How many meals a day?

Hi to you all,

I'm a little confused about how many meals a day is best. I'm reading about raw food lifestyle (http://www.rawfoodexplained.com/), and so far, what I learned is that more than 3 times a day is not optimum, because we only produce so much "gastric juices" in the stomach to digest only 3 big meals. If we eat more than that, it would be not digested as it should by gastric juices.

I'm pretty new to this lifestyle (entering the 2nd week), and before eating raw I was used to eat 6 times a day! I thought that this way I ensure nutrients to my body in the best way it could assimilate them.

So, how many times is optimum? I'm doing exercise every day, alternating running and weight lifting days.

Thanks in advance, and sorry if this topic was already discussed.

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Permalink Reply by Alison Andrews on October 14, 2009 at 11:00pm

Hi Joanna, I have a blog that is just for me to list what I am eating and how much I'm exercising. So if you want to have a look it is at http://alison-andrews.blogspot.com/

I am a bit taller than you (5 foot 5) and a bit heavier, but as far as I'm concerned you should aim for at least 2000 calories a day and more if you are particularly active on that day. You should enter your activity, height, weight etc on nutridiary.com and that will show you how many to eat each day.

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Permalink Reply by DaSaint on October 15, 2009 at 6:21am

Wow. Do you have enough energy eating this little?
I've been working in construction the past few weeks and I'll tell you what I eat. That way you can compare.

Breakfast: a whole melon, usually a charentais melon.
Followed by about 5 bananas and a mango blended.
On my way to work I'll usually eat a fair amount of grapes.

Noon: 2 big apples or nectarines or a couple of plums. And about three bananas.

Evening: I'll start with another melon. Usually another Charentais or a santa clause melon.
An hour later I'll eat a big salad or a guacamole. Sometimes I'll have some 6 or 7 oranges juiced before my salad.

You really need to take your time to be able to eat such great volumes of food. But if you are going to be physically active you are going to need calories to get you trough the day.

Sometimes I'll feel like I'm pretty full but then I'll eat a big salad and I'd be surprised I could still get it in.

I think realizing that you can eat large quantities of food is also a psychological thing.

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Permalink Reply by Roar of Tiger on October 15, 2009 at 7:05am

is eating snacks bad for the stomach?

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Permalink Reply by Durianwriter on October 15, 2009 at 9:17am

Yes, what about snacks ? ( she says munching an apple between class)

I am 5 '4", 102 lbs. It's 3 p.m. and this is my day so far:

5:20 a.m. push snooze button and cuddle with husband
5:30 a.m. arise and make tea
6:30 a.m. ride bike 1.5 miles to yoga
6:45- 8:30ish ashtanga yoga, mysore style. Then I ride another 1.5 miles or so to school
9 a.m. 3 oranges
11 a.m. 1 banana, 1/2 bunch of romaine lettuce, 5 black sphinx dates (soooo good) about 10 small dried calyamyrna figs
1:30 p.m. 40 minute jog
3 p.m. 1 large honey crisp apple

When I get home around 6 tonight I'm making carrot/ginger soup with some young coconut in it. Yum!

Hope this gives some ideas of a schedule - schedules are so often awkward and variable...

I don't usually eat so much dried fruit but school is hitting me hard this week.

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Permalink Reply by Roar of Tiger on October 17, 2009 at 2:56am

would drinking a lot of water for breakfast (to satisfy the morning hunger while not having any calories while the body is detoxing) use up 1 out of the 3 gastric juices for the day?

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Permalink Reply by Shuanna on October 20, 2009 at 2:54pm

I eat when I am hungry. I think that should be the rule of thumb. I dont believe in depriving myself. I just make good choices. I also know when I am actually hungry though versus when I just want to feel comforted. Thats a huge difference. I still have emotional issues with food so I have be careful of how I really feel!

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Permalink Reply by Richard on October 22, 2009 at 3:18pm

I say eat when your hungry and don't be afraid to eat lots of fruit. Get exercise every day . get your calories from fruit.

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Permalink Reply by Julie on October 22, 2009 at 3:49pm

would drinking a lot of water for breakfast (to satisfy the morning hunger while not having any calories while the body is detoxing) use up 1 out of the 3 gastric juices for the day?

doubt it, water can go right through the stomach without even opening the valve!

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Permalink Reply by ilan on December 21, 2009 at 10:43am

Depending on how active I am I will have 3 main meals and two snacks which can either be banana/date monomeals for the added calories or a snack of greens (ie twenty stalks of celery, 500g lettuce)... greens are in addition to the greens I eat for dinner (usually 350-500g). Depending on whether or not I exercise right when I get up I will eat my first meal either in one sitting (can more easily handle the water intake after exercise) or two sittings (about 1.5-2lbs melon followed about 45 mins later by another 1.5-2lbs).