Making easy even easier!
How often should I eat?
Recommendations for meal frequency have changed a lot over the last few years. Nowadays, there are endless studies and research promoting anything and everything from 1 meal a day all the way up to 14 meals per day!
The actual number of meals best for you depends on your goals, gender, genetics, lifestyle, and personal preferences. I’ll provide you with three different options to choose from, and include some specific suggestions for you based on modern science and best practices.
How It CAN Help
The best nutrition program is one you can keep, and if you can consistently stick with it long enough, you’ll soon have an awesome physique. Meal timing can be great for improving diet adherence.
Meal Timing Benefits:
- Stable and sustained energy.
- Enhanced workout performance.
- Improved appetite signalling and control.
- Less chance of binges or relapses.
- Better nutritional adherence.
- Stable and sustained energy.
- Enhanced workout performance.
- Improved appetite signalling and control.
- Less chance of binges or relapses.
- Better nutritional adherence.
How It CAN’T Help
It appeals to us that something as simple as changing the timing of meals can have a significant effect. I see people go mad for any replacement shortcut to actually putting in some effort. Marketers take advantage of this to sell entire nutrition programs, all based on a little bit of meal timing jargon and neglecting the bigger picture of nutritional quantity and quality.
A Word of Warning:
Meal timing MUST HAVE proper nutrition. If you’re eating a poor diet and not paying attention to what you eat then meal timing will do very little for you. It’s important that you emphasize quality meals while being accountable for your total intake.
Intermittent Fasting
Ideal for fat burning
Intermittent fasting is the alternation of periods of food intake with longer periods (usually 16–48 h) of minimal to no food intake.
The current evidence on intermittent fasting is still relatively new, but studies are starting to indicate improvements in various health markers. These include improved insulin sensitivity, increased fat metabolism, enhanced cognition, and mental focus, and even an increase in growth hormone and testosterone production.
Further reading on intermittent fasting observations
Research References
- Ho, K.Y., Veldhuis, J.D., Johnson, M.L., Furlanetto, R., Evans, W.S., Alberti, K.G., and Thorner, M.O. (1988). Fasting enhances growth hormone secretion and amplifies the complex rhythms of growth hormone secretion in man. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 81(4), 968-975.
- Kim S. Stote, Baer, D. J., Spears, K., Paul, D. R., et al. (2007). A controlled trial of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction in healthy, normal-weight, middle-aged adults Am J Clin Nutr April 2007 85: 4 981-988.
- Munsters MJM, Saris WHM (2012) Effects of Meal Frequency on Metabolic Profiles and Substrate Partitioning in Lean Healthy Males. PLoS ONE 7(6): e38632.
- Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes . Ageing Res Rev. (2016)
- Tinsley GM, La Bounty PM Effects of intermittent fasting on body composition and clinical health markers in humans . Nutr Rev. (2015)
- Geliebter A, et al. Skipping breakfast leads to weight loss but also elevated cholesterol compared with consuming daily breakfasts of oat porridge or frosted cornflakes in overweight individuals: a randomised controlled trial . J Nutr Sci. (2014)
- Betts JA, et al. The causal role of breakfast in energy balance and health: a randomized controlled trial in lean adults . Am J Clin Nutr. (2014)
- Longo VD, Mattson MP Fasting: molecular mechanisms and clinical applications . Cell Metab. (2014)
- Masoro EJ Overview of caloric restriction and ageing . Mech Ageing Dev. (2005)
- Mattison JA, et al. Impact of caloric restriction on health and survival in rhesus monkeys from the NIA study . Nature. (2012)
- Horne BD, Muhlestein JB, Anderson JL Health effects of intermittent fasting: hormesis or harm? A systematic review . Am J Clin Nutr. (2015)
- Wei M, et al. Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease . Sci Transl Med. (2017)
- Jakubowicz D, et al. Fasting until noon triggers increased postprandial hyperglycemia and impaired insulin response after lunch and dinner in individuals with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial . Diabetes Care. (2015)
- Marc David, founder of the Institute for the Psychology of Eating
- Roki R, et al. Physiological and chronobiological changes during Ramadan intermittent fasting. Ann Nutr Metab. 2004;48(4):296-303. Epub 2004 Sep
- Bener A, et al. Road traffic injuries in Al-Ain City, United Arab Emirates. J R Soc Health. 1992 Dec;112(6):273-6.
- http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15833943?dopt=Abstract
- Lakka TA, Laaksonen DE. Physical activity in prevention and treatment of the metabolic syndrome. Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. 2007 Feb;32(1):76-88.
- Carrol S, Dudfeld M. What is the relationship between exercise and metabolic abnormalities? A review of the metabolic syndrome. Sports Med. 2004;34(6):371-418.
- Farshchi HR, et al. Deleterious effects of omitting breakfast on insulin sensitivity and fasting lipid profiles in healthy lean women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Feb;81(2):388-96.
- Baty JJ, et al. The effect of a carbohydrate and protein supplement on resistance exercise performance, hormonal response, and muscle damage. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 May;21(2):321-9.
- Bird SP, et al. Liquid carbohydrate/essential amino acid ingestion during a short-term bout of resistance exercise suppresses myofibrillar protein degradation. Metabolism. 2006 May;55(5):570-7.
How to do Intermittent Fasting
Just Skip breakfast
There are many different ways to do intermittent fasting, but too many people overcomplicate eating things (precise feeding windows and training times), which makes fasting a rigid burden on your life. Instead, I believe in making this as comfortable, effective, and enjoyable as possible, and it’s so simple!
Whatever time you wake up, wait for four to eight hours until your first meal. If you wake up at 5 am, have lunch at 11 am. If you wake up at 8 am, have lunch at 2 pm.
During the fasted state, you are in the “golden age” of subcutaneous fat oxidation. It will take a few days to get your body used to it (like digestive jet lag), but as you get adjusted to the new routine, each fasting period will bring a heightened experience of focus, alertness, and energy, along with a natural urge to be active and productive.
The problem with extended fasting.
Some alternative (but not recommended) fasting protocols include:
Alternate-Day Fasting – Eating period of 12 hours then a fast for 36 hours.
Eat-Stop-Eat – Fasting for 24 hours at regular intervals (e.g. two days per week in the 5:2 Diet).
Random Meal Skipping – Skipping meals randomly throughout the week.
Why I don’t recommend these:
Extended fasting disrupts your body clock: Your body clock operates around a 24-hour cycle that dictates your innate circadian rhythm. Extended fasting programs can disrupt that cycle, leading to symptoms such as disrupted sleep, agitation, digestive disorders, constipation, chronic fatigue, chronic cravings for sweets and carbs, fat gain, and lower resistance to stress.
Extended fasting wastes muscle: Fasting for 20+ hours can deplete liver glycogen and available protein, shifting you into a catabolic state. This will compromise your training performance and ability to recover or grow muscle.
Extended fasting affects metabolism: Irregular eating patterns can have negative metabolic effects, at least in the absence of formal exercise.
Daily intermittent fasting works with your body.
We want to fast for enough time in the fasted state to experience the benefits above without impairing muscle growth. I recommend a fasting length in the range of 14 to 18 hours.
We are all creatures of habit and by settling into a consistent daily fasting routine you can repeat, your nutrition plan will be easier and simpler to adhere to.
How to Make Fasting Easy
During the morning, your body will maximize the benefits of fasting while making it work with your body and your natural systems. Your growth hormone levels rise, which helps preserve muscle. Your insulin remains low (and sensitive), which encourages your body to mobilize stored body fat for energy. By having improved insulin sensitivity, you will better direct carbs into your muscle stores and away from fat storage when you eat after training.
Intermittent fasting shouldn’t feel like counting down the hours before you get to eat. Enjoy it. Remember, this is the feeling of fat burning! We want to get you comfortable with your new routine, so here are some tips that will help:
Six ways to make fasting easy and effective!
Be active!
During the fast, your body is pulling fat out of storage, ready to be burned. So get burning!
Go for a workout, stay up on your feet as much as possible, walk around, stay active, and off your seat as much as possible. Use the fasting time to burn fat while it is most easily available.
If you aren’t active during this time, the energy will be restored in fat cells for later use.
Lots of water
Your body is mostly water, and it regularly needs topping up for optimal function. Keep a large bottle of water next to you on your desk or in your bag, and you’ll surprise yourself how often your body wants a sip!
Often when you think you’re hungry for food, you’re actually thirsty for water. The best drinks for quenching your thirst are water, tea, and coffee. On the times when your body is thirsty, water is what you need.
Water will fill up your stomach and suppress your appetite. It will hydrate your muscles and keep you feeling fresh and alert during your fast.
Use Caffeine!
Caffeine is really powerful when taken in a fasted state. It stimulates body fat mobilization from fat cells, ready to be burned for energy. Caffeine also dulls your appetite, provides energy, and heightens mental alertness. Not to mention, coffee is associated with plenty of positive health benefits.
Limit your caffeine intake to only the fasting portion of the day to ensure you stay sensitized to the effects of caffeine. Enjoy a couple of cups of black coffee during the fast. For the rest of the day, enjoy tea.
Make sure your coffee has no calories (no milk or sugar) so that it doesn’t break your fasting period. If you don’t like black coffee (like me), then try a sugar-free caffeine drink.
Burning Out?
Most fasted weight-lifting workouts and sports, even intense ones, will work well and be great fun during your morning fasting period. But in some situations, prolonged or high-intensity sessions during the fast, can burn off your limited glycogen stores, leading you to feel depleted and running low on fumes.
If this is the case, you can either move your intense activities to the afternoon once you have had some quality carbs in your first meal, or you can supplement some simple carbs into your fasting periods such as some fruit (see fruit boost option), juice, honey, or other simple sugars.
Feed your muscles
The body doesn’t really store protein anywhere to be used for muscle growth, so for optimal protein synthesis (muscle growth), you need a frequent and steady supply of protein into the body throughout the daytime. This doesn’t really work well with intermittent fasting obviously, so what do we do?
I recommend having either a whey protein shake (with water) before a fasted workout or an essential amino acid (EAA) supplement. This will ensure your muscles have a steady supply of protein during the whole day, and the protein will protect your muscles from being used for energy during your fasted workouts. (Resource reference here)
Optional - Fruit Boost!
If you find yourself getting too hungry before your first meal, try snacking on a piece of fruit. Fruit is very useful in the fasted state as it replenishes liver glycogen and down-regulates hunger signals.
Experiment with 1 to 2 servings of fruit during the morning to blunt your hunger. I sometimes have a crunchy apple before my first meal and a banana after my workout. Bananas are higher in glucose so they do a better job at replenishing muscle glycogen than most fruits. Bananas also stimulate the release of serotonin in the brain, which improves relaxation after my workout. Not only that but bananas are full of magnesium and potassium, which prevents cramping and promotes muscle relaxation, further enhancing recovery.
How to eat at meal time
Remember the habits of GET FIT FOREVER
Intermittent fasting is excellent at resensitizing your hunger signals and teaching you what true physical hunger feels like compared to emotional hunger.
When it’s time to eat, the principle throughout all the five fit forever habits is the same: trust the wisdom of your body. You do that by paying close attention to its signals:
When you’re truly hungry, eat!
Eat what your body wants.
When eating, slow down and really enjoy it.
Then when you get the signal from your body, just stop.
When you’re not eating, enjoy moving your body.
Listen to your taste preferences and pay attention to how your body reacts to foods and drinks.
The benefits of fasting simply come from spending a sufficient duration in the fasted state. Instead of some arbitrary feasting window, simply start your meals anywhere from 4 to 8 hours after you typically wake up.
Personally, the sweet spot for me seems to be about 6 hours, but it varies as I listen to my body’s signals to determine when I should eat my first meal. You may prefer to fast well into the day, or you may prefer to eat just 4 hours after rising. Whichever time period you find more enjoyable is the strategy I encourage and keep in mind it may change over time.
Don’t worry about eating your meals at the same exact time each day. If on one particular day, your schedule requires a meal earlier or later than usual, it won’t make any real difference. Keep it simple and keep it flexible, meal timing should be kept stress-free.
“Standard” Three Meals
Ideal for maintenance
Going all morning without any food may not sound like a fun ride for you. Is it okay to just stick with three square meals per day? Absolutely. In fact, settling into a three-meals-a-day pattern is easily achievable for most people and can be a reasonable compromise.
A standard meal pattern may improve satiety and reduce hunger, as well as enhance blood sugar control in males who are relatively lean and otherwise healthy. After just a few days of simply eating higher quality foods (rich in fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats), blood sugar control, hunger management, and energy start to take care of themselves, and appetite signals become manageable with just three substantial meals.
I encourage this strategy with some of my new clients in the first month or two of their programs for a few reasons:
First, it’s much easier to anticipate and plan for three good meals per day rather than get worked up planning and preparing five or more separate eating episodes. The result is much less mental fatigue and complexity.
Second, it fits in more conveniently with most peoples’ lifestyles to eat a standard three meals per day.
Third, it helps them tune into their hunger and satisfaction cues to gauge their metabolic “flexibility” as they start to realize it’s perfectly fine to feel hungry on occasion (remember hunger is the feeling of fat-burning occurring!).
Forth, it provides the flexibility and practicality to facilitate other lifestyle changes that probably need to happen concurrently anyway, such as sleep patterns and exercise.
If my clients are eating enough to satisfy hunger, energy requirements (calories) are spread across three meals per day and they are still hungry for a fourth meal on a regular basis, they either need to eat more at each of those three meals or go to bed earlier to lower ghrelin (the hunger hormone) and assist leptin production (fat burning hormone). Eating more frequently and under-sleeping on a regular basis can do wonders!
Research References
- Munsters MJM, Saris WHM (2012) Effects of Meal Frequency on Metabolic Profiles and Substrate Partitioning in Lean Healthy Males. PLoS ONE 7(6): e38632.
- McDonald, L, A Guide To Flexible Dieting 2005: Lyle McDonald Publishing
- Helms, ER, AA Aragon, and PJ Fitschen, Evidence-based recommendations for natural bodybuilding contest preparation: nutrition and supplementation. Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition, 2014 11(1): p 20
- Stote, KS, et al, A controlled trial of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction
- Leidy, HJ, et al, The influence of higher protein intake and greater eating frequency on appetite control in overweight and obese men. Obesity (Silver Spring), 2010 18(9): p 1725-32
- Arciero, PJ, et al, Increased protein intake and meal frequency reduces abdominal fat during energy balance and energy de cit Obesity (Silver Spring), 2013 21(7): p 1357-66
- Farshchi, HR, MA Taylor, and IA Macdonald, Regular meal frequency creates more appropriate insulin sensitivity and lipid profiles compared with irregular meal frequency in healthy lean women Eur J Clin Nutr, 2004 58(7): p 1071-7
- Iwao, S, K Mori, and Y Sato, Effects of meal frequency on body composition during weight control in boxers Scand J Med Sci Sports, 1996 6(5): p 265-72
- Munsters, MJ and WH Saris, Effects of meal frequency on metabolic profiles and substrate partitioning in lean healthy males. PLoS One, 2012 7(6): p e38632
- Taylor, MA and JS Garrow, Compared with nibbling, neither gorging nor a morning fast affect short-term energy balance in obese patients in a chamber calorimeter. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord, 2001 25(4): p 519-28
- Verboeket-van de Venne, WP and KR Westerterp, Influence of the feeding frequency on nutrient utilisation in man: consequences for energy metabolism. Eur J Clin Nutr, 1991 45(3): p 161-9
- Farshchi, HR, MA Taylor, and IA Macdonald, Decreased thermic effect of food after an irregular compared with a regular meal pattern in healthy lean women Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord, 2004 28(5): p 653-60
Frequent Meals
Ideal for hard gainers
In the 80s and 90s, the common belief was that eating frequently (every two to three hours) “stoked” your metabolism. They were mistaken. A recent study has examined and disproven this theory. If calories and meal composition are equal but eaten in two meals, three meals, or divided into six meals per day, there was no difference in metabolism or weight loss. Nonetheless, eating frequently does have advantages.
If you are gaining weight, large or active, you can thrive on higher meal frequencies. It can get to a point where it’s not comfortable (or practical) to eat just two meals a day because of the volume of food that needs to be consumed. Consider splitting your meals into four to six meals, or having liquid meals/snacks. Though there are no likely benefits to eating more than four meals a day, it is perfectly fine to eat more if you wish.
Easier to hit your optimal amount of protein, each day when more meals are eaten. Both men and women alike fall short on protein when they only eat 2 or 3 meals a day. By simply eating a portion of protein at every meal and adding another feeding or two (whole food meal or a protein shake), you’ll easily hit your daily protein needs.
Difficulty controlling blood sugar levels: If this is the case with you, you will benefit too from higher frequencies by avoiding the overwhelming hunger signals associated with low blood sugars. Likewise, for some people, “nibbling” throughout the day can be a good strategy to manage portions and avoid binge-eating episodes.
Overall, eating more often (4, 5, 6 times) is optional based on personal preferences and practical application. If you find yourself eating frequently, and you experience more appetite control and success with frequent meals at this point in your journey, this is perfect for you.
Plan to eat colorful veggies, protein-rich foods, and healthy fats for most of your mini-meals. This way your blood sugar, hunger, and energy levels will be easiest to manage. You could have 2-3 meals, along with 2 – 3 snacks, for a total of 4 – 6 meals. The snacks wouldn’t require any meal prep or cooking – as they could be as simple as a piece of fruit, a Greek yogurt, some carrot sticks, or a protein shake.
If however, eating 5 or 6 whole food meals a day is a burden to you with the food prep and time spent eating, or it makes it harder to stick with your plan, not easier, then you might be better off with fewer meals.
Be careful that eating more frequently doesn’t work against you by forcing you to eat based on the clock rather than based on natural hunger, satisfaction, and energy cues. Listen to your natural hunger and satisfaction signals. The exception is if you have a poor appetite and want to bulk up. If this is your situation and being too full is becoming an issue for you, you can increase meal frequency to reduce meal size and help you force the food down in order to add more weight.
Research References
- Jameason D. Cameron, Marie-Josée Cyr and Éric Doucet (2010). Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss in subjects who were prescribed an 8-week equi-energetic energy-restricted diet. British Journal of Nutrition, 103, pp 1098-1101.
- Rania A. Mekary, Giovannucci E., Willett, W., van Dam, R., and Hu, F. (2012). Eating patterns and type 2 diabetes risk in men: breakfast omission, eating frequency, and snacking Am J Clin Nutr 2012 95: 5 1182-1189.
- Palmer MA, Capra S, Baines SK Association between eating frequency, weight, and health . Nutr Rev. (2009)
- Bellisle F, McDevitt R, Prentice AM Meal frequency and energy balance . Br J Nutr. (1997)
- Leidy HJ, Campbell WW The effect of eating frequency on appetite control and food intake: brief synopsis of controlled feeding studies . J Nutr. (2011)
- Taylor MA, Garrow JS Compared with nibbling, neither gorging nor a morning fast affect short-term energy balance in obese patients in a chamber calorimeter . Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. (2001)
- Verboeket-van de Venne WP, Westerterp KR Influence of the feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism . Eur J Clin Nutr. (1991)
- Smeets AJ, Westerterp-Plantenga MS Acute effects on metabolism and appetite profile of one meal difference in the lower range of meal frequency . Br J Nutr. (2008)
- Cameron JD, Cyr MJ, Doucet E Increased meal frequency does not promote greater weight loss in subjects who were prescribed an 8-week equi-energetic energy-restricted diet . Br J Nutr. (2010)
- Verboeket-van de Venne WP, Westerterp KR Frequency of feeding, weight reduction and energy metabolism . Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. (1993)
- Munsters MJ, Saris WH Effects of meal frequency on metabolic profiles and substrate partitioning in lean healthy males . PLoS One. (2012)
- Pearcey SM, de Castro JM Food intake and meal patterns of weight-stable and weight-gaining persons . Am J Clin Nutr. (2002)
- Webber J, Macdonald IA The cardiovascular, metabolic and hormonal changes accompanying acute starvation in men and women . Br J Nutr. (1994)
- Mansell PI, Fellows IW, Macdonald IA Enhanced thermogenic response to epinephrine after 48-h starvation in humans . Am J Physiol. (1990)
- Heilbronn LK, et al. Alternate-day fasting in nonobese subjects: effects on body weight, body composition, and energy metabolism . Am J Clin Nutr. (2005)
- Zerguini Y, et al. Influence of Ramadan fasting on physiological and performance variables in football players: summary of the F-MARC 2006 Ramadan fasting study . J Sports Sci. (2008)
- Chennaoui M, et al. Effects of Ramadan fasting on physical performance and metabolic, hormonal, and inflammatory parameters in middle-distance runners . Appl Physiol Nutr Metab. (2009)
- Sadiya A, et al. Effect of Ramadan fasting on metabolic markers, body composition, and dietary intake in Emiratis of Ajman (UAE) with metabolic syndrome . Diabetes Metab Syndr Obes. (2011)
- Shariatpanahi ZV, et al. Effect of Ramadan fasting on some indices of insulin resistance and components of the metabolic syndrome in healthy male adults . Br J Nutr. (2008)
- Yarahmadi Sh, et al. Metabolic and clinical effects of Ramadan fasting in patients with type II diabetes . J Coll Physicians Surg Pak. (2003)
- Bouguerra R, et al. {Metabolic effects of the month of Ramadan fasting on type 2 diabetes} . East Mediterr Health J. (2003)
- Food intake patterns and body mass index in observational studies
- Bertéus Forslund H, et al. Meal patterns and obesity in Swedish women-a simple instrument describing usual meal types, frequency and temporal distribution . Eur J Clin Nutr. (2002)
- Drummond SE, et al. Evidence that eating frequency is inversely related to body weight status in male, but not female, non-obese adults reporting valid dietary intakes . Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. (1998)
- International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: meal frequency
- Observational Studies Refuting the Effectiveness of Increased Meal Frequency on Weight loss/Fat loss
- Titan SM, et al. Frequency of eating and concentrations of serum cholesterol in the Norfolk population of the European prospective investigation into cancer (EPIC-Norfolk): cross sectional study . BMJ. (2001)
- Howarth NC, et al. Eating patterns and dietary composition in relation to BMI in younger and older adults . Int J Obes (Lond). (2007)
- Duval K, et al. Physical activity is a confounding factor of the relation between eating frequency and body composition . Am J Clin Nutr. (2008)
- Weinsier RL, et al. Metabolic predictors of obesity. Contribution of resting energy expenditure, thermic effect of food, and fuel utilization to four-year weight gain of post-obese and never-obese women . J Clin Invest. (1995)
- Saris WH Fit, fat and fat free: the metabolic aspects of weight control . Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. (1998)
- Farshchi HR, Taylor MA, Macdonald IA Decreased thermic effect of food after an irregular compared with a regular meal pattern in healthy lean women . Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. (2004)
- Farshchi HR, Taylor MA, Macdonald IA Beneficial metabolic effects of regular meal frequency on dietary thermogenesis, insulin sensitivity, and fasting lipid profiles in healthy obese women . Am J Clin Nutr. (2005)
- Yannakoulia M, et al. Association of eating frequency with body fatness in pre- and postmenopausal women . Obesity (Silver Spring). (2007)
- Adechian S, et al. Protein feeding pattern, casein feeding or milk soluble protein feeding did not change the evolution of body composition during a short-term weight loss program . Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. (2012)
- Solomon TP, et al. The effect of feeding frequency on insulin and ghrelin responses in human subjects . Br J Nutr. (2008)
Closing thoughts
“Remember, meal timing isn’t magic. The foundations of food quantity and quality are far more important compared to when you choose to eat your meals during the day. At the end of the day, the best meal timing option for you is one you can STICK with long term comfortably, simply and easily.”
The numbers below represent my personal opinion of nutritional importance.
100 %
80 %
75 %
10 %
5 %