# eating every three hours.



## eric.s (Aug 19, 2009)

ive been told that the best gains will come from eating every three hours and never eating till your full and not letting yourself get hungry. is this correct?


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## Willie (Feb 17, 2008)

Not really, but a lot of people find it easier to eat several smaller meals rather than a three massive ones.

Couple of links:

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/muscle-gain/meal-frequency-and-mass-gains.html


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## sizar (Nov 13, 2008)

eating every three hours keeps the body in good position good supply of food all day long. obviously quality of the food counts too .


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## Robbo90 (Mar 6, 2008)

I eat every 2-3 hours. TBH i get hungry after about 2 lol.


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## eric.s (Aug 19, 2009)

yeah well ive started eating alot better than used too. oats, more white meats, rice, more red meats trying to get good protein to put on nice clean weight


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

eat when your hungry. if you eat when ure not hungry you may very likely get fat


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## rodrigo (Jun 29, 2009)

:thumb :i have found this works brilliantly tho its a pain in the ar$£ sometimes planning your work piece... lots of cans of tuna and tubs of cottage cheese ,nuts, and stuff thats made the night before keeps your metabolism burnin too lowering fat storage


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## Ironclad (Jun 23, 2009)

2 hrs and i'm raiding the fridge lol


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## fitnessfreak (Jun 15, 2009)

I always aim to eat every 3 hours. I find that it keeps my energy up all day and saves me having to stuff myself every time I eat (I'm bulking). I think it is personal preferenece though really. I don't think you have to try and avoid hunger though but I do think as soon as you feel hungry, grab a snack!


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## ThaiBoxer93 (Jul 14, 2009)

I eat every 2 hours (bulking) 2 1/2 hours max between meals. At first its a pain in the **** remembering that you need to eat/down a shake. But after about a week your stomach expands & you find yourself getting hungry every 2 hours so then it becomes natural to eat often.

But mate I worn ya..Eating every 2 hours puts on the fat well bad! But you do put on a lot more muscle on at the same time doing it this way.


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## adesign (Jun 10, 2008)

hilly2008 said:


> eat when your hungry. if you eat when ure not hungry you may very likely get fat


Always thought that was too late? Just dont do it if your stuffed I guess


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## Themanabolic (Jun 25, 2009)

I eat every 2 hours.

I want pizza .. I'm going pizza hut bye


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## GSleigh (Jan 22, 2008)

Every 2 hours for me or my body gets HUNGRY!!!


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

adesign said:


> Always thought that was too late? Just dont do it if your stuffed I guess


why would it be to late? if you are hungry that means your body is wanting/needing nutrients. if your not then it doesnt. we are all different.

WHo says we should eat every 2 or 3 hours. also the chances that me and you and every1 else on here all need to eat every 2.3 hours cnt be true. we are all different with different metabolisms. the more muscle you carry the higher your metabolism.

eating when hungry makes alot of sense to me. i feed my body when it requires feeding.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

yep eat every 2-3 hrs or go home and stop training. i hear chess is fun lol


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

big_jim_87 said:


> yep eat every 2-3 hrs or go home and stop training. i hear chess is fun lol


**** man i better get the chess board out.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

hilly2008 said:


> **** man i better get the chess board out.


lol or the food out the fridge?

get the food in! yep! gota get biggggg! yea buddy! (im shouting this at my computer) :bounce:


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

i get the food in me every time im hungry. wether its 4 times a day or 6 ill have 4 meals or 6. i like to listen to my body and my metabolism. hopefully this will help me keep my bodyfat in check while bulking. eating every 2 hours makes little sense to be anyway.

i used to believe i had to eat like that but recently have been shown different ways.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

well if diet is good and the overall cals are the same 6 meals are better then 4, keeps the fat down any way? you dnt want to listen to your boddy coz then you are doing what your body wants? my body wants small muscles and lots of fat but i dnt so i eat lots of food all day long!


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

listening to your boddy is good to some point, with training mainly. but if you do not push your body past what it wants then it will stay the same?


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

but if your training your body and taking the right supplements it will want to grow. why would your body need the same calories on one day as the next when you could be doing something completly different. on leg day i may have 6 or 7 meals cos thats how hungry i get which is around 3000-3500 cals. on a rest day i may only have 4 meals or 5 because my bod doesnt require as much.

as long as im eating enough to grown when i do eat then im fine. eating the same calories in 4 or 8 meals makes no difference at all mate this has been proven several times over. more regular meals makes little difference to ones metabolism. spreading 4000cals over 4 or 6 meals wont make any difference.


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## willsey4 (Apr 21, 2008)

Its really trial and error to find out how your body reacts to your diet.

I would have 4 to 5 physical meals spreadout throught the day with some shakes in there aswell. Some people can get away with eating less but then some people like Daz Ball and eat so much food its stupid!

I wouldnt force feed your self as this will lead to fat gain but never let yourself go hungry.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

i do force it in to hit my numbers, cals, pro etc if im not hungry fuk it it goes in any way i never get over 12% bf this year prob not much over 11% just me then? ok fuk it like you said trial and error i eat lots all day long and its working for me lol


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## Squirrel (Jun 7, 2009)

I agree with Hilly 100%....I want to look like a body builder all the time, not just now and again between bulk cycles. Why work so hard at building a good physique only to look like a fat b*stard half the time?


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

ok so if you dnt give the body regular hits of pro it will not eat its own? i thought that was the point of regular feeds?


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

Squirrel said:


> I agree with Hilly 100%....I want to look like a body builder all the time, not just now and again between bulk cycles. Why work so hard at building a good physique only to look like a fat b*stard half the time?


lol well me on a bulk is what is on my profile page me on a diet is me in my a.v. fat?


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

plus if the numbers are right and in the right ratio training is good why will you gain much fat?


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

big_jim_87 said:


> plus if the numbers are right and in the right ratio training is good why will you gain much fat?


because were all different if i ate like you are i would hit 20% fat no problems. i can eat and force feed no probs i love food but i dont have the metabolism to keep my bodyfat down like you seem to.

about protein. do you know how long it takes protein to digest. do you now how big your amino acid bank is. have you ever looked into fasting. you can fast for 1-2 weeks or longer without loosing muscle and you think not eating for a few hours will cause us to eat our own what?

i think you need to do alot more reading and not just repeat what you have heard in all fairness mate. i used to believe exactly the same as you but it just made me fat eating all the time.

I was eating 3500 cals and not gaining weight or much weight.

im now eating around 2500 per day of the right foods in the right amounts at the right times and my strength is going up every session and im gaining muscle and keeping fat down maybe even dropping fat.


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## bbeweel (Oct 7, 2008)

Yea jim so shut the hell up!


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

well i go on what im told to do buddy, i have spoken to a lot of comp bbers and training in muscle works in east london for the 1st year or 2 you learn a lot. Troy Browen the geeza that turned pro the year b4 lewis won trained ther b4 he fuked off to canada and i know the guy eats like a wilde pig! lol if you wana look like a bber then eat and train like one i dnt know any that eat 2500 cals a day? unless every one has changed what they do in the past two years i havnt trained ther ill keep eating like a wilde pig too lol

(by wilde pig i dnt mn eat shyt just lots of good cals)


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

bbeweel said:


> Yea jim so shut the hell up!


well i dnt know what the hell you eat but i dnt wana look like you so suk my small balls!


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

hey im not arguing with ya mate theirs several ways to skin a cat. like i say ive always done what yiu are preaching. it just wasnt working out best for me.

Now i am getting help off IFBB pro phil hernon since we mentioning who told us what  . do a search he was a big boy by all accounts and this is what he is teaching me at the minute.

i did exactly what you are saying last winter and the result was i gained 5-6lb of muscle over a 6 month period but i had to diet for 16 weeks to get as lean as i am in my avvy. im now trying a different way but i may do the makor bulk again in the future.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

hilly2008 said:


> *hey im not arguing with ya mate* theirs several ways to skin a cat. like i say ive always done what yiu are preaching. it just wasnt working out best for me.
> 
> Now i am getting help off IFBB pro phil hernon since we mentioning who told us what  . do a search he was a big boy by all accounts and this is what he is teaching me at the minute.
> 
> i did exactly what you are saying last winter and the result was i gained 5-6lb of muscle over a 6 month period but i had to diet for 16 weeks to get as lean as i am in my avvy. im now trying a different way but i may do the makor bulk again in the future.


well i am with you! your way is ****! get food in or get out the chess set! lol just messin mate like it is always said every one is diffrnt so good lik to ya i like my way as i feel like a big old bear when all the food go's in! lol


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## bbeweel (Oct 7, 2008)

Each to their own hilly if you feel its working for you then stick at it buddy ,Jim if you knew what i had eaten today you would be feeling sorry for me i still resemble a crack addict like last time you see me...and the funny thing is i see an old school buddy at weekend and he said i was looking big!! i ****ed myself ...some people ah.


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

well if you knew what i had to eat today you would feel sick as i have eaten till im gona pop! so ha fukin ha! lol 6lbs up in 2 days i know its water and glycogen but 6lb is 6lb lol more food in a bit when the bloat goes away! lol


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## bbeweel (Oct 7, 2008)

Yea you might be full and big..............but your still ugly cant change that


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## big_jim_87 (Jul 9, 2009)

and my balls are small too but i dnt give a poo! so suk em!


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## weeman (Sep 6, 2007)

hilly2008 said:


> but if your training your body and taking the right supplements it will want to grow. why would your body need the same calories on one day as the next when you could be doing something completly different. on leg day i may have 6 or 7 meals cos thats how hungry i get which is around 3000-3500 cals. on a rest day i may only have 4 meals or 5 because my bod doesnt require as much.
> 
> as long as im eating enough to grown when i do eat then im fine. eating the same calories in 4 or 8 meals makes no difference at all mate this has been proven several times over.* more regular meals makes little difference to ones metabolism. * spreading 4000cals over 4 or 6 meals wont make any difference.


your views have changed all of a sudden!! lol

can you explain the part i boldened?it sounds like you have found a revelation for everyone that has to eat 6-8 meals a day on contest prep.....:laugh:



hilly2008 said:


> because were all different if i ate like you are i would hit 20% fat no problems. i can eat and force feed no probs i love food but i dont have the metabolism to keep my bodyfat down like you seem to.
> 
> about protein. do you know how long it takes protein to digest. do you now how big your amino acid bank is. have you ever looked into fasting.* you can fast for 1-2 weeks or longer without loosing muscle *and you think not eating for a few hours will cause us to eat our own what?
> 
> ...


the boldened part is simply not true now mate is it?you can fast for 1-2 weeks and not loose any muscle? the man who achieves that has better genetics than ron coleman then imo.


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## Guest (Sep 9, 2009)

I like Hilly eat when hungry. Between meals i have bcaa's or LBA's. The result? Perfect blood pressure ( 118/70 this am) body weight 225lb with decent abbs arms just a tad off 19 inches and strength as high as ever(this is clean btw). All i eat is 2-3 meals of 7 ounces boiled chicken, a lot of green veg, some fruit, fish oil or olive oil and then 1-2 meals of 7 ounces bison, green veg, some fruit, fish oil or olive oil. On training days i have a shake pre and post training consisting of whey and vitargo. The body loses some rubbish weight at first....how awful that i lost 10lb or so of water and garbage:rolleyes: but true dense muscle does not disappear just because you back your food intake down a little. This is not ideal for adding a load of weight but seeing that i am as strong as ever shows me that this method works just fine when your only goal is to maintain.


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## d4ead (Nov 3, 2008)

If I only eat when I'm hungry id only eat 1 meal every 2 days. I never feel hungry. I allways just eat because I know I should.


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## Jake1436114563 (May 9, 2008)

hilly2008 said:


> eat when your hungry. if you eat when ure not hungry you may very likely get fat


This is a fallacy mate.

Hunger is not the only sign if nutrient requirement.


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

weeman said:


> your views have changed all of a sudden!! lol
> 
> can you explain the part i boldened?it sounds like you have found a revelation for everyone that has to eat 6-8 meals a day on contest prep.....:laugh:
> 
> ...


another i just found altho like i said above it does mention their could be a little effect.

*Meal frequency and energy balance*

</HR>

France Bellislea1, Regina McDevitta2 and Andrew M. Prenticea2

a1 Inserm U341, Hotel Dieu de Paris, 1 place du Parvis Notre-Dame, 75181 Pans Cedex 04, France

a2 MRC Dunn Clinical Nutrition Centre, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 2DH, France



Article author querybellisle f ] mcdevitt r ] prentice am ] 


*Abstract*

Several epidemiological studies have observed an inverse relationship between people's habitual frequency of eating and body weight, leading to the suggestion that a 'nibbling' meal pattern may help in the avoidance of obesity. A review of all pertinent studies shows that, although many fail to find any significant relationship, the relationship is consistently inverse in those that do observe a relationship. However, this finding is highly vulnerable to the probable confounding effects of post hoc changes in dietary patterns as a consequence of weight gain and to dietary under-reporting which undoubtedly invalidates some of the studies. We conclude that the epidemiological evidence is at best very weak, and almost certainly represents an artefact. A detailed review of the possible mechanistic explanations for a metabolic advantage of nibbling meal patterns failed to reveal significant benefits in respect of energy expenditure. Although some short-term studies suggest that the thermic effect of feeding is higher when an isoenergetic test load is divided into multiple small meals, other studies refute this, and most are neutral. More importantly, studies using whole-body calorimetry and doubly-labelled water to assess total 24h energy expenditure find no difference between nibbling and gorging. Finally, with the exception of a single study, there is no evidence that weight loss on hypoenergetic regimens is altered by meal frequency. We conclude that any effects of meal pattern on the regulation of body weight are likely to be mediated through effects on the food intake side of the energy balance equation

the boldened part is simply not true now mate is it?you can fast for 1-2 weeks and not loose any muscle? the man who achieves that has better genetics than ron coleman then imo.


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## bowen86 (Mar 17, 2008)

not going to really get involved..... it is funny at the desk and im eating chicken and pasta and 10:30am and everyone else is like wtf?!


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

like i said tho weemani was saying this from a bulking point of view. some of what iu read as above states it could have an effect and i believe eating every few hours when dieting to be beneficial as you no i do this myself


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## bbeweel (Oct 7, 2008)

Interesting read hilly,im feeling alittle confused now on everything i thought i knew about the number of meals needed a day for growth and the study showing their is no more benefit having six as opposed to 3.


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

meal timings and calorific amounts are different. really the only thing i was mentioning above is that some reading i have done has said that eating 6 meals instead of 4 meals per day will only have a very little to no effect on metabolism. eating more regular has other benefits especially when dieting. at the moment im having 3/4 solid meals with liquid aminos inbetween as a meal replacement but only eating these or a solid meal when im hungry. i am trying to gain muscle.

wait till weeman gets online he will have some good info on why we should eat more regularly im sure. he knows more than i do


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## bbeweel (Oct 7, 2008)

Ah! i did not say what i meant to say i have edited it now to make sense:tongue:......yea im sure weeman will have something interesting to add to your findings.


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

their are benefits of eating more regularly from having a constant supply of amino acids(altho these will not run short as we have a good bank of them i believe) to allowing us to get more food in and playing with meal timings etc so taking in carbs around workouts etc and not late on a night.


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## weeman (Sep 6, 2007)

some good info there hilly mate,tho not slating it i find it hard to accept that what its saying is 100% true,it may well be for some but i suppose i can only speak for myself and some others i watch diet from a competitive sens as to how eating patterns seem to change their appearance.

for example,i myself am a terribly lazy eater in the offseason,a lot of the time i will only get a few meals a day in when not trying,rely on shakes for the rest of my numbers,the meals i do have will typically have sky high prot/carbs in when i do eat them as i know i will prob only eat a few times that day,i do tend to take on a softer look when i am like that,tho strength doesnt seem to suffer my gains in size do i would say.

Now when i actually screw the nut like i am these past few weeks i begin eating more frequently throughout the day,still consuming the same amount of macro's as before but over more meals,and the result is i tend/am getting bigger leaner and stronger,in these last 3 weeks i have put on about 7-8lbs,obv wont all be muscle but i am visibly harder than before and my gear use hasnt differed at all (only using 600mg bw sust and 100mg prop per week shocking!)

Now when i prep for shows i tend to eat even more food again over several meals,actually usually typically at the start of my prep i am on slightly higher kcals than in my offseason and i get bigger and leaner again for a period of a few weeks (until i start taking carbs away to chip at the fat etc)

I have seen the same traits happen with others too,also speaking form experience when trying to get the bodyfat off in the past on some preps where i have had lazy periods i would try and get the macro's in over significantly less meals and my progress forward would almost certainly always suffer,that much ion my case is 100% factual,but as we all know everyone is different tho i do have a feeling that this scenario would apply to most tbh.

Theres not much more i can add really,i know non of what i have said here is science factual evidence,but its my opinion based on the last 3 years competing and various things i've tried in the 4 different versions of prep i have tried out,i mean nothing more from this paragraph other than i admitadly have only scratched the surface sao far as trying out different things that may or may not work.

As far as all this goes regarding offseason,no matter what i always end up consuming much less meals than during prep,but i do know that if my meal consumption goes to low and yet i try and keep my macro's the same regardless over those meals i do not gain as well,at least i do not seem to gain with as much quality,basing that on my appearance


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## hilly (Jan 19, 2008)

good points weeman and i totally agree with them. i myself when cutting thing more meal frequency does help.

My comment was made because i was saying something new i am trying at the moment is i only eat when hungry so one day i may have 4 meals another 7. each meal size is the same but the theory is that some days your metabolism is higher and your body requrires more food for growth (LEG DAY) than other days.

One point tho do you think when you up the meal frequenc some of the more gains coud be down to you replacing cals with solid food than shakes???

this is another point im looking into more as ive always argued that shakes and powders etc are as good as solid foods. however for the past 6 weeks i havnt had any powders just solid meals and liquid amino acids and i am making very good gains just running 250mg per week.

just a thought.


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