Ep 92- Should You Eat Every 3 Hours to Stop Binge Eating?
November 13, 2025
You’ve been told to eat every 3 hours on the dot and never go hungry.
To set timers and prepare mini meals.
And still… You end the night staring into the pantry frustrated with “Why do I still want food?”
In this episode, I cover:
Who specifically can benefit from eating every 3 hours
Why this food rule could be secretly making everything worse and causing you to fear hunger
How often you should be eating to stop binge eating
Where Did the “Eat Every 3 Hours” Rule Come From?
The idea of eating every three hours comes from several sources:
Eating disorder recovery programs
These often teach that binge eating happens because you get “too hungry.” The solution offered is to prevent hunger by eating frequently.The metabolism myth
About ten years ago, it was common to hear that eating every few hours keeps your metabolism “fired up.” We now know metabolism does not work that way.Diet trends like intermittent fasting
More recently, fasting has become popular, suggesting the opposite idea: that we should go long periods without eating. Both eating every three hours and fasting for long stretches have passionate supporters, which can be confusing.
So how do you know what is right for you?
When Eating Every 3 Hours Can Be Helpful
Eating every three hours can be useful as a temporary structure in a few specific situations.
1. You Regularly Skip Meals
If you often skip breakfast, lunch, or dinner, your body may have lost a sense of normal hunger and fullness. A regular eating rhythm helps your hunger hormones stabilize again.
2. You Are Early in Binge Eating Recovery
At the beginning of recovery, many people feel extreme hunger or fullness. Eating every three hours can bring balance while your body relearns to regulate these cues.
3. You Recently Dieted or Restricted Calories
If you have been eating less than your maintenance calories or following a restrictive diet under 1,200 calories, your body is likely underfueled. Regular eating can rebuild trust and restore energy levels.
4. You Are Underweight or Recovering from Anorexia
If you need to gain weight or have been severely undereating, your body needs consistent nourishment before you can work on binge recovery.
In these situations, eating every three hours can help rebuild safety and consistency with food. But it should be viewed as temporary support, not a permanent rule.
When the “Every 3 Hours” Rule Becomes Harmful
This rule can easily become another form of control.
I experienced this myself. I used to panic if I missed a snack, even when I wasn’t hungry. I constantly thought about food, worried I was “doing it wrong,” and planned my life around meal times.
I remember being in college, walking around with friends. It had been three hours since breakfast, and while they were relaxed, I was anxious. I wasn’t even hungry, but the idea of waiting made me uncomfortable. I ended up eating a protein bar just to calm the fear of going too long without food.
This kind of behavior keeps you disconnected from your body. When the clock replaces your internal hunger cues, you lose body trust and start fearing hunger.
The Goal Is Not to Prevent Hunger but to Trust It
You do not need to fear hunger. The goal of recovery is to be comfortable with it and to know that food will always be available when you need it.
You can still binge even when you are eating every three hours. That is because binge eating is not just about physical hunger. It is also about emotional and psychological triggers.
Even with a “perfect” meal plan, you can overeat if you have not addressed the mental patterns behind bingeing. Rebuilding body trust and understanding your brain’s response to hunger is key to lasting recovery.
So, How Often Should You Eat to Stop Binge Eating?
The short answer: it depends.
Eating every three hours can help if you are undereating or just beginning recovery. But you do not need to follow it forever. Over time, you want to move away from strict rules and toward natural, body-led eating.
For most people, a balanced routine looks like this:
Three main meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Optional snacks or a fourth meal if you are active or hungry between meals
This predictable rhythm helps your brain feel safe and prevents restriction, but it still allows flexibility. Some days you may be hungry after two hours, other days after six. Both are normal. Being human means having fluctuations in hunger.
The Real Key: Rebuilding Body Trust
Binge eating recovery is not about eating by the clock. It is about reconnecting with your body’s cues.
When you understand the difference between physical hunger and emotional urges, you can respond appropriately without relying on rigid rules.
Learning to trust your body again takes time, but it is the foundation of becoming a confident eater. Once you no longer fear hunger or restriction, food stops feeling so powerful.
Final Thoughts
Eating every three hours can support your recovery temporarily by helping you get enough food and stabilize your body. But it is not the ultimate solution. True binge eating recovery requires addressing both your biological needs and your psychological relationship with food.
If you are ready to stop binge eating long term, focus on rebuilding trust with your body, listening to your natural hunger signals, and creating predictable but flexible meal patterns.
And before you go, make sure to download my free 7-minute guided audio “Stop a Binge Before It Starts.” It has helped thousands of people pause an urge in real time and get back in control.