Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day thing.

Posted by: Steel91

Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day thing. - 08/26/06 11:42 AM

Is this method only good for body builders or can it be used for anyone wanting to get in better shape? Also, is it even necessary for people who are already happy with their weight?
Posted by: Dereck

Re: Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day th - 08/26/06 01:07 PM

5 to 6 meals a day is good for anybody. Eating properly is important and it is recommended, and I follow this practice, to eat 5 to 6 meals a day. These are not big meals but smart meals. What you would normally eat “to be fit” in a day, break up into 5 to 6 smaller meals. I’ll try to explain the reasoning behind this.

Take an average person who is fit and eats 3 meals a day like the normal population. When they eat their body will use whatever it needs for energy at that time and then the rest will be stored for energy later on … in other words fat. While a person may be fit when they are younger and their body can naturally or through physical exercise burn this fat more efficiently, this can and for most will change as they get older or less actice. This little bit of fat become more of a problem especially when they get older and their metabolism slows down and they cannot burn this energy/fat as effectively so it becomes more noticeable. Now by breaking these 3 meals down into 5 or 6 meals, your body can only use what energy is given and if it needs more it will need to use the energy that it has in store … fat. This is why I would suggest for even the average person who doesn't exercise and who wishes to loose a few pounds to try this instead of a diet; cut back what you eat but eat smarter. Starting something like this while you are younger (or when fit), and then try to make it a habit can show benefits later in your life when you need it the most.
Posted by: Crash

Re: Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day th - 08/27/06 06:27 PM

Also if you still want to eat your regular 3 squares a day then you may want to try makeing breakfast your biggest meal and dinner your smallest, This will make your metabolisim more efficient. You eat most when your active through the day and less when your not, this will stop you from packing on more excess weight, common sense
Posted by: Dereck

Re: Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day th - 08/27/06 07:32 PM

Correct, you would probably want your breakfast and your lunch to be bigger meals then your supper as usually after supper you are not moving around too much and you would not require that extra energy thus it will not get burned off and will be stored. Overtime those stores will get bigger and bigger ... and so will your waistline.

I wish they would teach this stuff in school. I remember taking nutrition as an elective course in school and never ever learned this stuff. I remember in elementary school we had food months where we were introduced to proper eating ... but back in the 70's we also were more active so eating like that was okay but not now where there is less physical activity in the youth as well as adults. Why can't school teach good stuff like proper eating habits, physical fitness, balancing budgets, etc. ... you know, useful things required in life. I'm just wondering when I'm going to get a chance to use all of those skills I learned in school that were useless.
Posted by: Crash

Re: Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day th - 08/27/06 07:56 PM

Quote:

Why can't school teach good stuff like proper eating habits, physical fitness, balancing budgets, etc. ... you know, useful things required in life. I'm just wondering when I'm going to get a chance to use all of those skills I learned in school that were useless.




I'm with you dude!
Posted by: Steel91

Re: Question on the 5 to 6 smaller meal per day th - 08/27/06 08:40 PM

Yeah really, about the only thing we do at P.E. is 10 situps, 10 pushups, and 10 jumping jacks, whooopdeedoo! Then we just walk around the gym or play half hearted games of volleyball or basketball. Makes me sick!