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5-6 meal a day diet?

  • 23-09-2012 01:09AM
    #1
    C14N
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭


    I've been lurking around the internet and gone through the stickies and it seems that it is basically unanimously agreed that 5 or 6 smaller meals a day is better than the traditional 3 meal setup that I've had going on all my life.

    I decided to try and switch over to doing this but I completely hit a block when I started and realised I don't have the faintest idea how to go about it. I just don't know how much I should eat, what I should be getting, when to get it etc. I don't even really know what I should be getting for breakfast if I'm perfectly honest (been eating a bowl of cereal and nothing more up to now).

    I don't expect anyone to think out a whole diet for me or anything but a few suggestions to give me a rough idea would be really helpful if anyone else eats like this.

    Just to give some background info: I'm nineteen, 5'7" in height, weighing 62kg/137lb. I've been going to the gym every second day trying to build muscle for about 3 months (would go every day but I've been told the rest days are important). From what I've looked up it seems I need to be getting around 140g of protein a day for this and I'm willing to add in a few whey/casein shakes to bring the figure up.


    Any advice would be greatly appreciated


Comments

  • #2
    Mellor
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 41,198 ✭✭✭✭Mellor


    C14N wrote: »
    I've been lurking around the internet and gone through the stickies and it seems that it is basically unanimously agreed that 5 or 6 smaller meals a day is better than the traditional 3 meal setup that I've had going on all my life.
    No it isn't. It's suggested my some people, and then repeated by lots without understanding.
    In reality, 3 meals or 6 meals doesn't significantly make a difference. The total foods matters.

    Just to give some background info: I'm nineteen, 5'7" in height, weighing 62kg/137lb. I've been going to the gym every second day trying to build muscle for about 3 months (would go every day but I've been told the rest days are important). From what I've looked up it seems I need to be getting around 140g of protein a day for this and I'm willing to add in a few whey/casein shakes to bring the figure up.
    140g plus of protein a day, and lots of food - say 2500 calories or more.
    If adding an extra meal or two makes hitting those numbers easier go for it. If sticking to 3 meals and eating larger portions works for you, then do that.


  • #3
    jendafer1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 151 ✭✭jendafer1


    I'd actually be interested in doing something like this myself, as I found that it usually doesnt matter how much I eat at a certain meal, I am always hungry 2-3 hours later anyway. I even wake up sometimes in the middle of the night hungry... and wake up starving in the morning. Pretty certain its not normal...! Anyway, for me a real barrier is work. I dont think the boss would appreciate me taking 3 lunch-breaks during one day!


  • #4
    Hanley
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 21,981 ✭✭✭✭Hanley


    No metabolic advantage to eating more frequently. Helps with diet adherence so you don't get too hungry, experience massive blood glucose fluctuations and binge as a result.

    re: protein - eat at least 1g/lb of bodyweight, 1.5x would be better

    re: kcals - bodyweight in lb x16 as a starting poitn


  • #5
    C14N
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,656 ✭✭✭C14N


    Mellor wrote: »
    140g plus of protein a day, and lots of food - say 2500 calories or more.
    If adding an extra meal or two makes hitting those numbers easier go for it. If sticking to 3 meals and eating larger portions works for you, then do that.

    Thanks for the recommendations, I'm making a meal plan around them now. I think it would be easier with 5 meals, I just don't usually have enough appetite to eat that much in 3.
    Hanley wrote: »
    No metabolic advantage to eating more frequently. Helps with diet adherence so you don't get too hungry, experience massive blood glucose fluctuations and binge as a result.

    re: protein - eat at least 1g/lb of bodyweight, 1.5x would be better

    re: kcals - bodyweight in lb x16 as a starting poitn

    What do you mean as a starting portion? Does that mean to get that much as a minimum?


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