Or maybe you don’t eat at the “right” times?
Just like the idea that different people don’t need to like the same food, different people also don’t need to eat the same amount of food. Looking to others as a way of determining how much to eat is a very, very dangerous idea. No two people have the exact same body and lifestyle, and therefore no two people should be eating the exact same amount.
This was my breakfast today: Sugar Cookie Oatmeal.
I ate it, post-run, along with strawberry slices and peanut butter. Pre-run breakfast consisted of fresh watermelon and a bunch of pistachios. After breakfast, I talked with my little sister on the phone. She’d just woken up and was eating her own breakfast: a single container of yogurt.
Whose eating style is correct?
Both of ours! I probably eat about twice as much as my sister, and yet we’re both perfectly healthy. She’s shorter than me, has a slower metabolism, and doesn’t go running; therefore she needs less. If she were to eat like me, she’d probably end up with the world’s worst stomachache. And if I were to eat like her, I’d be so hungry I could eat an elephant. (Don’t worry, fellow vegans. I said I could, not I would.)
The mainstream media tells us there is also a “right” number of times to eat: five or six small meals, divided throughout the day. But once again, I have to argue that no one should take this advice as something set in stone. Do not trust society to tell you what or when to eat; experiment and find out what works best for you. I think eating every 3-4 hours works best for many people because it keeps energy levels up. But if you find that your energy doesn’t drag even if you go six hours without food, why should you feel like you have to eat anyway?
As an example, let’s use my friend Sarah.
She normally eats a small breakfast, followed by a big lunch and dinner, and she rarely ever snacks during the day.
Unless I make Lemon Poppyseed Muffins.
Those, she can’t resist.
On the other hand, I usually eat six meals a day and will almost always taste-test recipes in between meals as well. You’d be hard pressed to find a time my mouth is not stuffed with food. Does this mean one of us is eating incorrectly? No, not at all! It just means we’re different people with different needs.
Do you eat three meals per day? Or six smaller meals? Or maybe you’re a grazer?
And do you ever compare the amount you eat to what others eat?
YES ppl need dif amounts! thats why i hate how ppl compare how much they eat to others with bloggin!.. I usually eat 3 meals and 1-2 snacks!!
Such a good point. Don’t let society define when and how much to eat! Let your body to the talking!
I like to eat a pretty big breakfast, a light salad for lunch, and a small dinner, that means I can have lots of snacks throughout the day!
Great post! I think we need to stop comparing in all areas of life, eating included. It’s much safer to listen to our bodies. I always roll my eyes when magazines give out those celebrity weight-loss plans. I mean, you have no idea about the particular celeb’s metabolism, lifestyle, or if she “cheats” once in a while by going out for nachos. So following a meal plan made for someone else is a very bad idea!
Ha! At first I thought you were serious, like you were going to talk about how we eat too much and need to eat less.
Great post, Katie :).
Love this post! Most of the tie I eat 4-5x a day, but when I’m in the office I tend to stick to 3 meals – it’s just easier at work. Like many others have said, I can’t stand when people comment on how I eat. Everyone is different AND my daily activity varies. Sometimes I eat a salad and sometimes I eat more than the guy next to me. Post-long runs I am insatiable. 🙂
I usually eat way more than the other girls I know, and sometimes it makes me uncomfortable, especially since I’m not stick thin. I’m always afraid they’re judging me, like they think I should be eating a salad, or “No wonder she’s a little chubby.” But really, if they’re thinking that, that is THEIR issue not mine.
Thanks for helping me to remember to worry about myself, not what others will think. There will always be people judging, no matter how I eat, and it’s not my job to please them!
I eat three meals a day, plus snacks. I have to be able to have snacks!
I tend to need three meals and two snacks or 5 mini-meals per day, but I have friends and family members whose needs are completely different.
I’m always happy to see someone write about this topic. It’s so easy to be influenced by those around us and what we *think* we should be doing.
My stomach doesn’t handle large meals too well…so I tend to eat several times throughout the day. I need more calories because I’m really active and have a fast metabolism, but instead of eating a lot at once, I eat smaller meals all day long. 😀
I mostly eat 3 big meals and I snack inbetween, but other days I would only eat 2 meals and just have some fruit and there even are days when I work out alot, when I would eat a big bfast, snack, big lunch, snack, dinner and another snack! I hate when people compare themselves or the amount of food they are eating, everybody is unique.