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How many times a day do you all eat?

I've always heard "small but frequent meals" but don't really know what is meant by that specifically?

do most of you try to eat every 2 hours, and when do you snack and how small is your snacks? I need to
gain a little weight as well and make sure im not overloading myself eating too much or too frequent trying to find the balance and was curious what small but frequent means to you.
Thanks
 
I would say 5 times a day would be good.. Breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack, and dinner.. Maybe something before bed too. I'm not sure what to eat to gain weight though bc I'm trying to lose weight haha.
 
Shortly after my resection my doctor suggested smaller meals more frequently. I usually eat three meals with snacks after lunch and dinner.
 
I'm on a nutrition and Crohns research program. They have me eating six times a day - small meals. Huge amount of fibre but with probiotics twice a day if possible. Probiotics to be from yogurt not supplements.
It's interesting - I'm not digesting much of the fibre but haven't had any bouts of diarrhea. Lost some weight (which for me is a good thing).
 
I would say 5 times a day would be good.. Breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack, and dinner.. Maybe something before bed too. I'm not sure what to eat to gain weight though bc I'm trying to lose weight haha.

Just curious, not sure if you have a job or not. How many times a day and how is it structured when you are working, if you do work?

Do you just eat eat snacks often at work and eat normally at your lunch break until you get home?
 
I'm on a nutrition and Crohns research program. They have me eating six times a day - small meals. Huge amount of fibre but with probiotics twice a day if possible. Probiotics to be from yogurt not supplements.
It's interesting - I'm not digesting much of the fibre but haven't had any bouts of diarrhea. Lost some weight (which for me is a good thing).

Just wondering if you have a job how are you incorporating eating six times a day while working?

Thanks
 
About 6 times a day, before I had the crohn's (before age 38) I'd eat about about 20 times a day and ingest about 12,000 calories a day. I was an olympic athlete. I can't burn off calories like before but never really shook my obsession with eating. I gain weight very easily even after a resection of 24 inches in the small intestines and 4 inches at the juncture of the small and large intestines. I mostly eat spaghetti and meatballs and ham subs with mustard only. I always ate a low residue diet even when I was healthy as I hate all fruits and all vegetables.
 
I graze during the day. Snack at night while watching a movie. "Meals" have lost their attraction, especially large ones.

Um......except for tomorrow night. Heh...thawing a steak to cook on the grill. Yep, I will be trying to commit suicide by beef tomorrow night.

*THUD*
 
I actually have a really tough job bc I work 730-5 and am on call one night a week and every third weekend. So I may not sleep for an entire day I may not have time to eat (I'm an X-ray tech in a small critical access hospital) I usually keep granola bars in my office and yogurt in the fridge so I always have those. The hospital always has soup available too. I have a lot of options.
 
I graze during the day. Snack at night while watching a movie. "Meals" have lost their attraction, especially large ones.

Um......except for tomorrow night. Heh...thawing a steak to cook on the grill. Yep, I will be trying to commit suicide by beef tomorrow night.

*THUD*
I can relate to you, the grazing type. but how do you incorporate this with your workplace if you do have a job?
 
When I was having a lot of problems with my crohns, like the blow out situation I just drank a boost shake at work or didn't eat while at work.
 
I have a desk job and generally spread my eating out throughout the day and also throw in some protein shakes for extra calories. Used protein a lot especially after any ops as my thinking was if it will help repair tissue following training sessions it must also help repair and heal tissue after an op. Don't know if there have been any studies to back this up but doctors and nurses all regularly commented on how quickly I healed.
 

Cat-a-Tonic

Super Moderator
Usually about 5 small-ish meals for me as well, and I work full-time (desk job, so I can eat at my desk whenever I need to). Lately I've been having a small breakfast - I was never a breakfast person before, but I am currently in remission so I actually can handle some food in the mornings without too much nausea these days. So lately I've been having some eggs and maybe turkey bacon with it for breakfast at home before I go to work. Then when I get to work, I'll drink either a smoothie or juice. Mid/late-morning I take a short break and have a snack of oatmeal and fruit. Then I tend to have kind of a big lunch and a small dinner - my acid reflux goes haywire if my stomach is too full at bedtime, so I'm compensating by eating a larger lunch and less in the evenings. I try to have a good amount of protein in both lunch and dinner as well (usually fish or chicken). That system has been working pretty well for me. My schedule at work every day is the same so it's easy to stick to a pattern Mon-Fri. I do sometimes forget to eat or eat at odd times on the weekends, but overall I do pretty well.
 
I have a small breakfast (anything big and I will be nauseous), usually just snacks at lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. If I eat a normal lunch I end up snacking at dinner. I don't like to eat big meals anymore, always feel terrible after. If we go out to eat I will only eat half and bring the rest home usually.

If I was trying to gain weight I would add in 2-3 Ensure or Boost shakes for added calories that are somewhat nutritious.
 
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