Why You Must Eat After Every 2 Hours: No, It Won't Make You Gain Weight! (2024)

Why You Must Eat After Every 2 Hours: No, It Won't Make You Gain Weight! (1)

Eating frequently can help you burn calories through Diet Induced Thermogenesis

Highlights

  • Eating often can reduce the size of your meals
  • It enables your body to burn more calories
  • It can help you have a flatter stomach

Which one of these are you: the one who eats big meals in huge gaps, or the one who eats small and frequent meals? Well, what may exactly work for you is something that only you can decide. But if you want nutritionists' advice, they will want you to go for the latter. Having said that, it is important to listen to your body and not follow anything because it is an expert's opinion.

Lifestyle coach Luke Coutinho, in his Facebook live, has previously said that eating small and frequent meals can increase the load on your digestive system. Coutinho is of the opinion that one should fast every now and then and avoid eating when not hungry.

The benefits of eating small and frequent meals

Nutritionist Vandita Jain, eating small and frequent meals can help in keeping the metabolism intact. "For weight management, it is important to keep the metabolism in equilibrium. Eating every 2-3 hours maintains body processes and metabolism remains intact," she says.

Also read:Muskmelon Health Benefits: 5 Reasons Why You Should Eat This Summer Fruits Daily

This kind of eating pattern, she says, can also be beneficial for people on a weight loss plan or those with diabetes. "Keeping long gaps in between meals can lead to low energy, poor concentration, acid reflux, fluctuations in blood sugar, sluggish metabolism, food cravings, etc. A person who is not aiming at weight loss and does not have any underlying medical condition can have three main meals and two snacks in between meals," Jain recommends.

Nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar recommends that one must eat after every 2 hours. "When you eat every 2 hours, it's a given that you will eat small. So the number of calories you consume at one time will be very small. When our body gets a regular dose of small number of calories often through the day, it feels reassured and loved," she writes in her book Don't Lose Your Mind Lose Your Weight.

She goes on to explain that every time you, your body has to work at breaking the food down, digesting it and absorbing it. "It means more calorie burning. The process is known as Diet Induced Thermogenesis. The more often you eat, the more you can utilise DIT," she adds.

Why You Must Eat After Every 2 Hours: No, It Won't Make You Gain Weight! (2)

Eating small anf frequent meals can help you burn calories
Photo Credit: iStock

Now eating too often may instantly give you the impression of weight gain. However, whenever you taking up eating small and frequent meals, the first thing that drops is the size of your meal.

"When our body gets fewer calories at a time, they are utilised better and not stored as fat. Also, because the body is feeling reassured with a regular intake of calories and nutrients, it sees no reason to store body fat," Diwekar adds.

Also read:Increased Stress, Disturbed Sleep And Other Risks Associated With Drinking Too Much Alcohol

According to the Mumbai-based nutritionist, eating small and frequent meals will lead to:

  • A conducive environment in the body to burn fat
  • Fewer calories converted to fat
  • Less dependence on stimulants
  • Smarter thinking, because the brain gets regular flow of sugar
  • Flatter stomach, no need to hold on to fat stores

People are currently in lockdown and have the time to introduce some changes in the diet and adapt their body according to them. Try eating small and frequent meals and let us know if they work for you.

Also read:It May Be The Time To Bid Goodbye To Your Bed Tea / Coffee: Here's Why

(Luke Coutinho, Holistic Lifestyle Coach - Integrative Medicine)

(Vandita Jain is Delhi-based Nutritionist)

(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

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Why You Must Eat After Every 2 Hours: No, It Won't Make You Gain Weight! (2024)

FAQs

Why You Must Eat After Every 2 Hours: No, It Won't Make You Gain Weight!? ›

Eating every two hours will not inherently cause you to gain or lose weight. The overall calorie balance, or the balance between the number of calories consumed and the number of calories burned, is the most important factor in weight loss or weight gain.

Why should one eat every 2-3 hours even if not hungry? ›

Many believe that eating every 2 to 3 hours can help boost metabolism. Digestion of food does require energy. This is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF) .

Does eating every 2 hours help with weight loss? ›

Research has not shown that eating frequent small meals increases weight loss success, though it may have other health advantages. Eating more often may decrease the feelings of hunger that can sabotage anyone's good intentions.

Why am I gaining weight if I only eat once a day? ›

The person may find it hard to eat at the single mealtime because they feel full quickly. Over time, their desire to eat may increase during the fasting period, rather than decrease, compared with other forms of fasting. Body fat may increase, rather than decrease.

Why does not eating enough make you gain weight? ›

One of the primary reasons that undereating can lead to weight gain is because consuming too few calories can cause your resting metabolic rate to slow down. This means you may burn fewer calories throughout the day.

Should I eat every 2 hours to gain weight? ›

Eat frequently and regularly throughout the day. Eat at least 5-6 small meals or snacks a day. Eat every 2-3 hours even if you do not feel hungry. Set a timer to remind you to eat.

Why you should not eat every 2 hours? ›

Eating every two hours can have some negative effects on your body. For example, it can lead to weight gain because you are eating more than you need. It can also lead to grumbling stomachs because you are not getting the nutrients you need.

Why is my stomach getting bigger but not gaining weight? ›

Many women notice an increase in belly fat as they get older even if they don't gain weight. This is likely due to a lower level of estrogen because estrogen seems to have an effect on where fat is located in the body. Genes can contribute to an individual's chances of being overweight or obese too.

Why do people eat a lot but don't gain weight? ›

This can be boiled down to good genes with a high metabolism, although experts say nutritional and behavioural factors could play a part to stave off the extra pounds of a person's body weight.

Why am I so skinny even though I eat a lot? ›

You may be born naturally small and your low BMI can be due to your genes. You may have a very high metabolism and find it hard to put on weight, even if you eat foods that have a lot of calories. You may not follow a healthy, balanced diet because you forget to eat or cannot afford nutritious foods.

How do I speed up my metabolism? ›

Some things that may boost metabolism include:
  1. Exercising more.
  2. Eating less fat and more complex carbs.
  3. Planning your meals.
  4. Eating at regular times.
  5. Limiting alcohol and sugar.
  6. Getting enough sleep.
Mar 5, 2024

Do you poop less if you eat less? ›

Infrequent bowel movements may be related to low calorie intake. This isn't surprising since consuming very little food will result in less waste in your digestive tract. Constipation is typically described as having fewer than three bowel movements per week or having small, hard stools that are difficult to pass.

Can I lose belly fat if I don't eat? ›

Some studies show that intermittent fasting has short-term effects. People who followed this diet were able to lose weight, belly fat as well as markers of inflammation. When you fast, the body's cells are under mild stress.

Why do we often eat when we are not hungry? ›

Many people eat when they are feeling upset, angry, stressed, sad, lonely or fearful. Emotions such as these can be powerful triggers to eat. If you're an emotional eater, you can learn healthier ways to react to your emotions.

Is it normal to want to eat every 3 hours? ›

Your body generally gets hungry every three to five hours, but it's also used to your regular schedule. Try to eat at the same time every day. You can keep healthy, high-satiety snacks like vegetables and cheese around to eat between meals to curb your appetite.

Why am I not hungry even though I haven't eaten in 2 days? ›

If you notice that you don't feel hungry for several days at a time or more, your lack of an appetite may be due to stress, anxiety, depression, sickness, getting older, pregnancy, gastrointestinal problems, and certain medications.

What is better, intermittent fasting or eating every 3 hours? ›

By fueling up every 2-3 hours you never get the feeling of deprivation that comes with fasting. Energy levels are steady and high due to the constant supply of wholesome calories. Fat loss results are steady, and, when done with an exercise plan, muscle is maintained.

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