Food portrions, does it matter?

[someguy1984]

For instance, if your on a 2,000 calorie diet. This is 3 meals a day, vs 5-6.

What's the difference between eating 800 calories for breakfast, 600 calories for lunch and 600 calories for dinner. VS 400 calories for breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, and dinner...

I mean, would this really make a difference? It's easier for me to have a bigger breakfast to get the day started and a smaller lunch and dinner...Usually i eat more than 3 times a day, but sometimes it's only breakfast, lunch, and dinner and i divide it like this...

 

[The Myth]

results will be the same, but energy/blood sugar will fluctuate

 

[Nitrox]

From my perspective/experience, given the same calorie intake, weight on the scale will be approximately the same but fewer meals will encourage more bodyfat while more frequent meals will encourage lean mass.

The body does not throw energy. Larger meals tend to provide more energy than the body immediately needs. This will be put into stores (fat) and then drawn down later during the extended period without any intake. During this time, the body is somewhat catabolic, which puts muscle building pretty far down on the priority list.

Like most things, there are diminishing returns to increasing meal frequency. For me the effect vs praticality is around 6 meals/day. Other people may have different numbers...

 

[FlexW99]

I would think the timing of your meals is more important than how many calories at each sitting.

 

[BignBad]

results will be the same, but energy/blood sugar will fluctuate

They recently did a study on this and split up participants calories into 16 meals I believe and they had a MUCH smaller insulin response. This is very good for long term health.

Of course, it is NOT good right around your workout as you need an insulin reponse to build muscle.

 

[EasyEJL]

They recently did a study on this and split up participants calories into 16 meals I believe and they had a MUCH smaller insulin response. This is very good for long term health.

Of course, it is NOT good right around your workout as you need an insulin reponse to build muscle.

post a link please, for evidence of both of these.

 

[suncloud]

They recently did a study on this and split up participants calories into 16 meals I believe and they had a MUCH smaller insulin response. This is very good for long term health.

that's what i was about to say - a lower insulin spike from a more consistent stream of calories vs a huge spike of insulin. at least that would be the case if fast digesting carbs were consumed.

 

[BignBad]

post a link please, for evidence of both of these.

Sorry, I can't post links yet - I think you have to get to 50 posts or so. I guess I'm still too young and innocent...

 

[Nitrox]

Of course, it is NOT good right around your workout as you need an insulin reponse to build muscle.

This is erroneous.

Firstly, muscle is repaired/built around the clock not just around workout times.

Secondly, the body needs spare protein and spare calories to build muscle. Insulin merely facilitates it.