eating small meals every 4 hours.
By kazeesh
@kazeesh (13)
September 13, 2011 6:25pm CST
I have heard that the best thing for eating healthy is eating a meal every 4 hours. In doing this you are only suppose to eat until you are not hungry anymore, not until you are full. Just small healthy things like fruits and vegetables. is this true?
17 responses
@yfchin83 (127)
• Malaysia
14 Sep 11
It is important for women to watch their diet as their metabolism goes down as they aged. I was once a big eater, has extremely good appetities and capable of eating much more than other women out there. However, that was during my teens. Now, I'm eating lesser by half of what I used to eat, but I weigh much more. This just proves that my metabolism has gone way down and I need to change my eating habits. Now, I only drink a cup of hot chocolate for breakfast, bread during lunch and porridge for dinner. Yet, only able to maintain my current weight and not reduce. Besides, cutting down on food and eating healthily, we also need exercise half an hour a day to increase our metabolism. Coupled with exercise and healthy diet, I'm sure we women will be able to achieve our ideal weight. So far, I have yet the time to exercise half an hour each day. LOL
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
14 Sep 11
Yikes is that all you eat?? That is really low in calories. It is also true if you don't eat enough calories, your metabolism can slow down because your body thinks it's starving and will try to be more efficient with the food it has. You have probably figured this all out so I wish you well.
btw..I couldn't find time to exercise either so I started dancing in place several times a day ..mostly when alone 
lol. Try it..it feels good.
lol. Try it..it feels good.@yfchin83 (127)
• Malaysia
14 Sep 11
That is what I normally eat nowadays except if I'm out with friends for some celebration, then my dinner will be heavier than usual. With my above diet, I will go alittle hungry sometimes during tea time. If I'm extremely hungry, I will make a hot cup of choco as snack time. The problem here is that I duno the solution as to how to increase my metabolism to make me feel hungry or to digest more to increase my appetite for food.
@gemiel20 (4)
• Philippines
14 Sep 11
Yes, I think I already read about this. And for me I'll agree with it, coz it will help your hungry level to 0(zero). Your not going to crave for food every time you get hungry. And about the fruits and vegetables, they will be a great help if you are going or planning to lose weight. Or having a healthy body.
@strawberrychocodahi (4818)
• Philippines
14 Sep 11
I agree on eating small meals and that alternate time. This can really help people to slow down or eating in moderation. Fruits are always best to take. If you have heart burn or acidic, it is also said that you need to eat in small portions only and should eat slowly too.
@shadow41 (2351)
• Philippines
14 Sep 11
I've also read about this too. And for me it's true but not for all. I think eating meals every four hours are for people who wants to gain weight and also for people with stomach ulcers. It will be good for them. But for people who wants to be slim I don't think it's a good idea especially for those carbohydrates lovers. Hehe. They will just bulk up.
shadow41
@way2vision (613)
• Canada
14 Sep 11
It is true. It is not necessary healthier, but it does allow your metabolism to adjust and become faster, which stimulates weight loss. In fact once your body's metabolism changes (this will not happen right away, but over time) it will force your body to want to eat more. So basically you will be hungrier, just not at the worst times, your body will slowly adjust to be hungry at those times your suppose to eat.
Technically, you are allowed to eat whatever you please, just resist high sodium, complex sugar and animal fat. Resist or minimize as much as possible. Simple sugar that fruits provide are okay. Vegetables are just suggested as it does provide benefits to your body.
It is not a meal every 4 hours however, with high metabolism your body will starve by then. The idea is to eat 5 small meals a day, or every 2 hours eat a meal in portions just about the size of your palm.
(note the day calculation is the, approx. 16 hours of being awake since you subtracted 8 from 24 due to the minimum if possible amount of sleep.)
The idea of high metabolism can easily be observed through athletes. For example, If you have seen the Manny Pacquaio commercial, he stated he eats over 7000 calories a day. Usually an average person will say, wow he must be really fat or really big. But he is a small person, but because of him being an athlete he has high metabolism, perhaps he was born with it, but it can also be the fact that athletes must provide their body with food each time they exercise or during. And full time athletes exercise multiple times a day, and it may line up to eating every 2 hours, which may be before and after working out.
I am not sure if that made sense 
. I am way too tired at the moment.
. I am way too tired at the moment.@jelenaveli (25)
•
14 Sep 11
I am agree just partly with you. I have problem with weigh loss many years ago.
Eating healthy is something we all would like to do, although it can be hard. In order to eat healthy and weight loss or just be healthy you must first make the right food choices and be relax inside.
Ok. Now I will share with you my own experience...
You are right that to adjust the metabolism you need eat many times a day. It could be every 2 hours, but I eat after 4 hours. But between these meals I drink natural fruit juice, but the best off all if you can drink vegetable juice with celery inside. The celery,fennel,marine algae, broccilli,spinad, squid and all sea products is the best if you want to weigh loss.All these products you can add as in soup, salad or just eat when you are hungry.
In the morning, on your breakfast you can eat what you want and do not worry about your weight it will not go higher, because in the morning our metabolism work very good.Very important that you CAN eat sweats,cake in the morning.In a day drink no more than 2-3 cups of coffee without sugar, but you can drink water the 2 lit in a day, organic tea would be grate if you can drink without sugar, but if not you can drink with honey.
When cooking your food, you should also limit solit fats such as butter, margarin, shortening, and lard. These foods may add flavour to your dishes, although they can help raise your cholesterol as well.Therefore, you should try to add these foods and any foods that happen to contain them.
Interesting fact...that you must know, when your are working on your body, that you must not be hungry! Because when your are hungry that the sugar limit is raising and it could be the reason why you can lose weight as you want. Just take yogurt, apple...
I hope it will be some information that could help others.
@shanemae (1025)
• Philippines
15 Sep 11
that is true! a total of 5-6 meals a day is healthy as long as its "small" meals one should eat during the regular meals and have side meals between meals with fruits. in that way your body would digest fast they say it would speed up your metabolism. this is really good for people who have a hard time loosing weight. i am trying it though to stay healthy. but i skip meal sometimes i just have this bad habit of eating.
@GemmaR (8517)
•
14 Sep 11
It is much better that you should do this, because it means that your metabolism will be constant throughout the course of the day rather than just having small spikes in it when you eat your large meals. In addition to this, it can mean that your energy levels are constant because you don't eat so much that you feel lethargic during the course of the afternoon. The problem with most people who try this is that they find that they end up eating more food because the meals that they have are the same size as they would eat if they were having a normal day like they would have done in the past.
@agent807 (751)
• United States
14 Sep 11
That three meals a day for me does not work, because I am too busy so I have to eat frequently to keep going. It has been something I ended up doing since high school because I worked and played football, so I was always hungry. Luckily I was working in a grocery store, so food was always around. I don't play football anymore but because of how I work, and how busy I am, and that I have working on gaining size and strength, it is almost rare to see me not eating. But I just eat enough to satisfy my stomach (it almost dictates my life, but that's fine). I hear a lot from people because I am constantly eating, especially at school since I literally eat during every class. I think on average, I eat around 8-10 times a day. Not anything too heavy. Except in the winter time, when I do eat a little heavier, and sometimes more frequently. I am usually busier working in cold weather, so I guess the stomach works harder to create fuel. I did a little experiment comparing eating three meals in a day compared to the quantity I usually eat. I found that eating three times in a day led me to have headaches, fatigue, and I was very irritable and hostile towards people, and growling. Eating the way I normally eat, I didn't have these problems, but I consumed a lot more food, and it was expensive, but I need the fuel.
@oldchem1 (8132)
•
14 Sep 11
This is something that depends very much on the individual and there are differing views on the matter.It is said by some people that eating a small meal every 3 - 4 hours and spreading out calories over the course of the day will kick start the metabolism and increase your energy. However, there is only one sure way to lose weight and that is that you must eat fewer calories than you burn each day.Eating more frequent meals may help you feel better throughout the day but there is also the danger that you will consume too many calories.While there is the theory that someone who eats small meals every 3 - 4 hours will avoid overeating they will have to take great care not too eat too many calories as overeating at five to six meals is far worse than overeating at just 3!! All meals (if it is 3 or 6)need to be well thought out and balanced with a good amounts of nutrients and include a mix of proteins, carbohydrates and fat with every meal.
Personally I prefer to eat 3 really good meals a day - healthy well balanced meals that fill me up until the next mealtime and reduce the need for me to snack in between meals. After 8 months of eating this way I have lost 77.5 pounds so it is certainly working!
@stary1 (6612)
• United States
14 Sep 11
The principle is good but I think even better is eat 3 small meals and 2 to 3 snacks in between. THe idea of course is to eat every 2 to 3 hours and never become very very hungry. This helps in blood sugar levels and keeps your energy level up. of course you need to eat healthy foods.
@cow_boy29 (236)
• United States
14 Sep 11
maybe right but it can make fat, so calculate your daily calrie then divide it into 5 time
@ARShams (82)
• Pakistan
14 Sep 11
Kazeesh, your theory about eating the least possible 4 times as maximum a day is admirably appreciable and followable, as per my knowledge, experience, practice and observation.
With regards,
ARShams
@Serenebbw (6)
• United States
14 Sep 11
Hello
I must say I am no nutritionist but I do want to tell you I was watching the DR OZ show and he stated you should diet according to you blood type. Interesting enough the information is truly correct. Here is the information needed from the DR OZ show I hope it helps. Here is the link http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/eat-right-your-type
Hope you enjoy!
@alfvivi (4)
• India
14 Sep 11
Eating small meals - 5 to 6 times a day is the best option for better health. This is suggested for all those who do weights exercise. 3 big meals will not work for those especially involved in regular heavy exercises. Regular exercising and Healthy eating(eating small meals5-6 times a day)will lead to a healthy living.
@unique16 (1531)
• United States
14 Sep 11
Yes, until you feel you are not hungry anymore. If you do this until you are full I would think you gain more weight. Smaller meals means food in stomach at majority of the day and no draining or feeling fatigued when doing 3 full meals a day. Fruits and vegetables are good too. I just got to likeing roasted sunflower seeds. The regular sunflower seeds were to bland and had no taste. These I eat taste like small peanuts. They are high in fiber and iron. These are important nutrients females need everyday.
Low in calaries and sodium as well. Cannot beat this snack anywhere.
Thanks and have a great night
Sincerely Unique16
@kingparker (9673)
• United States
14 Sep 11
I heard people had done that, especially those girls who don't want to go hungry all the time, and they still want to be healthy. I, myself far from doing that, I either have a big meal myself, or I would rather not eating at all and hungry for the whole morning. That is my choice though.
@jeztrose (1405)
• Philippines
14 Sep 11
i agree on that.. actually my digestion is slow and it affects my appetite..i tried to make some researches and find out that eating small meals would help to make my digestion faster and so that my appetite will not lost..then i tried to test if this is true and luckily it did.. it helps me a lot..
