Anyone else eat 1 meal a day?

[Sick_beard]

I find it much easier to plan and count your calories/ macros that way. Just one glorious meal and you're good for the day!

It all started out while giving intermittent fasting a try. Started out with the recommended 8 hour eating window, eventually worked my way down to 15 heavenly mins

[kelkel]

You'll never make progress on that meal plan....

[Sick_beard]

You'll never make progress on that meal plan....

Why not? I have in the past. Meal frequency has no impact on body composition.

[The Bear 79]

IFBB pros eat every 3 - 4 hours for a reason.

You should research how the body processes the nutrients provided & how long it takes to do so.

You're just spinning your wheels man, I know you think you've got it figured out but you WILL hit a wall soon.

[Lunk1]

For me it's an energy issue. I am not one who buys intp the 8 meal a day crap but I like a solid Bfast to provide me energy through most of the day but then I need to eat something before gym time or I'm wiped....then after the gym I'm trashed again and need to "refuel".

[Sick_beard]

For me it's an energy issue. I am not one who buys intp the 8 meal a day crap but I like a solid Bfast to provide me energy through most of the day but then I need to eat something before gym time or I'm wiped....then after the gym I'm trashed again and need to "refuel".

I agree with the energy issue, especially when you're on a diet. Which is why I usually have my meal in the AM. If I have to workout before my meal, I just add some dextrose to my pre-workout drink, problem solved.

[twitz]

For me it's an energy issue. I am not one who buys intp the 8 meal a day crap but I like a solid Bfast to provide me energy through most of the day but then I need to eat something before gym time or I'm wiped....then after the gym I'm trashed again and need to "refuel".

I'm the same... I need those meals or I feel cranky and get a headache.

I think eating all of my daily cals in one meal would make me so full that I wouldn't want to move, or do anything but sleep and fart.

[Sick_beard]

IFBB pros eat every 3 - 4 hours for a reason.

You should research how the body processes the nutrients provided & how long it takes to do so.

You're just spinning your wheels man, I know you think you've got it figured out but you WILL hit a wall soon.

I have done a bit of research and everything I could find points to one fact: meal frequency has no impact on body composition. None whatsoever.

[--->>405<<---]

on training days carbs are definitely important IMO pre workout..

on non-training days fasting i have found to be effective for cutting purposes.

IMO what u do depends on what ur trying to do. theres no one right way.. one meal per day when trying to gain lean mass does not seem to be a good idea IMO. it may work for awhile but eventually i think ur workouts, strength, and progress will suffer.

[--->>405<<---]

I have done a bit of research and everything I could find points to one fact: meal frequency has no impact on body composition. None whatsoever.

maybe ur research points to this, but my EXPERIENCE says otherwise.. IMO meal timing and macro nutrient timing can be very effective tools on body composition, specifically in maintaining a lean physique as well as cutting body fat.

[Sick_beard]

I'm the same... I need those meals or I feel cranky and get a headache.

I think eating all of my daily cals in one meal would make me so full that I wouldn't want to move, or do anything but sleep and fart.

Females are a special case. That's the only case when eating smaller meals throughout the day might be a necessary thing to do.

It seems all the good benefits of eating less frequently in males ( like better muscle adaptations and improved insulin sensitivity) correlate NEGATIVELY when it comes to females. OUCH!

[The Bear 79]

I have done a bit of research and everything I could find points to one fact: meal frequency has no impact on body composition. None whatsoever.

Prove it.

[Sick_beard]

maybe ur research points to this, but my EXPERIENCE says otherwise.. IMO meal timing and macro nutrient timing can be very effective tools on body composition, specifically in maintaining a lean physique as well as cutting body fat.

hehe no disrespect, 405, but scientific research is kind of a big deal. It's what made AAS possible in the 1st place.

[Sick_beard]

Prove it.

Here's a few of the best studies out there on the topic. Published by US National Library of Medicine - National Institutes of Health. It doesn't get any better than this:

"Influence of the feeding frequency on nutrient utilization in man: consequences for energy metabolism."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1905998


"Acute effects on metabolism and appetite profile of one meal difference in the lower range of meal frequency"
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18053311


"Meal frequency and energy balance."
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9155494

[MuscleInk]

For my own curiosity....how many publications are we speaking of? Can you provide several references from published sources? I'd be interested in reviewing these evidence based publications.

Thanks.

MI

[MuscleInk]

For my own curiosity....how many publications are we speaking of? Can you provide several references from published sources? I'd be interested in reviewing these evidence based publications.

Thanks.

MI

Lol....you beat me to it. Thank you. I'll be reviewing these as well.

[The Bear 79]

Thank you.

I'll look them over when I get home this evening.

[kelkel]

List this one big meal for us please. Very curious.

[Granovich]

when i started eating more meals i definitely gained alot of muscle and lost fat and felt much better than eating 2 meals aday
everyone here will recommend 5-6 meals a day. its impossible to gain the same amount on 1 meal !!!
thats just plain stupid

[Sick_beard]

For those who don't wanna go through all the studies above, you HAVE to at least read this. It's straight out of the studies results/ conclusion:

"From experiment 6vs2 the difference between energy expenditure with six meals and two meals was not significant. Energy expenditure between 23:00 h and 08:00 h ('night') was, however, significantly higher with two meals compared with six meals"

So you're burning more calories at night with a less frequent meal pattern!

[Granovich]

maybe ur research points to this, but my EXPERIENCE says otherwise.. IMO meal timing and macro nutrient timing can be very effective tools on body composition, specifically in maintaining a lean physique as well as cutting body fat.

^^ i agree

[Flagg]

Are you talking about eating a 2-3k calorie meal in one seating? When are you eating this?

Eating 3000 calories is the equivalent of eating 6 double cheeseburgers. Im not advocating eating bad food, but I think id be sick if I ate all that in one go. Even something healthy id be struggling to eat in one sitting.

[--->>405<<---]

hehe no disrespect, 405, but scientific research is kind of a big deal. It's what made AAS possible in the 1st place.

none taken, however, "scientific research" seems to change a lot and discoveries are often made where what was once thought to be correct is shown later to be incorrect.

one thing i do know is i have eaten 2200cals at the same time of day every day of the week and only been able to get to 15% body fat this way.

i have also eaten an average of 2200cals manipulating the carbohydrate macro specifically as well as utilizing fasting and carbless post workout and have been able to break into single digit body fat..

certain aspects of science can be more reliable than others, such as making chemical compounds (like AAS for example). when ur dealing with the human body, complexity and adaptation as well as variance from one individual to the next comes into play. conclusions are not as concrete especially when u try to apply them across the board absolutely like u did in post # 8..

[kelkel]

What's your goal with this? And are you talking just body composition or actual development-muscle building.

[strawman]

You'll never make progress on that meal plan....

You gotta eat every couple hours right?

[Sick_beard]

List this one big meal for us please. Very curious.

Oh dear.. here it goes. It's what I had for today. Not a lot of food, but I'm slowly transitioning from a cut to a bulk:

Optimum Nutrition - Fish Oil, 6 softgel
Universal Nutrition - Animal Pak , 2 pack
Universal Nutrition - Animal Flex, 1 pack

"Red, Green, Blue Protein Shake!"
Earth's Own Almond Milk - 3 cup
4 Berry Blend, Frozen - 2 cup
San Marino Mix Salad, 5 cups
Gaspari Nutrition Intrapro Double Chocolate, 5 Scoop
Allmax creatine monohydrate - 5g

Eggs - Fried (whole egg), 4 large
Egg whites - Fried - 2 cups
Heinz - Tomato Ketchup 60ml
Orange Juice - 20 oz

Baked Chicken - Leg Quarter (Skin Not Eaten), 5oz
Baked Chicken - Chicken Breast (Skin Not Eaten), 5oz
Gourmet Honey Garlic Bbq Sauce - 4 tbsp

Pita Bread - 4 pitas

DONE!


3,386 Calories
334 Carbs
80 Fat
319 Protein

[alexISthrowed]

I eat around 3 big meals when bulking. I've researched this a bit in the past and I do believe the amount of meals eaten through the day has little effect on anything as long as your macros are right. One meal is really stretching it though. I feel your body is going to assimilate the nutrients better with meals evenly spaced throughout the day. There's more to it than just body composition. There is no way in hell I could eat all my food in one sitting, I have a hard time with 3-4 meals.

[Sick_beard]

You gotta eat every couple hours right?

It's ultimately a matter of personal preference.

[strawman]

maybe ur research points to this, but my EXPERIENCE says otherwise.. IMO meal timing and macro nutrient timing can be very effective tools on body composition, specifically in maintaining a lean physique as well as cutting body fat.

I agree it keeps the fire burning all day everytime you throw a log on

[Sick_beard]

But I do think once I start going up to 4,000 cals I may have to split it into 2 meals. Maybe 1 pre workout and 1 post workout.

[kelkel]

Wow. That's alot for one sitting! It would take the enjoyment out of eating for me. Anyway, the diet guru's are gonna have fun with this and I look forward to the diatribe. Personally I've never counted a gram or protein, carb or fat in my life and I'm not starting now.....

Very interesting thread Sick. It'll take off.

[Sick_beard]

I agree it keeps the fire burning all day everytime you throw a log on

If you go through the research I've listed, you'll discover that TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) is proportional to the amount of food you eat. So eating many small meals will keep the fire burning low and steady. But eating larger meals will have a greater thermic effect, but it will be for a shorter time period. But by the end of the day, the amount of total energy expended depends ONLY on the amount of calories (and nutrients) you ate that day. Doesn't matter when or how often.

[--->>405<<---]

If you go through the research I've listed, you'll discover that TEF (Thermic Effect of Food) is proportional to the amount of food you eat. So eating many small meals will keep the fire burning low and study. But eating larger meals will have a greater thermic effect, but it will be for a shorter time period. But by the end of the day, the amount of total energy expended depends ONLY on the amount of calories (and nutrients) you ate that day. Doesn't matter when or how often.

while this is more than likely true, the way the body utilizes the nutrients consumed is gonna be very different IMO based on the timing of said nutrients.

[Soar]

Lol that is all

[Sick_beard]

none taken, however, "scientific research" seems to change a lot and discoveries are often made where what was once thought to be correct is shown later to be incorrect.

one thing i do know is i have eaten 2200cals at the same time of day every day of the week and only been able to get to 15% body fat this way.

i have also eaten an average of 2200cals manipulating the carbohydrate macro specifically as well as utilizing fasting and carbless post workout and have been able to break into single digit body fat..

certain aspects of science can be more reliable than others, such as making chemical compounds (like AAS for example). when ur dealing with the human body, complexity and adaptation as well as variance from one individual to the next comes into play. conclusions are not as concrete especially when u try to apply them across the board absolutely like u did in post # 8..

What's your goal with this? And are you talking just body composition or actual development-muscle building.

Mainly my goal is to learn and experiment with my body. Isn't that what we're all here to do?

I will keep eating with low frequency and update everyone on my results at the end of my current cycle. The research says it should work, I'll see how it goes.

[MuscleInk]

Are you talking about eating a 2-3k calorie meal in one seating? When are you eating this?

Eating 3000 calories is the equivalent of eating 6 double cheeseburgers. Im not advocating eating bad food, but I think id be sick if I ate all that in one go. Even something healthy id be struggling to eat in one sitting.

This is my concern as well. One meal will be tantamount to gorging and that certainly is not appropriate.

[evander87]

I can't imagine trying to eat 4,200 cals of whole foods in just one sitting. The thought alone makes my stomach hurt. lol

[MuscleInk]

For those who don't wanna go through all the studies above, you HAVE to at least read this. It's straight out of the studies results/ conclusion:

"From experiment 6vs2 the difference between energy expenditure with six meals and two meals was not significant. Energy expenditure between 23:00 h and 08:00 h ('night') was, however, significantly higher with two meals compared with six meals"

So you're burning more calories at night with a less frequent meal pattern!

I'll review the pubs in detail. I'm curious about the design, controls, population numbers, cohorts (i.e. healthy normal people vs athletes who require greater energy to handle expenditure during active periods), stats used, etc. too often people generalize results based in a small sample size using across subjects designs instead of within subject designs where individual variables will not confound data interpretation in the latter sample design.

[Iron-56]

Not a good idea bro.

[Sick_beard]

This is my concern as well. One meal will be tantamount to gorging and that certainly is not appropriate.

With time your stomach will get used to it, trust me. Now if I don't eat a 2,000 cal meal, I just don't feel emotionally satisfied. Your will body adapt.