Diet lies: Having many small meals is better than 3 regular ones

in #fitness3 years ago

This one is perpetuated by the media and I don't even understand why they do it since they aren't even trying to sell you a product in the process but it comes up time and time again that smaller portions eaten in 6 or even 8 intervals throughout the day is somehow better for your metabolism than eating 3-squares a day.

There is simply zero science behind this

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Ok, time for meal number 17!

I don't even know how this myth got started but someone, somewhere, probably accidentally lost weight by eating more frequently and having smaller portions instead of gorging themselves on massive meals and thought they had a "Eureka!" moment when in all actuality they were probably just consuming fewer overall calories and didn't realize it.

The science behind weight loss as far as diet is concerned actually isn't that difficult to figure out. You need to have a calorie deficit throughout the day and it doesn't matter at all how, when, or in what quantities you put these calories into your body. Even at rest, your body is constantly burning calories and this idea that your metabolism stops doing anything because there is nothing left in your belly is just pure nonsense.

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This doesn't mean that the flip side of gorging yourself on one meal a day is "better" either even though there actually IS evidence that intermittent fasting does have some benefit as far as weight loss and in particular fat loss is concerned.

The simple fact of the matter is that you need to burn more calories than you consume in order to lose weight, period. This is the reason why most trainers that are worth their salt will tell you that weight loss is 80% diet and 20% exercise. This is also the reason why people who stop drinking their calories in the form of sodas and beer will drop a ton of weight simply by changing this ONE THING about their lifestyle even though they never exercise.

To people who think that eating small portions over the course of the day is the truth, I'm sorry but you are wrong. You don't have to take normie.fitness' word for it, you can look at a 2010 study and peer-reviewed scientific study that was conducted by actual medical professionals that had control groups and followed the scientific methodology necessary to come to these conclusions.

One such article, if you can handle scholarly written articles is in The National Library of Medicine and can be read here

That is just one of many such studies that have all come to the same conclusion: Snacking all day instead of eating regular meals has zero effect on weight loss and it is all a bunch of nonsense.

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I am not a trainer or a scientist but I did gain 60 lbs in my irresponsible 20's and 30's and took it all back off and kept it off because I know how to read and follow sensible, real information. If I can do it, so can you