I have been eating low carb for about a month and a half. Initially, I ate 3 meals and two snacks. Now I find myself eating two boiled eggs for breakfast, (at about 8:30), a chicken ceaser salad for lunch (at around 1) and supper with vegetables and protein (at around 5:30). Often I somewhat force eat out of habit, and out of knowing that by not eating often enough I will slow down my metabolism. Should I be eating more often, just smaller portions? Let me know. Thanks.

I'm not one for the theory about eating lots of smaller meals boosts metabolism. there's an equivalent # of pages saying three meals a day no snacks has a different but just as powerful impact.

If you're not hungry, don't eat.

listen to what your body tells you. granted you don't want to go several hours without eating, and if you need smaller portions to satisfy you, then maybe doing smaller meals throughout the day is the way to go. just make sure you get plenty of fat in your meals.

I try to eat when I am physically hungry....and try not to eat when "emotionally" hungry. Take care! Kim

I don't wait till I feel hunger pangs cuz then I will eat anything. I am very regular at spacing my meals with this expectation. I know when I have a window of need for food without overeating. The idea is control. If you allow yourself to get hungry, you are out of control. BUT, lc made it easy for me to achieve that control over hunger pangs. Actually, hunger became a milder and kinder feeling for me.

Lately I could go without eating! Just not hungry most of the time. Thing is I don't want to end up in starvation mode so I force myself to eat a little something and then definitely have dinner plus some sort of snack at night. Been wondering if maybe I'd do better loosing if I just didn't eat till I was hungry.

If I wait until I'm really hungry, I won't be able to stop eating. I usually try to eat every few hours so I don't get that way.

I am never hungry (benefit of ketosis); hence, I force myself to eat as food grosses me out to be honest. Unfortunately, I am guilty of skipping breakfast and lunch most days ..... I am not a good role model here! It sounds as if you are doing great! Jill

I keep to a schedule whether I'm hungry or not.

Coffee (sometimes nuts if I'm hungry mid-morning)

Lunch (salad, cheese, nuts)

Dinner (meat, veggie, Dreamfields if I've been good)

Snack (LC popcorn, SF heavy cream/whipped)

It is so great to be on a board with folks who honor what works for them....instead of trying to follow what works for other people. I should clarify what I meant when I say I wait until I am physically hungry....for me this means when I feel the slightest pang that I need a few bites or a light snack. If I wait until the slighest pang passes and I become ravenous.....my eating then goes out of control. So, I try to listen to my body....and make sure when I eat I do my best to follow the LC lifestyle. Take care!!! So good to journey with all of you! Kim

I found, once I broke free of my carb addiction and the hunger and cravings went away, that my natural appetite only seems to want 2 meals a day, on a schedule something like 11 am and 6 pm.
But I'm diabetic, of which they always recommend frequent smaller meals, and take meds and supplements that instruct 3 times a day with food, so I try to do 3 meals a day.

What a great question. I found out that I only eat a couple of times a day too. I eat a small snack in the morning when I get to work. (5 a.m.), then at break time I eat a salad or some meat (9:30 a.m.), then when others go to lunch at 12:30, I am just not hungry. sometimes I eat whatever I had left from break if I didn't eat it all, or I just skip lunch. When I get home, I try to eat whatever carbs to at least get 20 - 25 in for the day. Sometimes it's a salad, sometimes it's only a square of dark *85% chocolate. It seems to be working for me. My pants are fitting a lot looser.

Sometimes I eat "on schedule", sometimes only when I'm hungry.

The schedule works best when I don't expect to have a chance to eat for several hours, and want to make sure I don't wait too long to eat.

The "hunger" cues don't need to be very strong for me to decide it's time to eat either, although the lower carb I go, the less frequently I get hungry.

SOmetimes I have to eat on a schedule. I'll find if I don't I will hit starving and then hit a craving. Another wierd thing for me is I will find I am 'not hungry' right before I hit starving. I have to try to eat RIGHT before the not hungry feeling. It's really wierd.

The only meal I eat by schedule is breakfast. If I don't consciously make myself eat something within an hour of getting up in the morning it would be noon before I'm hungry. Waiting to eat that late would wreck my metabolism. The rest of the day, I eat when I'm hungry. I usually eat 5 or 6 small meals/snacks throughout the day.