I'm feeling conflicted. For maximum results should i eat 3 meals a day and feel virtuous? Should I try for five mini-meals so that I can "increase my metabolism by 10%" as some promise. Or should I try for 3 meals and two small snacks---and if so, what exactly is a snack?

What do you all do? I know there's not just one right way, but all the same, I'm curious as to who has had success with which methods.

thanks

I eat 4-5 meals a day. Sometimes smaller and sometimes larger.

I eat whenever hungry until satisfied and I only count carbs.

I love this way of life!!!

I think it depends on what works for you. I usually have three meals with a small snack or two. I think that everyone is different, though.

For me, it's 3 meals and 1-2 small snacks usually. I find that i need something mid-afternoon so that I don't get ravenous before dinner.

listen to your body. The longer you are doing this, the louder your body will yell. Pre-Atkins - I was always hungry and never full. After 4 months - I feel full after eating not as much as I used to. I eat when I'm hungry, somedays its 3 meals no snacks, some days it 3 meals and 3 snacks.

I eat several times throughout the day.

I usually eat 3 squares, it is hard for me to find "snacks" I enjoy, and truth be told if I eat 3 good meals I know I am not hungry I just want a snack. But I admit to three pretty big meals a day, especially lunch, some people may eat more meals and less food than me in a day.

Good luck, whatever works for you is the right way!
Susan

I only get two. When I turned 14 I stopped being able to eat breakfast. I have my coffee w/cream & splenda and I'm good to go until around 2:00-2:30pm when I eat lunch.

I go with the three square with "snacks" inbetween. But I usually don't snack after dinner time.

I usually eat 3 swuare meals a day just because I am usually really pressed for time and such.

I do 5-6 mini meals a day with protien at each. I've heard through numerous studies that many smaller meals increase the metabolism. For me it's the only way I can get in enough calories and proitien. I was doing 3 meals a day, and large meals at that, and only getting about 1000 or less cals a day. I read through Body for Life and now follow his advice to do 6 meals a day.

I eat 3 meals a day, & snacks when munchies strike in between lunch & dinner, & after dinner (usually dessert). Snacks are typically (both lc & reg) chocolate, ice cream, fruit, corn chips.

3 square w/snacks sometimes. i'm always keeping an eye on the clock though since it's important to not let more than 4-5 hours pass between meals. sometimes i get busy and actually forget to eat!

I try my best to have 5 small meals throughout the day. Dinner, for obvious reasons is the tough time. 3 meals a day that are well balanced can be the best for some folks. It is true that metabolism does go up with the smaller meals throughout the day, but they have to be structured pretty well for that to work. Snacking and having 3 meals a day isnt the best for most people and may make your loss slow. The idea behind it has to be that the snack makes you less hungry for what might have been a larger meal. So you are eating the same amount just over time.
I find that it is so hard to eyeball portion sizes, that it has been a real trick to get the smaller meal thing down, but it makes my loss much better.