3 Meals or 6 Smaller Meals – What’s Best for Fat Loss?
It’s time to bring up a hot topic in the world of nutrition.
How many meals should you eat for the BEST results? Should you eat 3 traditional, breakfast, lunch and dinner meals? Should it be 6 smaller meals? Maybe somewhere in between?
Well, there’s a general consensus that eating smaller, more frequent meals is best for fat loss and general health.
You’ll be more full.
You’ll better control your blood sugar.
You’ll better control your hormones.
And, at the end of the day, this means you’ll lose more fat and keep your muscle. Sounds good to us.
But it is TRULY that simple? If you eat the same number of calories spread out through multiple meals vs. eating just a few meals/day that magic bullet for fat loss?
Trying to lose fat can be REALLY confusing!
A friend from the University of Missouri — Dr. Heather Leidy — published her research in the journal, Obesity, asking this very question. And Heather is no stuffy lab scientist who barely knows how to spell the word exercise. She IS a smart scientist, but feels right at home in the gym training as well.
So let’s get to the results.
3 meals. 6 meals. What’s best?
In this small study of just 27 overweight or obese men, subjects were assigned to "high" protein diets (25% of their calories) or regular protein diets (14% of their total calories). Then, they were also divided into 3 meals/day (~5 hours apart) or 6 meals per day (2-3 hours apart).
The higher protein group DID report being more full throughout the day, in the evening, and later at night. This isn’t surprising as there’s no doubt protein is more filing than either carbohydrate or protein.
But, interestingly, the group randomly assigned to eat just 3 meals per day reported feeling more full than the group eating 6 meals/day.
Hmmm, this is interesting. For years and years, lay audiences, magazines, etc have suggested smaller, more frequent meals is the BEST approach. Now Dr. Leidy’s research suggests otherwise. Maybe the smaller, more frequent feedings is more than it’s cracked up to be. And from her research it actually seems as if protein is the bigger "driver" when it comes to fat loss rather than how often you’re eating. This certainly isn’t the final word on this, but for now from our real world data combined with the science that’s out there, we suggest two things:
- Make sure you eat protein with every single meal (and snack, if you eat snacks)
- Do what works for you. For us that is smaller, more frequent meals — but our lifestyle allows that. The key is to plan ahead so whether you’re eating 3 larger meals or 3 smaller meals + 2 snacks, they’re super high quality.
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January 9th, 2013 at 9:35 am
honestly, I actually eat two big meals a day, but I followed suggestion #1 very strictly, and it worked out….I’d also suggest adding adequate amounts of fiber to meals as well
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January 9th, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Fitness and bodybuilding magazines recommend 6 small meals per day (with protein at each meal) because that’s what works for people competing in figure competitions or people who just want to be very lean.
For people who simply want to be in a “healthy” but not “ripped” bodyfat range, there is a lot more flexibility in how many meals per day can help them achieve that, and anywhere from 2-6 seems to work depending on the person.
The study above is working with obese people, not women who are trying to go from 15% body fat to 10% body fat.
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Chris and Kara Mohr Reply:
January 10th, 2013 at 2:01 pm
That’s an excellent point, Summer — there are a lot of ways to “skin a cat” as they say and I also know many physique competitors who follow intermittent fasting and only eat 2-3 times total per day. I like combining science with real life data, like you mentioned!
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January 10th, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Eating 3 or 6 meals per day has been a big question for me for years. While in the Navy I ate 4 large meals per day and kept my body fat at 8%, even on my last deployment at age 48. I found the secret was eating high quality meals (protein each meal), and climbing the aircraft carrier’s ladders. Of course the 100 hour work week (yes 7 days per week while at sea), kept me burning lots of calories. Now, 16 years later I am eating 3 healthy meals per day and training clients and working out 6 days a week does the trick. Best of Health! Wil G, WilPower Fitness, San Diego, CA
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