The bodybuilding industry standard for nutrition has revolved around eating as many meals during the day as possible (generally about 6-8), because it “stokes the metabolism.” The theory is that eating every 2-3 hours keeps the metabolism working constantly, which is supposed to help you be more energetic and remain anabolic. I am unsure about the science behind this, but many elite athletes, as well as recreational lifters, have seen great results after going from a standard breakfast/lunch/dinner to eating many evenly portioned meals throughout the day. I decided to try this, and did so for about a year and a half.

I would eat every 2-3 hours, and my meals would generally revolve around a source of protein, and the carbs and fats were spread somewhat evenly throughout the day. Around the workouts, I would consume more carbs and less fats. I made great gains by coupling this with my lifting and exercise habits. I began at 155 lbs (5’9ish) and made my way up to the 180’s (this was when I first began lifting, hence the rapid increase in weight. I was content with my meals, as I would always have a meal to look forward to in the very near future. However, it did require me to find a way to eat these meals, and that was the priority. Often times I would pack meals with me, or prepare them ahead of time. I enjoyed this method of eating, and it worked well to gain weight. I have never tried losing weight by doing so.