Six meals a day.

[cachexic]

Are there any experienced bodybuilders here that do not follow the cookie cutter six-meal-a-day diet? Do you just not believe that your metabolism needs to be boosted with food every 2-3 hours?

I'm asking because I've personally never felt it made much a difference...I've always felt it was more about the long term, not this meal-every-2-hour stuff. As in it's more about what you put in total into your body over a significant period of time that will determine how you look, not about when specifically you ate the meals throughout the day. Does that make sense?

 

[tkav1980]

Are there any experienced bodybuilders here that do not follow the cookie cutter six-meal-a-day diet? Do you just not believe that your metabolism needs to be boosted with food every 2-3 hours?

I'm asking because I've personally never felt it made much a difference...I've always felt it was more about the long term, not this meal-every-2-hour stuff. As in it's more about what you put in total into your body over a significant period of time that will determine how you look, not about when specifically you ate the meals throughout the day. Does that make sense?

go read the eat when hungry thread. might be right up your alley.

 

[stacked1]

I agree with the original poster. Studies have shown no increase in metabolic rate with more frequent feedings. I have been utilizing intermittent fasting as endorsed by Martin Berkhan for the last 3 months where you fast for 16 hours and have an 8 hour feeding period. I think it is a great way to eat. Basically I will go to bed (8 hour fast while sleeping) and then wake up and not eat any morning meals. At about 12:30 I will have 20-40 g bcaas then go train at 1. After training I will eat 3 (4 at the most) meals between 2:45 and 9, then go to bed. I am still eating the same amount of calories, protein, etc... as I was when I was eating 6 meals a day (every 2.5-3 hours) before, except now I am eating them all in an 8 hour period post-workout. I have been gaining mass at a very solid rate, and am staying much leaner than usual. No more tupperware in a cooler everywhere, stopping to eat all the time. I am not lazy at all (and do not miss meals) and am not doing this out of convenience. I am doing this because of the results I am seeing and am growing/staying leaner at a better rate than I did eating 6 meals throughout the day, being a slave to the tupperware in the cooler/shopping bag.

There are studies (I will dig them up if anybody is interested) showing more frequent feedings having no more of an impact on metabolism than infrequent feedings. Also a study or two show the huge effect of intermittent fasting on insulin sensitivity. I attribute this massive increase in insulin sensitivity to my ability to grow while staying quite lean (much leaner than in the past). Sorry for the long, boring post, just wanted to throw my experience out there.

 

[Magnum]

You DO NOT need to eat 6 times per day to gain muscle. I know plenty of guys who eat 3 to 4 meals daily and are growing just as good if not better. Like I said in a previous post, eating too much food can hamper results. Now this doesn't necessarily mean that eating 6 small or med size meals is not a good thing. I think what you are asking that is it more advantageous to eat the standard 6 meals and the answer is no.

 

[Liphted]

Some days I eat ~6 meals, other days I eat ~3, but I make sure my calories never change for my current goals. You can make this as difficult as you want, or as easy as you want. Some people do seem to get off on the control and OCD aspects of BB'ing, so feel free to indulge however you see fit.

 

[ROCKEDUP]

go read the eat when hungry thread. might be right up your alley.

x2

great thread

 

[sean70ss]

meals

I only eat when I am hungary per my trainer. Sometimes only 4-5 times a day but usually 3 solid meals and snacks in between WHEN hungary only. Lots of LBA'S drink it like water! Phil changed my diet around and I feel like I am starving sometimes really crazy but have never felt better and my gains have been huge!!!!

Sean

 

[Moen]

Yeah it's mostly based on broscience and I also think eating too much will actually hamper your results (probably by overloading the body too much for it to do anything useful with all that food).

 

[cachexic]

Interesting responses. So far it seems none of you really believe it gives you an advantage. This is also the conclusion I came to.

 

[pittsburgh]

To get over 300g protein per day you need at least 6 meals. I am currently doing 8 meals and its tough to eat every 2 hours but I think it will payoff in the end

 

[buselmo]

very possible to get all the cals you need or want while getting in 300+ grams of protein (why you'd do that, i don't know) in 3 meals...

trick is to eat your carbs as your last meal of the day before bed (4th meal)...

won't make a difference over the "traditional" 6-8 meals a day thing...

and if you think eating the carbs before bed is gonna make you fat, or won't "refill" your glycogen storage... well... you're no better than that woman who works with me wife that said "if you wear anything other than tennis shoes while working out, you won't burn any calories. i read it somewhere"

 

[strako44]

I eat my seven meals a day, but if I get hungry between those meal, I will eat. These smaller meals are high in protein, low in carbs and good fats. And, this method has given me great results in the growth department. I do cardio three times a week, and still cycle my carbs. Feel great and holding around 8-9%BF and weighing in at 243lbs.

 

[juicin]

"if you wear anything other than tennis shoes while working out, you won't burn any calories. i read it somewhere"

LOL


I like to eat when hungry. Usually on workout days this means more frequent (about 5-6) meals. On my rest days i eat as low as 3 meals a day (mostly because i am sleeping half the day!)

I dont think number of meals is important. Just listen to your body on when to eat, and dont feed it crap.

 

[PsyT]

To get over 300g protein per day you need at least 6 meals. I am currently doing 8 meals and its tough to eat every 2 hours but I think it will payoff in the end

whatcha talkin about willis?

1 pound of meat + 2 scoops of whey/egg/casein protein powder + milk = 160g protein

You cant eat that and a potato and some brocoli???

 

[tkav1980]

To get over 300g protein per day you need at least 6 meals. I am currently doing 8 meals and its tough to eat every 2 hours but I think it will payoff in the end

HUH!?!?!?! dude you can knock out 300 G protien in 3 meals EASILY.

 

[PsyT]

^ so easily that I have to watch my budget sometimes! I wish I could eat unlimited protein sometimes

 

[Benjifornothing]

there may be science backing up both theories. its a personal preference. personally, id rather suck it up and carry a big lunchbox/cooler with all my meals in and stop for food when neccessary to make damn sure im getting in enough to either keep growing or maintain LBM while cutting. id rather not risk it. the monsters in the biz seem to follow the typical 5-6 meals a day for a reason. its what i do. do u absolutely have to? most of u guys think not. so if its working for u, then great! keep doing what ur doing.

 

[BigJB]

there may be science backing up both theories. its a personal preference. personally, id rather suck it up and carry a big lunchbox/cooler with all my meals in and stop for food when neccessary to make damn sure im getting in enough to either keep growing or maintain LBM while cutting. id rather not risk it. the monsters in the biz seem to follow the typical 5-6 meals a day for a reason. its what i do. do u absolutely have to? most of u guys think not. so if its working for u, then great! keep doing what ur doing.

Most of the big guys do that cause they eat 7-10k calories and 500ish proteins.

 

[tkav1980]

there may be science backing up both theories. its a personal preference. personally, id rather suck it up and carry a big lunchbox/cooler with all my meals in and stop for food when neccessary to make damn sure im getting in enough to either keep growing or maintain LBM while cutting. id rather not risk it. the monsters in the biz seem to follow the typical 5-6 meals a day for a reason. its what i do. do u absolutely have to? most of u guys think not. so if its working for u, then great! keep doing what ur doing.

I know guys that only eat when hungry and eat 7+ meals a day on most days....Myself included. 6 MEALS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOOD.

 

[Benjifornothing]

I know guys that only eat when hungry and eat 7+ meals a day on most days....Myself included. 6 MEALS MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOOD.

i read somewhere that evan centopani who is a pretty big guy was eating somewhere around only 3k calories thru 4-5 meals a day and was somehow gaining. just proving my point that its all presonal. golden words in this games. what works for u, may not work for anyone else. 6 meals a day works great for me. just my input