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In fitness and nutrition, there's a common myth that eating more often can boost metabolism, helping with weight loss and maintaining a lean physique.
This belief has led many to follow strict eating schedules with frequent, smaller meals to try to increase their metabolic rate.
Metabolism and Meal Frequency: What Does the Science Say?
The idea that eating more frequent meals can significantly boost your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is common.
Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which is the total calories burned in a day, depends on your basal metabolic rate, physical activity, and the energy used to digest food.
Yet, research, including findings from the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that the overall daily intake of calories and macronutrients holds more weight in managing body composition than the number of meals consumed (Bellisle et al., 1997).
The Real Key to Success: Total Daily Calorie and Macronutrient Intake
Caloric Distribution Based on Meal Frequency
Exploring how an 1800 kcal daily intake is spread across different meal frequencies.
| Meal Frequency | Calories per Meal |
|---|---|
| 3 meals per day | 600 kcal per meal |
| 4 meals per day | 450 kcal per meal |
| 5 meals per day | 360 kcal per meal |
| 6 meals per day | 300 kcal per meal |
This table provides a simple breakdown of daily calories divided by different meal frequencies, illustrating flexibility in dietary planning.
Instead of focusing on how often you eat, it's more important to pay attention to what and how much you eat.
Eating three well-balanced meals a day can be just as effective as eating smaller meals more frequently if your total daily calories are managed properly.
References
- Bellisle, F., McDevitt, R., & Prentice, A. M. (1997). Meal frequency and energy balance. British Journal of Nutrition, 77(S1), S57-S70. DOI: 10.1079/bjn19970104