thought, I seem to do pretty well on low calories whether bulking or cutting.
On a typical day I’m eating 1/2-2/3 of my calories post-workout. It’s either one giant meal or sometimes two meals, depending on when I lift. I don’t really monitor my intake during the day. It’s usually a few eggs, some nuts, some cold turkey. Two solid meals tops, and they’re very small. Some liquid protein in between. What I’ve noticed:
-
I have so much more time during the day.
-
I have a lot more energy during the day.
-
I can’t plan to do anything important after my workout, because big eating puts me in a coma.
It doesn’t seem to matter exactly how many times I’m eating. The important thing seems to be that during the day I’m underfed, and at night I make up for that. Now the trick is making up for it enough to really put on some mass.
[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:
If you need 6000kcals+ then I can imagine it being a chore, but how many people really need to eat that much to gain? I worry about the macros and getting enough protein, the calories really don’t concern me any more.[/quote]
Some people have managed to get 8,000 to 10,000 in with three meals and liquids.
Hardly anyone needs that caloric intake to gain or maintain weight. Ninety nine percent of the population DOESN’T!
This is why I get annoyed and wonder why I’ve gotten some criticism when I say that the advice of “eating big” doesn’t hold much weight because beginners weighing a buck-60 to -80 have not much business eating so damn much unless they’re engaging in a sport that requires A LOT of activity time (eg, 15 hours or more per week). Most “lifters” DON’T engage in that much activity and it’s not liek everyone is growing like at such alarming rates.
I once got criticism for MOST newbs to start at 3,000 calories and make adjustments as time goes on. Someone said, “I don’t think any big bodybuilders got big off that.” Well then what the heck should one start at if he doesn’t weigh much and/or isn’t even lean to begin with.
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:
If you need 6000kcals+ then I can imagine it being a chore, but how many people really need to eat that much to gain? I worry about the macros and getting enough protein, the calories really don’t concern me any more.[/quote]
Some people have managed to get 8,000 to 10,000 in with three meals and liquids.
Hardly anyone needs that caloric intake to gain or maintain weight. Ninety nine percent of the population DOESN’T!
This is why I get annoyed and wonder why I’ve gotten some criticism when I say that the advice of “eating big” doesn’t hold much weight because beginners weighing a buck-60 to -80 have not much business eating so damn much unless they’re engaging in a sport that requires A LOT of activity time (eg, 15 hours or more per week). Most “lifters” DON’T engage in that much activity and it’s not liek everyone is growing like at such alarming rates.
I once got criticism for MOST newbs to start at 3,000 calories and make adjustments as time goes on. Someone said, “I don’t think any big bodybuilders got big off that.” Well then what the heck should one start at if he doesn’t weigh much and/or isn’t even lean to begin with. [/quote]
Well I’m glad you cleared that up for me. I’m feeling overall better since I cut way back on what I was eating and I’m starting to lean out again. Thanks again, man.
I do anywhere from 2-5 meals a day (depends on how long I’m up, I keep strange, strange hours).
I prefer it to the “OMFG I HAFF TO EAT NAO GUISE!!!” mentality that I used to have.
I do 5 meals a day, 2 of which are shakes with almonds or avocado and wheatgrass. Seems easy enough
This thread may have just convinced me to ditch the six meal a day protocol 24/7 once and for all.
Although I have been a slave to this concept, I have recently changed my WEEKEND approach whereas on Saturday I eat what I want, when I want and where I want. On Sunday I fast, nothing but water, green tea and Flameout for 24 hours. This adjustment has actually stimulated additional fatloss.
I work weekends and it sure is nice, as Brick says… “getting rid of the burden of six meals” and leaving the house without that damn cooler bag hung over my shoulder.
Time to tighten up and condense. Whew !! Haven’t even started yet and I feel better already.
[quote]krazykoukides wrote:
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
[quote]Rational Gaze wrote:
If you need 6000kcals+ then I can imagine it being a chore, but how many people really need to eat that much to gain? I worry about the macros and getting enough protein, the calories really don’t concern me any more.[/quote]
Some people have managed to get 8,000 to 10,000 in with three meals and liquids.
Hardly anyone needs that caloric intake to gain or maintain weight. Ninety nine percent of the population DOESN’T!
This is why I get annoyed and wonder why I’ve gotten some criticism when I say that the advice of “eating big” doesn’t hold much weight because beginners weighing a buck-60 to -80 have not much business eating so damn much unless they’re engaging in a sport that requires A LOT of activity time (eg, 15 hours or more per week). Most “lifters” DON’T engage in that much activity and it’s not liek everyone is growing like at such alarming rates.
I once got criticism for MOST newbs to start at 3,000 calories and make adjustments as time goes on. Someone said, “I don’t think any big bodybuilders got big off that.” Well then what the heck should one start at if he doesn’t weigh much and/or isn’t even lean to begin with. [/quote]
Well I’m glad you cleared that up for me. I’m feeling overall better since I cut way back on what I was eating and I’m starting to lean out again. Thanks again, man.[/quote]
Good! People take the fear of muscle loss and “eating big” way too far.
[quote]gregron wrote:
I’ve never done the 6 meals a day thing so I can’t really comment an the change to a “normal” eating schedule… But I usually eat 3-4 times a day. I eat my 3 big meals a day (breakfast is a big shake) and I’ll snack whenever I get hungry throughout the day.
That’s just how I’ve always done it[/quote]
I’m the same way. Just listen to your body.
[quote]butcherman7 wrote:
This thread may have just convinced me to ditch the six meal a day protocol 24/7 once and for all.
Although I have been a slave to this concept, I have recently changed my WEEKEND approach whereas on Saturday I eat what I want, when I want and where I want. On Sunday I fast, nothing but water, green tea and Flameout for 24 hours. This adjustment has actually stimulated additional fatloss.
I work weekends and it sure is nice, as Brick says… “getting rid of the burden of six meals” and leaving the house without that damn cooler bag hung over my shoulder.
Time to tighten up and condense. Whew !! Haven’t even started yet and I feel better already.
[/quote]
I’m glad to read this.
Brad Pilon’s Intermittent fasting recommendation and my new diet has been working like a charm for weight loss. Plus it feels like my life has actually changed. (Not dramatizing here, as eating six times a day was in fact driving me nuts!)
Yep, I got over the six meals a day thing. Hasn’t made a lick of difference to anything physique wise. I’m sure if I neede 6k cals a day it would. But I don’t, so this is just far fuckin easier.
[quote]Bricknyce wrote:
I’m glad to read this.
Brad Pilon’s Intermittent fasting recommendation and my new diet has been working like a charm for weight loss. Plus it feels like my life has actually changed. (Not dramatizing here, as eating six times a day was in fact driving me nuts!)[/quote]
Can you expand on this diet?