Dear 6 meals a day,
FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!
Alright now that I got that out of my system, lets talk like human beings.
You must be mighty proud of yourself.
It’s the year 2011, and you managed to take over the world.
You have succeeded in convincing everyone that eating 6 meals per day is not only better (than eating 3 meals) but mandatory if you want to lose weight, build muscle, and be healthy.
Hell, you even had me fooled at one point, but I broke free from your evil spell. So now I have my chance to tell you why you’re completely full of crap.
– “Eating 6 meals per day boosts your metabolism”
Well aren’t you the clever one. But yes, unfortunately I have to agree that eating 6 times per day does TECHNICALLY boost your metabolism, but so does eating 1, 2, or 3 times per day.
You see, every time you eat any amount of food, you have to account for the thermic effect of food(TEF). TEF is basically the amount of calories needed to process the food you just ate. A common way to measure the TEF is to take approx. 10% of the total calories you just ate, and that number is the number of calories it took to process the food.
So if you eat 300 calories, it will take 30 calories to process those calories. However, you can also eat a 2000 calorie meal, which will take 200 calories to process.
In the end it all adds up to the exact same amount. Eating 6 meals per day does nothing special for your metabolism, it’s just a very clever spin of words used my fitness marketers.
– “Eating 6 meals per day keeps you out of starvation mode”
So do you really think the human body is stupid? Do you actually think that if we don’t eat 6 meals per day that we go into starvation mode, lose all our muscle, and die?
If so, then you are stupid my friend. Do you think our hunter gatherer ancestors gave a shit if they ate 6 meals per day? Do you really believe that’s the reason they died at an early age? Hell no! They didn’t care how many times they ate per day and they didn’t die from starvation mode, they died because they got torn in half by saber tooth tigers.
Starvation mode is a complete myth. In fact, there are studies showing that the human body doesn’t enter any sort of “starvation mode” like state for at least 72 hours without food.
–“People who eat 6 meals per day have less cravings”
The reason people who eat 6 meals have less cravings is because they are eating in a very consistent and structured pattern.
These people tend to care more about their health, which is why they strive to eat every 2-3 hours per day. This causes the body to get used to a specific eating schedule, which is why these people tend have less cravings.
On the other hand, there is NOTHING special about the number 6. As long as you stick with some somewhat consistent meal frequency, let it be 1 meal, 2 meals, or 3 meals per day, your cravings will be pretty stable.
In fact, eating 6 meals a day has many disadvantages since most people never really feel full after each of those so called “mini meals.”
However, eating 2 or 3 big meals a day will help you stay full and satisfied.
– “People who eat 6 meals per day get to eat more food”
Yeah… this is technically true. When eating 6 small meals per day, you’re eating at greater frequencies throughout the day, and you’re probably eating more varied foods, but you’re also eating like a damn pigeon during those times. For most men, that’s only 300-400 per meal. I’ve personally tried eating 6 small meals a day, and I absolutely hate it.
Each meal is such a tease. Half a cup of yogurt or a couple of nuts, ha!
I want 2 giant bowls of yogurt, and I want 3 giant handfuls of nuts. Small meals throughout the day are just so unsatisfying. They tend to stimulate hunger even more for me since I don’t get full from an individual meal. It works for some people, but definitely not for me.
Or even one meal a day is pretty great 🙂
Stop the lying
I know it’s not all you’re fault. I know that there’s a boat load of cash to be made when meal frequency is increased, and I know that this letter probably won’t change people’s beliefs in eating 6 meals a day.
But hey, I’m trying. I’m just one man.
Do you think that it’s even slightly possible that you let people know that there’s nothing wrong with eating 3 meals or even less per day? Maybe you could tell them about your sworn enemy intermittent fasting.
Just let the people have options. Is that too much to ask?
Anyways, let me know if you want to start spreading the truth about meal frequency. See you later.
Sincerely,
– Keith
P.S. I already know what you’re going to decide, and I know that the mainstream media is never going to stop supporting you so… FUCK YOU!
To my readers: Before you start leaving me hate comments and death threats for bashing 6 meals a day, just understand this – if eating 6 times per day works for you, then that’s great. Don’t stop. I just want to let people know that eating 6 times a day is not their only option to lose fat, build muscle, and get healthy.
Well said. Only humans come up with diets and eating regimes. In nature species eat when they can. They generally have a very small selectin of what they consume, yet us idiot hmans believe we must eat all the time and eat a mega selection. Cows eat grass and only grass, lions game and only game. So why must we have every possible combination of every food type to be healthy!
I do agree we must supplement vitamin c as we can’t produce it, so that one of the aspects that is unique about hmans.
totally agree mate, its all to promote more selling of food. They also promote carbs as the macronutrient you should eat the most of. Why? Because carbs are delicious and unfulfilling and leave you wanting more. 6 meals a day is also not feasible, i tried it years ago and you do end up having to take ready meals which who happen to sell? There is always a conspiracy behind everything the mass media says it seems, I personally wouldn’t call it a conspiracy but facts. That is the reasoning behind my site name somebody lied: not me. Keep your fuck you letters coming
Michael,
You’re totally right. Whenever there is some new diet or “tip” that will supposedly help you lose weight, there is usually some type of financial incentive behind it.
Woohoo! I thought I was the only person that thought that 6 meals a day is a bad idea. I think that most people if anything will be eating 6 meals that are too large. If they had the discipline to eat healthy and exercise in the first place, they wouldn’t be looking for ways to boost their metabolism. Eat healthy foods and EXERCISE if you wanna boost your metabolism. Is this not the laziest country in the world? Why not spend more money marketing exercise? What dumb nut came up with eating more often to lose weight? It completely baffles me! My fiance is on the 6 meal bandwagon… perhaps I’ll forward this to her… or why bother the debate for the millionth time lol!!! Oh well, thanks for the article.
Haha, you’re right Quincy. People just need to stop making excuses and go back to the basics, which is eat healthy and exercise. Thanks for stopping by.
Kudos to the writer! and something ive always questioned!
an another thing that miffs me “dont over exercise” fuck off, tell that to the mechanics, bricklayers or other people working with heavy weights all day everyday – thick dense rugged bodies
compare that to the computer geek that doesnt do anything, no isometric tensions, straining – nothing – usually the weedy type
supplement companies an bullshit marketing has us blinded by bullshit, not baffled with science (although they do try)
its nice to see someone who isnt saying shit just to peddle some companies crap
again kudos!
Thanks man
O well. I’m not here to swear or to hate the world. What’s the use. Rather find ways to understand people and why they would assume means being. Adam and Eve lived on healthy organic food and ate as they went along. That maybe could have been more than 6 times a day. I don’t know. All I know is that for women that love food its better to eat regularly to stay full and satisfied and regards to their digestive system that could have been blocked by one big meal, they stay regular. Please understand that women differ from men. And you said it…its 2013 and not 2000 bc! Things changed and food are not as good as it was used to. Less nutrition means more cravings so the more regular you eat your stomach would be fooled thinking it was getting enough. Remember woman are smaller. For men I know my brother can also only consume 2 big meals a day but he is unactive. For me I’m active and to stay full of energy because of my sugar problem I eat 6 sometimes 8 times a day and I’m really slender! So try swearing me, just remember haters judge and lovers seek for truth in everything.
Thank you for this article! I have been trying to tell folks for a while now that 6 meals per day does nothing special. Eventually this will pass as long as people continue to be honest about it. The problem is that there are very fit people being taught this and teaching others, and they always claim that 6 meals is part of why they’re fit…not the whole working out 6 days per week and watching what they eat thing.
Totally agree, thanks Monica.
Eating 6 meals/day is sounds as crazy as exercising each body part only 1 time/week.
hah!
i agree with you totally, eating six meals a day is trash. it makes you wanna eat more but i observed that one meal a day during dinner, u get satisfied. Its what i do, it stops craving and teaches you to eat healthy. cavemanpower.com
Thankyou !!!!! So happy to see this post!!! Haha…
Plus, who can seriously fit in time to eat six times a day?!?! if you have the time to spend doing that, good on you. You obviously dont work in a full time 9-5 job, or you spend an hour each night ‘prepping’ your next days six meals.
How exhausting…
OMG! THANK YOU! I too fell into that stupid 6 meals a day crap! I wound up with a binging problem. I could NOT stop eating! EVER! I was constantly looking for something else to stuff into my face. I also could NOT lose weight. It was lose 10 gain 7 lose 10 gain 15. Blah blah blah. I have now taken on a plan to get my body back to eating 3 normal meals a day. I had to take baby steps to keep from eating my own foot! I began eating every 3 hours until 8 pm.. This was hard at first. SO hard. But after a week I was good! The next week I went every 3 hrs and 15 minutes. Increasing in 15 minute increments every week. I am now at about every 4 hours and I have to say I feel SO much better! My energy feels more abundant. My recognition of actual hunger is also improving, and I am no longer constantly hungry. I used to eat some stupid mini meal and like you say, it’s a fawkin tease. I now feel satisfied for MUCH longer, and I also find that I choose my meals more wisely knowing that the calories I eat will be the only ones until my timer goes off again so I had better make them good! I am so happy to see others who feel this way. Thank you for such an awesome article!
Haha thanks Sarah 🙂
HAHAHAH! I happen to try to eat 6 times a day only because I want to constantly eat so it helps that every 2 1/2 hours I eat. 🙂 But sometimes I can’t fit 6 meals in so I eat two at a time and I feel bad for doing it so thanks for this 🙂
I think that eating 3 balanced meals a day can be a good way to maintain some boundaries and discipline around food especially for those that have a tendenciy to overeat. I’m sure eating small and regular healthy foods in between meals can be a way to stave off hunger but for people who have a tendency to overeat it can be another way to feed an addictive desire to eat and can result in more overeating. I say eat 3 healthy meals a day consistently and in between meals use this time to develop a feeling of being ok with a little hunger or actually not real hunger but a desire to get a fix from food for our addictive desire to eat. This desire should then lose its intensity if not reinforced by more overeating!
it’s all up to the person. If 3 meals/day works for you, go for it. But if you work fine on 2 or 1 meal(s)/day, that’s cool too.
Got a short way into this article, realised you don’t know what “metabolism” means and stopped reading.
feel free to enlighten me.
LOL love your blog! Haven’t checked it out in a while but I should because it makes my day! you are friccen hilarious! Im wanting to move to 3 meals a day as I always feel hungry and sick of thinking about food and eating protein bars to make up my meals for the day. I just want to eat 3 healthy balanced meals. 🙂 thanks
Thanks Emma 🙂
I am a doctor and i think you are SO ENORMOUSLY RIGHT! I am an amateur bodybuilder also and believe me,when i was eating 6 meals per day i became simply…fat because it is very difficult not to choose healthy foods when you eat 6 times per day.I got gastritis problems and a lot of other discomoforts.Eating 6 times is a gret LIE for me.It is a project that has been created over a thousands of scientific papers in order to propagate ”eating” aka bying new products.I feel very healthy and happy with trhee meals per day.Like you said everyone is free to choose what is right for you.It just makes me angry hearing that 3 meals per day is wrong when eating 6 meals is right.
thanks doc.