Study: 3 square meals a day paired with lean protein help...

SoATXGirl · Post by **SoATXGirl** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 7:05 pm

Hope no one else has posted this!

Eating fewer, regular-sized meals with higher amounts of lean protein can make one feel more full than eating smaller, more frequent meals, according to new research from Purdue University.

"We also found that despite the common trend of eating smaller, more frequent meals, eating frequency had relatively no beneficial impact on appetite control. The larger meals led to reductions in appetite, and people felt full."

http://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research ... lPork.html

librarylady · Post by **librarylady** » Thu Mar 31, 2011 8:18 pm

Dear me - this will upset the 6 meal a day folks! Great find SoATXGirl!

Here is another interesting quote:

Eating frequency also was tested because it is a common belief that eating more frequent, smaller meals a day can lead to weight loss. One of the reasons for this belief is that older studies suggest people who are overweight and obese tend to eat fewer meals.

"As a result, the idea was that fewer, larger meals were contributing or encouraging overconsumption and resulting in obesity and that the people who were more successful with weight control were eating smaller, more frequent meals," Campbell said. "But our findings turn that on its head. There also seems to be a growing consensus that these other dietary habits may not be accurately reported because obese and overweight people tend to conceal how frequently and how much they eat."

ruxpin55 · Post by **ruxpin55** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 1:42 am

good stuff.

I have to say, I have tried eating those "more frequent meals" and man, did I feel horrible afterward. I hated it! first of all, the shakes and the limited carbs, made me feel like I was going to throw up... I much prefer being able to eat real-people food and eating only 3 meals a day.

I think I am hitting a new point these days (one week in) and I am eating less, as a result of the no S diet (in combo to a bible study, that is encouraging fasting and part day fasting) I am really starting to know when I am full and I am really almost "liking" the feeling of hunger, it reminds me that I can eat *soon*, I like not having to cave to my weak self, as if one more hour will just "kill" me if I don't eat!... (sorry tangent)

clarinetgal · Post by **clarinetgal** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 6:34 am

That makes sense to me! Smaller meals flat out do not work for me. I am eating a 4th and sometimes 5th smaller meal now because I'm 19 weeks pregnant (I just follow my body's cues), but normally, 3 meals a day with lots of lean protein works VERY well for me.

oolala53 · Post by **oolala53** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 12:25 pm

As Reinhad has said, eating frequent meals may boost metabolism, but the long term inconvenience will probably doom it, I did manage for 7 years on work days, but it was such a relief not to have to worry about those perfect snacks when I switched. Plus, it's supposed to keep your blood sugar up and keep you from feeling hungry. Well, as a lot of us have found out, we eat even when we're not hungry, so saying it staves off hunger isn't always useful. Besides, I ate light enough that I did get hungry and was dependent on having low calorie snacks available.

In short. yup.

Katherine Ruth · Post by **Katherine Ruth** » Mon Apr 04, 2011 2:23 pm

Some of the folks eating 6 meals a day aren't doing just to boost metabolism, but because they believe their bodies need lots of protein, and that there's a limit to how much protein the body can assimilate at any one meal. I've seen some very lean, very fit people eating that way, but that may have more to do with their low overall calories and high level of activity than their meal pattern. In fact, I know one woman who is extremely lean with well defined muscles (fitness model physique) who got that way by eating very little overall, being very active (interestingly, not doing traditional workouts but doing farm work), and by smoking

.