Three meals a day superior to six for mass gains.

[fluxboy]

Hey Rip and friends,

While looking into intermittent fasting, I came across this study which some of you might find interesting.

The Effect of Meal Frequency on Body Composition during 12-Weeks of Strength Training

http://209.85.141.104/search?q=cache...n&ct=clnk&cd=1

Essentially:

"After multiple regression analysis the 3 meal group had
a significant greater gain in lean body mass (LBM) than
the 6 meal group when adjusted for gender and energy in-
take (p=0.04), when adjusted for gender and protein intake
(p=0.03), and when adjusted for gender, protein intake,
carbohydrate intake and fat intake."

And ...

"In this study, three meals per day resulted in larger mus-
cle gain from strength training than six meals per day over
a period of twelve weeks."

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

Now, I know you can find a study to prove just about anything you want, but never mind that. One of my biggest irritations about lifting, and working out, was the belief I had to literally carry around five or six tupperware containers of food everywhere I went, stop whatever I was doing every two or three hours, and eat. I had to, I believed, or my muscles would spontaneously combust.

This study suggests you can get as big and strong as you like without planning your life around eating.

So, you see, there's no excuse not to be a monster.

Best,
Flux

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think you are confusing the diet it takes to get Big with the diet used to get Ripped. The 6-meals-a-day thing is for bodybuilders. And I'm glad you found this study.

[Pnigro]

Hmmmm, I think it depends on the person. If I eat 3 meals I probably wouldn't get enough calories to gain weight...

I'm a skinny/ectomorph/hardgainer who's goal is to get stronger, bigger and healthier. Is 3 big meals better for me to achieve those 3 goals? Why?

And by 3 meals does it mean 3 meals without snacks in between? Like one big meal at 8am, another at 1pm and another at 7pm and that's all?

It's a lot easier to consume 4.500 calories divided in 5-6 meals of 750-900 calories than 3 big meals of 1.500 calories.

[Drewfasa]

Cheers Flux, that was bloody helpful. I think a lot of strength trainers can relate to what you have described.

[RRod]

This doesn't surprise me. Bigger meals are more likely than smaller meals to produce strong hormonal responses (e.g. insulin). As such, they are more likely to put the body into an anabolic state. Combine this with high calorie count, and it's mass-building heaven.

Eating several small meals throughout the day serves to blunt the hormonal responses to food. In particular, the lower levels of insulin translate into increased utilization of body fat for energy. As such, eating in this way allows people to trim off body fat while maintaining a decent daily caloric intake. So it's possible to get all your nutritional needs (protein, vitamins/minerals, etc.) and still burn off the fat. This (along with continued training) helps minimize the catabolism of muscle during times of leaning.

The reason you will see guys trying to get big eating more than 3 meals is that there comes a point where it's just too damn hard to eat THAT much food in one sitting. If you're aiming for 4200 calories a day and eating 3-square, that's 1400 calories per meal! That may be easy to do eating crap, but trying to make it happen with meats, veggies, fruit, and nuts/oils will take a lot of stomach space.

[justinmoulden]

Here's a bit cleaner version of that document, for those interested.

(Continue anyway or Ignore on the certificate error.)

[Ajax]

Flux,

I remember in an early post of yours that you referred to the mighty sumo as a shining example of the muscular mastodon. This was inspired and refreshing, but then you went on to hedge your bets by eating like a bodybuilder in overdrive. Nothing wrong with this, and it?s obviously worked wonders for you, but by your own admission it?s a bit of a pain in the arse.

Sumos don?t graze. They eat hard, heavy and infrequently. They, as well as powerlifters and strength athletes in general, tend to eat when they?re hungry. It may not be as new age as pre-digested whey suppositories or as sexy as the latest nano technology nasal delivery creatine supplement, but nothing stimulates protein synthesis better than gorging when you?re hungry. Drip feeding protein is great for preserving muscle mass during a caloric deficit, but it actually down regulates protein synthesis.

Ever had one of those days where you skip breakfast, hurry through an insubstantial lunch then find yourself getting so damn hungry at dinner that you eat like a fiend and don?t want to stop even though you?re full? Well, precede a medieval feast like this with a heavy workout and you have as anabolic an environment as you?re ever likely to create this side of an insulin injection.

Just like weight training, eating also has its intensity levels.

-Ajax

[Draco]

"In this study, three meals per day resulted in larger mus-
cle gain from strength training than six meals per day over
a period of twelve weeks."

Makes sense, actually, since the-powers-that-be say that bigger meals release more insulin and smaller meals increase metabolism. And from a couple of profiles I read in Milo, Olympics-level lifters are getting fed just 3 squares a day. Me, I get too sleepy from a huge meal, so I just deal with consuming something every 2-3 hours.

[notbuff]

I'm kinda surprised by this, I thought 6 meals a day was better for all goals. It isn't too detrimental to be eating every 2-3 hours though as long as I get enough food in, right?

[Phil Stevens]

I think you are confusing the diet it takes to get Big with the diet used to get Ripped. The 6-meals-a-day thing is for bodybuilders. And I'm glad you found this study.

Exactly, eating frequently is great, but not a need. If you eat a BIG meal it going to take Hours to just clear your gut and you will have no real need to carry food.

Some people who cant man up and put down large amounts of food still very much should however eat very frequently. Just get in more then you expend and your golden.