Actually.
There is actually very sound logic behind eating 6 times a day in my opinnion at least for me there is. Most world's top athleates eat 5-8 meals a day. There has got to be something to it right? The whole topic itself is like fat discussion that has been going on for years. At times it's good at times it's bad, like all things have their advantages and disadvantages so does meal frequency. Absolutely NONE of the studies show advantages or disadvantages of long perioid (years) of eating 6 meals vs 3 meals.
Who knows? Perhaps longer time eating proves that fat cells grow more with 3 meals than with 6 meals, or pehaps its the other way around? Perhaps 6 meals increase testosteroin levels than 3 over years of eating or other way around. Perhaps other way increases central nerve system link more or improve motor unit handling.. In my honest opinnion, it's too early to conclude that 3 meals is the same as 6. Also some studies show that people who have eaten years 5-8 meals a day have smaller waistline that people who eat just 3 times for years. Despite both groups would have same weight and fat %. It could also be that people who have lower metabolism due lack of exercise might have lazier bodies of moving/utilizing the nutrients & macronutrients to right bodyparts which might lead to mid section fat? As said, none of the studies show longer (years) perioid eating 6 times.
My personall opinnion is that: Eat in which ever scheme that suits you. More often works the best for me.
6 meals a day advantages:
- You are much more informed about the amounts you eat per meal.
- When you reach to level where you have to eat from 3000 to 6000kcal eating those amounts in just 3-4 meals tends to be HARD.
- You can be rather sure that your digestion system, moves the nutrients to right places. You can also be sure that pencreatic enzymes, bile salts, gastrin, peptidases, cholecystokinin, etc will digest/utilize all nutrition and fills your needs for different vitamins etc.
- Energy level controll: you can controll your energy levels in ever changing situations of life when eating less at the time.
- Makes you feel better when you are not having stomach painfully full of food 3 times a day.
- You don't have to eat gazillion different types of foods on each meal. (This is a major thing for me and I believe for most other people too)
- It ensures better that you get enough of vital elements to your nutrition.
I would not hit the nail into coffin regarding 6 meals vs 3 meals yet.
