question regarding eating small meals

[josh]

I've heard alot of people giving the advice to eat 5-6 small meals a day, but what exactly is considered a small meal?

[dudeimhuge]

i would say something to just fill you up a bit. never stuffing yourself silly but not having just a salad.

[nanoking]

Simple answer :

meal size = (total calorie load - post workout shake)/(number of other meals)

so at 3000 Calories a day and downing a 600 Cal postworkout shake and aiming for 6 total meals

meal size = 2400/5 = 480 Cal

"Dynamic" answer: In general size your portions according to the amount of activity you expect to do post-meal. Meal = Fuel.

meal 1: more fats allowed
meal 2: portion sized to energy expenditure expected in next 2-4 hrs
preworkout: more carbs allowed
postworkout: more protein allowed, less fat allowed
meal 5: reincorporate fat
presleep: protein/fat or protein/fiber

[nanoking]

Simple simple answer:

Are you bulking? Are you vegan? Then eat everything in sight.

Are you cutting? Are you vegan? Then eat everything in sight and add cardio.

At least this is how my diet works in practice.

News Flash! Pine nuts are yummy.

-NK

[JP]

this is actually quite funny, because of couse small meals mean different things for different people and i've never thought of that when i say "rather eat several smaller meals through the day than a few big ones".

For me it means that instead of having 4 x 1200 calorie huge meals/day i have several smaller, say around 500 calorie meals (which might still be quite substantive) every 2-3 hours. Thats bulking though

When bulking i try to eat before i get slightest feeling of hunger. When i'm hungry thats too late!

[nanoking]

I'll slip an amino acid supplement in between meals or in between my postworkout shake and next "real" meal.

Trick is not to rush it or get obsessive. I'm better about it now, but I used to get real cranky when "real life" interrupted my eating schedule. Now I just try to keep my pockets loaded with trail mix or clif bars.

[Pete]

Some people find it easier to have 3 meals & 3 snacks, so they can fit into a "normal" breakfast, lunch & dinner schedule, but just have a sandwich or two, a bag of nuts, some houmous dip etc between bigger meals.
There are really loads of ways to go on this, all of the above ideas from other people have merit, & non are definitive.
Any way you find to split up your meals into easier to digest portions ( hee hee I had to put it like that ) will benefit you more than just 3 squares I'd have thought, just remember water is as important & so is your total calorific intake.