[dms6k]

Finding that grazing and 5-6 mini meals just is not working. I feel like I eat and want to eat all the time. Is anyone eating just 3 meals a day or 3 meals and a snack? Also what is your first meal of the day? It seems when I eat breakfast it just charges me up to want to keep eating. Thought about having lunch as first meal of day.

Thoughts anyone??

[sydneymarisa]

IMO the good thing about eating a great breakfast is that you will burn those calories off throughout the day doing your daily activities. You'll also have more energy for the day. I do know the feeling though, the first meal of the day kickstarts my feelings of hunger. I wonder if that is just habitual eating, though? I think you might have to train your body to not feel hungry when you are bored. If you are actually very hungry then perhaps increase your calorie intake for the first few weeks and slowly decrease it from there.

It might also benefit you to find some healthy, very low calorie snacks just to munch on throughout the day. When I work during the day, I happily eat 3 meals and then snack throughout the day on low calorie options

[IanG]

I skip dinner and eat a good sized breakfast and lunch instead. Worked a treat for me every day since Day 1.

And absolutely no snacking.

[FunSize]

I feel better when I don't snack! 3 meals and that's it. That way I can have bigger meals. The mini meals never satisfy me and neither does small snacks. I'd rather just have the will power to wait another few hours and have a bigger meal.

[Sage2]

I basically eat whenever hungry and it kind of works out to three meals and two snacks over a 24-hour period (midnight to midnight). My first meal of the day takes place anywhere from midnight to noon and I think of it as brunch, not breakfast.

[nonameslob]

I find it MUCH easier to not snack. It took a long time to feel that way, though. When I started 5:2 (a form of intermittent fasting) it was really, really difficult to get used to the idea of feeling HUNGRY. But eventually I realized that it's okay, it's usually mental hunger, and it goes away. I also noticed if I don't start eating, then I don't get hungry as quickly!

Experimenting with 16:8 (eat within a 8 hour window each day) was even more enlightening. Once I got used to it, I didn't need or want breakfast! I had so much energy in the mornings! And I was able to really enjoy lunch and dinner.

I say play around with your meals. If you stop snacking, you'll want to make your main meals a little bit bigger to make up for it. If you decide to nix breakfast, slowly wean yourself off of it (push it back by an hour, make it smaller, etc.). Keep in mind that it will be difficult at first so don't try it one day and then give up. It takes time to retrain your body.

You just need to find what works for you, regardless of what other people say is the "right" way to do it.