weekends, i'm a two meals guy - small late breakfast (before going out and doing something), and a main meal (anytime between 5 and 7.30). Weekdays, I don't eat breakfast, seldom eat lunch (1-2 days out of 5 if at all). then my meal when I get home. I also never eat after 8pm any day of the week. I simply do not feel hungry. It's all about the water for me. Works for me so far, will adjust if I feel hungry.

This is all very interesting and informative.

When I was eating carbs, I couldn't stop snacking! So when I started induction, I tried to do 3 meals and 2 snacks. The past couple of weeks, though, I have been just eating breakfast, lunch, and supper, and I just realized that I have had fewer cravings.

Thank you for the thread. WereBear!

I've been looking a bit on the Internet for the current take on IR and meal sizes/frequency. The recommendation for people with IR seems to be frequent, smaller meals. And yet, that is exactly what many of us with IR have found to be less effective and sustainable. Personally, I think WereBear's explanation of why larger, less frequent meals works with IR makes more sense than the recommendation based on the fear of excess insulin from a larger meal. We're already putting out excess insulin. Let it go to good use rather than lead to more hunger/cravings.

I am definitely starting to believe in the theory of no snacking. I have been struggling with this issue the last few weeks. I haven't made any real weight loss progress either. I can't seem to stop snacking lately, I seem to want something out of the fridge every time I walk by it. I wish I could lock my fridge in the shed outside so I would stay out of it. I am trying today to make sure I don't do any snacking at all and just have my normal meals. I think when a person is used to overeating like am, a snack can easily turn into a binge.

Just set a new record for going without food: TEN HOURS.

I had a 3 egg omelet with lox & cream cheese, shredded romaine & capers. Then I went on a three hours mountain climb (both up & down) and carried heavy boxes and drove 166 miles and then I hiked on the flat for another hour and I started getting hungry and an hour later I had a steak dinner.

I don't think I need carbs for energy.

I know you posted this years ago but great advice! Eating a meal not a snack really helps and it actually fills(I originally type feels me up, lol but luckily I caught but it cracked me up so I had to share) me up.

I usually snack because I didn't eat a filling enough meal. I'm going whole30 right now, no sugar, dairy, or grains but I am trying to eliminate nuts and fruits snacks in the hopes that I can lose more weight as well.

I also love the progress not perfection. Flylady?

Interesting topic. I haven't found that gaps between meals, or snacks, make any difference to my weight. I have never engaged in "mindless eating" though. I tend to only snack if I am hungry. I am definitely better having proper meals though: missing meals or eating too little tends to lead to me binging on cheese. The thing which makes the biggest difference to my ability to lose weight is overshooting the carbs - even by a small amount, particularly in the first few hours of the day.

i lost all my weight eating 4-5 times a day. IF or even 2-3 meals a days is disaster for me. yes, there is such a thing as a small meal and this works for me. IF or larger and fewer meals triggers my bulimia. i don't like eating more than 400 calories at a meal, 100-150 for a snack. more than that and i'm uncomfortable and too full.

Well..this has been interesting reading. food for thought. I read this in the a.m. and I'm going to give "not snacking" a try.

If I look back to my most thin years; I remember I'd get up..grab a coffee...go to work.. eat a grilled chicken sandwich for lunch..maybe some fries...then in the evening eat grilled fish and asparagus..maybe drink a glass of white wine.

The weight came on when the obsession of constant food came on. Then when I've dieted it has been on six small meals a day.

I have to say.."having to eat" all the time has taken the fun out of food for me. It is exhausting. So is counting carbs or calories. Just too much thinking about what used to come natural.

It stands to logic that if you don't snack you'd be eating overall fewer calories and thus lose weight.

So..just for the sake of my own interest. I'm not going to snack this week and see what happens.

Quoted for truth.

Because I'm STILL eating only two meals a day. And STILL really happy about it!

I'm tempted to think it is less snacking that is the issue as not eating enough (or not eating enough nutrition or 'actual FOOD vs. junk') which causes the constant noshing-need to snack. So it's actually undereating originally. I agree with the above, if you're hungry enough to eat, ideally, EAT really eat real food and enough of it.

I did once (during a high weight loss period actually) make these little cocoa coconut-oil/cream 'bites', and kept them in a ziploc in the fridge. I got in the habit of going and getting one of those if I felt like I needed something but not a whole meal (as I was sometimes eating tons of itty-bitty meals a day then).

So for people who can't seem to cure snacking or are driven to it by other factors (e.g. boredom/social), maybe making a harmless (but for calories I suppose) snack like that would make it possible to have a little of it but not destroy oneself.

PJ

Very interesting topic glad it was resurrected.

I stalled for a few weeks and by eliminating snacks I have lost 12lbs in 3 weeks. Now the problem with that has been that I have got myself into hot water a couple of times because I believe I was not eating enough. I have gotten so used to over indulging myself that I am out of touch with what my body actually needs, however, I am beginning to learn and understand it.

What I have found in my case is that snacking is habit forming. my body/mind gets used to those little treats. It's not real hunger, but familiarity.



A few times lately I have cooked and when it was ready and I began to plate up I realised that I wasn't hungry at all and found myself looking at the food while asking myself "why did I do that". I would then put it aside till later. The thought of the food was stronger than my bodies requirement.

I snack way less.
I do like at least 2 meals per day and I am full. but if I can squeeze in a giant breakfast I do way better thru the whole day.

I do snack tho if wanted. I never deny myself food on my atkins plan. but with the hunger at bay, snacking just isn't needed as much.

my snacking is controlled by my hunger, no longer just a desire to eat when bored or anything else.

I tend to snack rather than have meals. I have a small brunch and then snack on nuts, cheese etc a couple of times for the rest of the day

Jo xxx

Just wanted to bump this thread to say it's STILL working for me! What say you all?