The claim that you need to eat many smaller meals per day to “stoke the metabolic” fire and accelerate fat loss and control hunger, has been part of the mainstream diet advice for quite some time.
It seems to make sense at first.
When you eat, your metabolic rate increases as it breaks down the food. Thus, if you eat every few hours, your metabolism will remain in a constantly elevated state, right? And nibbling on food throughout the day should help with appetite control, right?
Well, like many of the myths that seem to make sense on paper, they just don’t pan out in clinical research.
Meal Frequency, Your Metabolism, and Weight Loss
Each type of macronutrient (protein, carbohydrate, and fat) requires varying amounts of energy to break down and process. This is the thermic effect of food, and is the metabolic “boost” that comes with eating.
The magnitude and duration of that boost depends on how much you eat. A small meal causes a small metabolic spike that doesn’t last very long, whereas a large meal produces a larger spike that lasts longer.
So the question, then, is does more, smaller meals per day increases total energy expenditure over a 24-hour period than fewer, larger meals?
Well, in an extensive review of literature, scientists at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research looked at scores of studies comparing the thermic effect of food in a wide variety of eating patterns, ranging from 1-17 meals per day.In terms of 24-hour energy expenditure, they found no difference between nibbling and gorging. Small meals caused small, short metabolic boosts, and large meals caused larger, longer boosts, and by the end of each day, they balanced out in terms of total calories burned.
We can also look to a weight loss study conducted by the University of Ontario, which split into two dietary groups: 3 meals per day and 3 meals plus 3 snacks per day, with both in a caloric restriction for weight loss. After 8 weeks, 16 participants completed the study and researchers found no significant difference in average weight loss, fat loss, and muscle loss.
So, while increasing meal frequency can make dieting more enjoyable for some, it doesn’t help us burn more energy and thus lose more fat.
Meal Frequency and Appetite
A study conducted by the University of Missouri with 27 overweight/obese men found that after 12 weeks of dieting to lose weight, increasing protein intake improved appetite control, but meal frequency (3 vs. 6 meals per day) had no effect.
The University of Kansas investigated the effects of meal frequency and protein intake on perceived appetite, satiety, and hormonal responses in overweight/obese men. They found that higher protein intake led to greater feelings of fullness, and that 6 meals actually resulted in lower daily fullness than 3 meals.
On the other hand, you can find studies wherein participants were less satiated on 3 meals per day, and found that increasing meal frequency increased feelings of fullness and made it easier to stick to their diets.
The bottom line is that there are many variables involved, including psychological ones, and clinical evidence shows that both more or fewer meals per day are effective for weight loss, and have no inherent drawbacks or advantages in terms of metabolic rate and appetite control.
So How Many Meals per Day, Then?
I still recommend that people eat several (5 to 7 depending on acivity level and goals) smaller meals per day for many reasons:
(1) Most people are better satisfied and binge less when eating smaller meals.
(2) It enables people to keep their protein levels and blood sugar levels more constant - a must for people looking to maximize lean muscle, and minimize stored fat.
(3) It keeps most people from gorging then going several hours with food/nutrition.
Bottom Line
(For many people smaller more frequent meals will be the most beneficial for weight loss. However there are some people who are not looking to be bodybuilders or who do not need a constant flow of nutrition three larger meals may suffice.
Whether you're someone who prefers smaller meals space throughout the day for three larger meals the key to weight loss is to ensure you're getting the right amount of calories for your goals in the right amount of macro nutrients for your goals. Obviously me your contact is extremely important when you're eating for success.
With that being said, it is important to look at your goals whether it's weight loss or muscle building, and your caloric needs when determining the right meal plan for you
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