How many meals a day to eat? Optimal frequency of meals

The optimal frequency of eating has been one of the most frequently discussed topics related to a healthy lifestyle for some time now. But since food is an integral part of the quest for the perfect figure, it's no wonder. That's why I decided to take a little peek under the hood and try to explain it to you as best as possible.
Since it is a very popular topic across the fitness world, the opinions on itThere are an extremely large number of opinions out there, and as a result, it's not easy to keep track of them. In this article, I will try to answer the most pressing questions that arise in relation to the optimal frequency of meals. So if this topic is still on your mind, don't stop reading.

Is there even an optimal meal frequency?

Whether you've been exercising for a few years or just a few months, you've probably come across the general lessonthat says you should ideally eat every two to three hours a day. This should keep your metabolism running at all times, so you can promote muscle growth while avoiding the feeling of hunger. Nowadays, however, this is simply not the case anymore. In fact, it never did, but due to a lack of studies it spread like a hurricane and became a universally accepted and valid dogma pretty much all over the world.
So, are you wondering what the optimal frequency of meals actually is? Unfortunately, the answer to this question is highly problematic and basically depends on each of you. However, the crux of the issue is not so much the number of meals, but rather the total number of calories you take in during the day. Whether you consume them in three larger meals or split them into several smaller meals doesn't really matter. The most important thing is to set your diet to match how youryour goals and lifestyle, as well as your body and energy expenditure.
All of these components then need to be taken into account if you want to figure out a way of eatingthat suits you best, yet fits your time. For example, when you go out to exercise in the morning, you will probably forgive yourself for a big, hard-to-digest breakfast and opt for something lighter and quicker to digest. That way you'll be able to give your best in the gym, absolutely destroy yourself, and only then eat a good meal full of macro- and micronutrients.
It's a different situation when you're at work all day and have virtually no time to eat. In that case, it's better to have a good breakfast in the morninghave a good breakfast, a good lunch at lunchtime and then dinner in the evening. Instead of five or six meals, three larger meals will be fine to cover your calorie intake. And of course, I could write many such examples. I mean, you need to figure out what works best for you. Because that is the frequency of meals that will be truly optimal.
Of course, I am not saying that you should starve all day and go to a fast food restaurant in the evening because of time constraints, not at all. I'm just saying that you need to find out what suits your body best and stick to it. If you eat regularly and well, your body can adapt and get used to it. However, irregularity or any extreme fluctuations in the form of overeating can put unnecessary strain on your body.and stress your body, which can lead to a number of unpleasant problems, including digestive problems or fat gain.

Will more meals per day speed up your metabolism?

There are, of course, some very interesting questions closely related to the optimal frequency of meals. The first, and perhaps the most pressing, is whether more meals per day can speed up your metabolism. As you may have already figured out from the above, the answer to that is of course no. So why do people think that? Unfortunately, many people still believe the now relatively half-forgotten myth that says that if youyou eat more often, you'll keep your metabolism busy, which will then make it work faster and burn more calories.
As it happens with myths, there is of course a grain of truth to this. When we digest, we do indeed expend a certain amount of calories. This is called the thermic effect of food, and about 10 to 15% of the total calorie intake is actually burned in this way. The problem with this myth, however, is that the quantity of food does not play such an important role in this respect. As I mentioned at the beginning, the most important thing is the total daily calorie intake. So if you eat, say, 4000 kcal in a day, it doesn't matter if you eat it in three or six meals. The number of calories burned will be virtually identical in both cases.

Does fasting and intermittent fasting make sense?

Another rather problematic question closely related to the optimal frequency of meals is whether it is worthwhile to undergo fasting or intermittent fasting? Even here there are still many people who do not give up fasting and practice it basically whenever they have the opportunity. And of course I don't blame them. In today's chaotic world, fasting can be ais exactly what we're looking for, so that we don't go completely mad for lack of time to eat.
Indeed, more than one study has shown the positive effects of intermittent fasting, in several ways. In addition to fat loss, the increase in insulin sensitivity, the reduction of the pro-inflammatory state of the body or blood pressure deserve mention. Although the benefits of fasting have indeed been scientifically proven, there is a catch.
Most of these benefits are closely linked to fat loss per se. Which leads us to wonder whether they are really due to fasting or just the simple fact that we have lost weight through fasting. So is fasting even necessary?
At least in terms of weight loss, maybe yes, or maybe no? I'm sorry to disappoint the fasting advocates, but intermittent fasting really isn't the best and most convenient way to lose weight. In a study on this topic, fasting did not show any significant improvement over gradual calorie reductionbenefits, and from a sustainability point of view, I dare say, gradual reduction of calorie intake is much easier than fasting.
So if I had to choose, I would probably avoid intermittent fasting altogether. But if it suits you, of course I am not discouraging it in any way, nor am I trying to criticize it in any way. Notwithstanding the above, it does indeed provide some demonstrable health benefits. But we will look at that in more detail in a future article. Here I am just trying to point out that it really is not as extremely miraculous as a large number of people think.

To eat breakfast or not to eat breakfast?

Another very common question is also whether or not to have breakfast? If this is the question that keeps you up at night, don't hesitate to check out ourour next article dealing with this very topic. Here I will just briefly summarize that even breakfast is not really as important as many people think. Some studies suggest that people who eat breakfast are less likely to be obese. However, this is more likely to be due to overall daily intake, the quality and balance of the diet or lifestyle rather than breakfast.
However, the truth remains that most people leading a healthy lifestyle do indeed eat breakfast regularly. But what you eat is more important than breakfast itself. As long as you eat a healthy and balanced diet on a regular basis, it doesn't really matter if you eat breakfast or not. The important thing is to do what works best for your body.

What can you take away from this article?

So is there a universal or if you want an optimal frequency of meals? As is the case in the fitness world, unfortunately it is highly individual. So a general guide simply and simply does not exist. Nevertheless, I dare say that there is an optimal frequency of meals. But not in the form of a universal diet that works for everyone, but in the individuality and differences of all of us. The optimal frequency is therefore primarily the one that best suits both your body and your lifestyle.
So if intermittent fasting suits you and you practice it as it should, then fasting is the optimal meal frequency for you. But if, on the other hand, you are a proponent of five to six meals a day for three to four hours and are able to workwork most effectively with this set meal pattern, this is the optimal approach for you.
You simply always need to listen to your body and adjust the number of calories, the number of meals and the ingredients in themto your lifestyle, caloric expenditure or goals. Thus, an obese person trying to lose weight will have a very different regimen from an athlete preparing for a bodybuilding competition.