# Eating every three hours



## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

The trainer I've been working with is on me all the time about eating every three hours. I stick to that mostly, but sometimes I am not near my food and maybe it's every 3.5 hours or 4 hours. Sometimes I am too hungry to wait the full 3 hours and eat after 2.5 hours.

 At the risk of sounding like a moron, I must ask: Am I screwing up big time when I do that? Does that half hour make a big difference?


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## soxmuscle (Aug 30, 2004)

Not at all, in my opinion.

As long as your getting the amount of calories you need to grow and get bigger, or whatever your aspiring to look like, you'll be perfectly fine.

Calories are calories, food is food.  As long as your eating every 2.5-4 hours, you'll be fine.


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## bulletproof1 (Aug 30, 2004)

i agree with sox. i go at least 2.5 but no longer than 4 hours.


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## soxmuscle (Aug 30, 2004)

GG -- Your truly 4'11?  That rocks.


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## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

soxmuscle said:
			
		

> GG -- Your truly 4'11?  That rocks.


 HAHHAHAHA! Everyone is asking that! Would I lie about something like that? Like, "Hey everybody look at me! I'm practically a midget!" (not that there's anything wrong with little people!) 

 Yes, I am. 4'11"  - though I can go up to 5'3" with my really uncomfortable high heel shoes!


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## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

bulletproof1 said:
			
		

> i agree with sox. i go at least 2.5 but no longer than 4 hours.


 Thanks... I hate to sound like I don't know anything, but I'd rather ask than keep wondering, and my only other source of "Expert" information is my trainer.

 I'm of the doubting kind. Must get second (and third and fourth) opinions on everything.


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## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

soxmuscle said:
			
		

> Not at all, in my opinion.
> 
> As long as your getting the amount of calories you need to grow and get bigger, or whatever your aspiring to look like, you'll be perfectly fine.
> 
> Calories are calories, food is food.  As long as your eating every 2.5-4 hours, you'll be fine.


 Calories - that's the other thing. I don't think I'm eating enough. But i can't bring myself to eat MORE. I take in about 1100-1200 calories a day. I'm trying to lose fat, keep my muscle, and build more muscle. So far so good, but I keep wondering if I should be eating more. 

 I train hard with weights mon/tue and thurs/fri. I do cardio mon-sat, 30-60 minutes each time. The rest of the time I'm sitting on my ass in an office, in front of a computer. Last I checked five or six weeks ago, before i started this training cycle, my BMR was something like 1316. So it makes sense that I should be taking in more calories now, right? Or am I wrong?


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## bulletproof1 (Aug 30, 2004)

GoalGetter said:
			
		

> Calories - that's the other thing. I don't think I'm eating enough. But i can't bring myself to eat MORE. I take in about 1100-1200 calories a day. I'm trying to lose fat, keep my muscle, and build more muscle. So far so good, but I keep wondering if I should be eating more.
> 
> I train hard with weights mon/tue and thurs/fri. I do cardio mon-sat, 30-60 minutes each time. The rest of the time I'm sitting on my ass in an office, in front of a computer. Last I checked five or six weeks ago, before i started this training cycle, my BMR was something like 1316. So it makes sense that I should be taking in more calories now, right? Or am I wrong?



the experts should chime in shortly to help you with what you need.


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## bulletproof1 (Aug 30, 2004)

i can tell you right off the bat they are going to ask you to post your diet meal by meal in the diet forum so you might want to go ahead and do that.


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## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

bulletproof1 said:
			
		

> the experts should chime in shortly to help you with what you need.


 oh man... can't wait to hear what the experts have to say...


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## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

bulletproof1 said:
			
		

> i can tell you right off the bat they are going to ask you to post your diet meal by meal in the diet forum so you might want to go ahead and do that.


 I can do better than that - i can post a whole excel file for everything I've eaten in the past five weeks, broken down into calories, fat/sat fat, carbs/sugar and protein. 

 Can we say "too much time on my hands"?


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## BritChick (Aug 30, 2004)

Hey GoalGetter... from my understanding the reason to eat every 2 1/2 - 3 hours is to keep your metabolism fueled and burning.  
Someone gave me a good anaology of building a fire, if you throw a log on it every so often it will keep burning all day and it's a lot easier to keep it burning that way than to let it extinguish and have to start the fire all over again.
Eating more often is fine, I personally don't go over the 3 hrs unless something dire happens.


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## GoalGetter (Aug 30, 2004)

BritChick said:
			
		

> Hey GoalGetter... from my understanding the reason to eat every 2 1/2 - 3 hours is to keep your metabolism fueled and burning.
> Someone gave me a good anaology of building a fire, if you throw a log on it every so often it will keep burning all day and it's a lot easier to keep it burning that way than to let it extinguish and have to start the fire all over again.
> Eating more often is fine, I personally don't go over the 3 hrs unless something dire happens.


  That's a great analogy. I'm familiar with the whole idea of WHY we should eat every 3 hours or so... I'm just stressing because like I said, sometimes, I'm not near my food - maybe i'm in a meeting that ran over into my lunch time, or I'm still stuck in traffic. Or quite opposite, it hasn't been 3 hours yet, but I am already hungry, maybe half an hour earlier...

 But according to you and the other folks who've responded, I'm ok. I'm stressing for no reason. I guess now I'm just worried that I'm not eating enough, I'm not taking in enough calories...

 Maybe I'll post all my meals up tomorrow and have a bunch of people tear it apart and tell me what's up... 

 Man I'm gonna die young and it's gonna be from worrying! haha! 

 OK i'm off to bed! 

 Thanks to all of you, and sweet dreams!


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## Jodi (Aug 30, 2004)

Yup, post them in meal by meal format, just at Bullet said  

We can tear it apart for you 

JK, I'm sure it's not that bad but we're here to help so let's see it


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## GoalGetter (Aug 31, 2004)

*Yesterday's meal, for example (and thanks!)*



			
				Jodi said:
			
		

> Yup, post them in meal by meal format, just at Bullet said
> 
> We can tear it apart for you
> 
> JK, I'm sure it's not that bad but we're here to help so let's see it


  Yesterday's Meal and Calories/Fat/Carb/Protein Numbers

 I also included other items I sometimes eat instead (fish instead of chicken, brown rice instead of beans) in parenthesis, so you get an idea of what I eat throughout the week. I do this EVERY SINGLE DAY. No cheat days. On weekends, instead of a protein shake in the morning with my oatmeal, I make 2 or 3 eggs (or rather, egg beaters) mixed with vegetables and stuff since I have more time to cook than I do on week days mornings.

 Vitamins/Supplements, every morning with my breakfast: 1 caplet Udo's Choice (essential oil blend), 2000mg of Lysine, 1000 biotin, 1 Mega Woman GNC multi vitamin, 1000 Ester-C, 500 Chromium

  Breakfast: 630 AM

  1 tsp Metamucil
  1/3 cup Oatmeal
  1 cup Crystal Light Sunrise
  1 scoop of NitroTech Protein Powder with 8 oz. of water
  8 oz. Coffee with some splenda (sometimes with 1/4 cup of fat free milk depending on what flavor of coffee I make) 

  Mid-Morning Meal: 930 AM    

  3 oz. Cantaloupe                            
  4.5 oz Fat-Free Cottage Cheese

  Lunch: 1230 PM

  3 oz. extra lean ground turkey mixed with 
  3 oz. mashed/pureed kidney beans, and spices  (OR 1/4 cup of steamed brown rice)
  3 oz. Spinach and Lettuce Salad
  2 tbsp of Fat Free Kraft Zesty Italian Dressing and a few drops of Tabasco Chipotle Hot Sauce                                


  Mid-Afternoon Meal: 330 PM            

  1 small Apple
  2 slices of oven roasted turkey breast - 98% fat free

  Pre-workout: 5:30 PM

  1/4 of a Trioplex Bar 

  Dinner (Post-workout): 8:30 PM   

  4 oz. Chicken Breast with Ancho Chile and Tabasco Chipotle Sauce  (OR 4 oz. of Snapper, Tilapia, Grouper or some other fish)
  4 oz. of cooked vegetables (Broccoli, Cauliflower, Zucchini, Onion)

  Post-Dinner Meal: 11:30 PM

  1/2 of a Trioplex Bar*

  Total Calories: 1207
  Total Fat: 21.06g (calories from fat: 189.54)
  Saturated Fat: 5.10g (calories from sat fat: 45.9)
  Total Carbs: 108.20g (calories from carbs: 432.8)
  Total Sugar: 20.97g (calories from sugar: 83.88)
  Total Protein: 134.93g (calories from protein:: 539.72)

 * a note about the trioplex bars - i never eat a whole one in one sitting because those f*ckers have like 430 calories a piece. Too much for me, imho.


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## GoalGetter (Aug 31, 2004)

bulletproof1 said:
			
		

> i agree with sox. i go at least 2.5 but no longer than 4 hours.


 By the way,  BulletProof: I LOVE your little quote there about obsession vs. dedication. I think I'm gonna make a t-shirt out of it. 

 All my friends keep saying I'm obsessed, mostly the friends that spend all their free time loafing around, eating crap food, and never ever ever so much as putting on a pair of sneakers and going for a walk, let alone pick up a 2lb dumbell. hahaha!


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## bulletproof1 (Aug 31, 2004)

GoalGetter said:
			
		

> By the way,  BulletProof: I LOVE your little quote there about obsession vs. dedication. I think I'm gonna make a t-shirt out of it.
> 
> All my friends keep saying I'm obsessed, mostly the friends that spend all their free time loafing around, eating crap food, and never ever ever so much as putting on a pair of sneakers and going for a walk, let alone pick up a 2lb dumbell. hahaha!



well thx but its not my quote. i found the picture online. i hope i dont get sued for using it lol.


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## bulletproof1 (Aug 31, 2004)

heres the link if you want to check out the merchandise with that quote.   

http://www.cafepress.com/musclehedz/365751


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## GoalGetter (Aug 31, 2004)

bulletproof1 said:
			
		

> heres the link if you want to check out the merchandise with that quote.
> 
> http://www.cafepress.com/musclehedz/365751


 Awesome, thanks! Gotta love CafePress shops!

 And nah, I don't think they'll sue, but they might ask you to make the graphic a graphic link to their little shop. ;-)


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## aggies1ut (Aug 31, 2004)

GoalGetter said:
			
		

> HAHHAHAHA! Everyone is asking that! Would I lie about something like that? Like, "Hey everybody look at me! I'm practically a midget!" (not that there's anything wrong with little people!)
> 
> Yes, I am. 4'11"  - though I can go up to 5'3" with my really uncomfortable high heel shoes!


  I'm only 5 feet myself. I hear that.


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## GoalGetter (Aug 31, 2004)

*where are the experts? why aren't they chiming in?*

 so i posted a day's worth of all the food i eat, all my meals, but I haven't really received any feedback about it... just wondering if anyone had a chance to look through it and point out anything that i am eating that might be a glaring mistake... thanks!


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## GoalGetter (Aug 31, 2004)

aggies1ut said:
			
		

> I'm only 5 feet myself. I hear that.


 we little ones (or should that be wee little ones haha) gotta stick together! ;-)


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## Jodi (Aug 31, 2004)

Hey now.......I feel tall in here


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## Jodi (Sep 7, 2004)

From your PM 



> Breakfast: 530 AM
> 1 protein shake (1 scoop + 8 oz of water)
> 1/2 cup oatmeal with splenda and cinnamon
> 
> ...


See my notes in bold above.  I think you need 1 more veggie.  A little less fruit and fix the Pre workout and Post workout meals.  Your diet lacks EFA's which are very very very important for fat loss, healthy metabolism and all around health benefits (read the sticky and at the bottom is alot of info on EFA's )


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## GoalGetter (Sep 7, 2004)

Jodi said:
			
		

> From your PM
> 
> 
> See my notes in bold above. I think you need 1 more veggie. A little less fruit and fix the Pre workout and Post workout meals. Your diet lacks EFA's which are very very very important for fat loss, healthy metabolism and all around health benefits (read the sticky and at the bottom is alot of info on EFA's )


 Jodi - THANKS A TON! I am going to rework my meals using your suggestions. As far as EFA's - i *KNOW* i should be taking in more. I take 2 caps ofUdo's choice in the morning, forgot to add that to the list, i guess, though I might have mentioned it in my original post last week. And I thought the tilapia (or some kind of fish), which I do eat like twice a day, would provide the rest of the necessary EFAs. I'm concerned about adding too many more calories trying to consume EFAs though. Should I be worried?

 I take in somewhere between 1100 - 1300 calories a day now. Though it sounds low, I feel like if I add more to this, I will be eating too much - maybe it's a mental thing.

 Considering I do cardio 6 days a week, 30 minutes each, plus weights mon/tues and thurs/fri, should I be taking in more? I am 4'11" and weigh around 109.

  Thanks again!


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## Jodi (Sep 7, 2004)

Tilapia is not a replacement for Fish oil.  You can only replace fish oil with Salmon, mackarel and a few other really nasty fish.  If you are taking Udo's then I would only add in 6 fish oil caps per day.  That's only 60 cals and 6G of fat.  No big deal at all so nothing to be worried about.  

I think you are doing way too much cardio though and really should cut that down to 4x per week.  Your cals are fine if you are trying to lose bodyfat, if that is your goal,  but I would definately add in the Fish oil.


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## GoalGetter (Sep 7, 2004)

Jodi said:
			
		

> Tilapia is not a replacement for Fish oil. You can only replace fish oil with Salmon, mackarel and a few other really nasty fish. If you are taking Udo's then I would only add in 6 fish oil caps per day. That's only 60 cals and 6G of fat. No big deal at all so nothing to be worried about.
> 
> I think you are doing way too much cardio though and really should cut that down to 4x per week. Your cals are fine if you are trying to lose bodyfat, if that is your goal, but I would definately add in the Fish oil.


  I was afraid you'd say that - salmon/mackarel/nasty fish. Ick. Ok. I will get some fish oil caps. I just can't do those fish.

  Too much cardio? Really!? I don't know what to say. Guess I'll tone it down some.

 I also gave away what was left of my bars after this weekend. Figured if I'm gonna try to lose fat, I'm going to do whatever I have to do, no matter how much i love my trioplex bars. 

  I really appreciate your help!


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## GoalGetter (Sep 7, 2004)

Oh and one more - TUNA / mercury.

 Everyone on here suggests tuna all the time, but I'm concerned about the whole mercury issue that's been covered ad nauseum lately in the media. Is it really as serious an issue as it's portrayed?  I've been purposely staying away from tuna since I started becoming more aware of this.

 What do you think? If I eat tuna a few times a week in a meal here or a meal there, am I ultimately doing more harm than good?


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## GoalGetter (Sep 7, 2004)

*Jodi: What do you think about these changes?*

Per your suggestions...

  --------------
*
  Breakfast: 530 AM 
  (added 2 fish oil caps)*

  1 protein shake (1 scoop + 8 oz of water) 
  1/2 cup oatmeal with splenda and cinnamon 
  2 caps UDO's CHOICE 
2 fish oil caps 

*Mid-Morning meal: 830 AM 
  (added veggie and natty pb)*

  1 small apple
  2 slices of oven roasted turkey breast
Cucumber slices
  1 tbsp natty pb

*Lunch: 1130 AM 
  (added 2 fish oil caps)*

  4 oz. Chicken 
  1 cup of romain lettuce tossed with onions (have i mentioned how much i love onions? I do.)
  2 tbsp home-made balsamic vinaigrette with 1 tbsp olive oil
  1 small baked potato _(should this be a sweet potato instead?)_
2 fish oil caps

*Mid-Afternoon meal: 230 PM 
  (removed carb/fruit from this meal)*

  1 protein shake (1 scoop + 8 oz of water)

*Pre-workout: 530 PM 
  (changed this to be a protein as suggested)*
  1 small can of chicken or tuna 
_Should I add a carb?_

  [weight training/cardio]

*Dinner/Post Workout: 830 PM
  (added 2 fish oil caps and a complex carb to this meal)*

  4 oz. Tuna 
  3 oz. broccoli, onions, zucchini
  1/4 cup of brown rice or 1/3 cup of oatmeal
2 fish oil caps

*Post-Dinner Meal, if I'm still awake: 1130 PM
  (added 1 tbsp natty pb to protein shake)*

  Protein Shake
  1 tbsp natty pb

  --------------

  Thanks again!


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## CowPimp (Sep 7, 2004)

My eating schedule goes something like this on days that I workout and go to work:

Breakfast: 10AM
PWO Meal: 11:45AM
Post PWO Meal: 12:45PM
Protein bar at work: 4:00PM
Lunch break at work: 7:00PM
Meal while working (Hehe): 9:30PM
Meal upon arriving home: 11:30PM
Meal before bed: 2AM

As you can see, I don't pay attention to the 3 hours thing exactly.  I do what I can.  It has worked great so far while bulking.  A similar schedule worked well while cutting too.


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## Jodi (Sep 7, 2004)

GoalGetter said:
			
		

> Per your suggestions...
> 
> --------------
> *
> ...



I made my suggestions in blue.  I'm happy you decided to add the fish oil


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## dalila (Sep 7, 2004)

GoalGetter hi, I hope you don't mind me asking this here ( instead of starting a new thread).... Jodi is there a general rule of thumb not to take EFAs with carbs? So it's better to take it with protein only meals? Also why do you say " never eat protein alone unless PWO", what happens if one does? Thanks!


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## GoalGetter (Sep 8, 2004)

*Thank you!*



			
				Jodi said:
			
		

> I made my suggestions in blue.  I'm happy you decided to add the fish oil


 Good to see I wasn't _way_ off! Thanks! You are too, too kind. I appreciate your guidance like you can't imagine!

 -----------

 Here's the revised, for today anyway, since I still have to go grocery shopping:

Breakfast 6 AM:
 1/2 cup of Oatmeal
 Protein Shake (1 scoop of powder + 8 oz. water)
 2 Udo's caps
 Coffee

Mid-Morning 9 AM:
 Apple
 4 pre-cut Celery Sticks _(didn't have cucumbers, but had celery so I subbed)_
 1 tbsp Natural Peanut Butter
 2 slices Oven Roasted Turkey Breast

Lunch 12 Noon:
 4 oz. Tilapia
 Baked Potato Naked _(haven't gone shopping but will get sweet potatoes - by the way, why sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes?)_
 1 cup of Romaine Lettuce
 1 tbps of pesto (made it last night! YUM!)

Mid-Day 3 PM:
 Protein Shake (1 scoop of powder + 8 oz. water)
 6 fish oil caps

Pre-Workout 530 PM:
 1 can of Chicken (white meat 98% fat free) 
 (with some of the leftover pesto dressing mixed in for some flavor)

Dinner 830 PM:
 3 oz. Tuna steak
 1 cup Broccoli, zucchini, Onions "steam fried"
 1/4 cup (cooked) of barley with garlic and basil (on my no-workout days, I won't add this carb to the meal and just leave it at protein + veggie. Is that ok?)


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## GoalGetter (Sep 8, 2004)

dalila said:
			
		

> GoalGetter hi, I hope you don't mind me asking this here ( instead of starting a new thread).... Jodi is there a general rule of thumb not to take EFAs with carbs? So it's better to take it with protein only meals? Also why do you say " never eat protein alone unless PWO", what happens if one does? Thanks!


 Hey there, of course I don't mind! Everyone can benefit from these questions/answers, so please, go feel free to jump in any time!


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## Jodi (Sep 8, 2004)

dalila said:
			
		

> GoalGetter hi, I hope you don't mind me asking this here ( instead of starting a new thread).... Jodi is there a general rule of thumb not to take EFAs with carbs? So it's better to take it with protein only meals? Also why do you say " never eat protein alone unless PWO", what happens if one does? Thanks!


Protein will digest very quickly on its own and leave your body and you starving for the next 2.5 hours.


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## Jodi (Sep 8, 2004)

GoalGetter said:
			
		

> Good to see I wasn't _way_ off! Thanks! You are too, too kind. I appreciate your guidance like you can't imagine!
> 
> -----------
> 
> ...


White potatoes are high GI and will cause quite the insulin spike.  Sweet Potatoes are slow burning and does not release insulin as quickly.

That is fine to leave the carb out on non-workout days.

Everything else looks good.  I'm glad you liked the Pesto


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## dalila (Sep 8, 2004)

thanks jodi!


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