? - 4 to 6 small meals vs 3 large meals a day?

Which do you all find works better for you - 4 to 6 small meals or 3 large meals a day?

History - I have IBS symptoms b/c I've had my sigmoid area removed and 15 inches of my lower colon (rectal tumor/cancer in 1999). Also I had my gall bladder removed during my colon resection (docs discovered I had "hundreds" of gall stones, a gall bladder attack situation waiting to happen they said). I am now left with multiple bm's per day, at least a dozen. Small in amount, but I need a bathroom after each meal and it's not all at once, the bms are spaced out for an hour or more (if I have a very large meal, they can last a long time).

I've held a part time job for almost 2 years now (formerly stay at home mom, daughters 17 and 20 now). My hours - 9:45 to 1. Middle School Cafeteria (yep, lunch lady checking in). My job hours are absolutely perfect for this situation. I get up at 5:50 with my daughter who is still in HS and eat right away. If I eat by and finish by 6:30 or 7, I'm done in the bathroom by oh 9 or so, at the latest).

I eat a very small meal in the morning, half a bagel or english muffin, or banana or vanilla yogurt. Light lunch, half a turkey sandwich, or banana, or small salad. But by dinner, I am so hungry and I end up eating a fairly large meal.

Lately my dinners have brought on D or dumping. Each time I am home, thankfully!

Just wondered if the majority of members here find that small meals work better on the GI tract, instead of eating a large meal, which probably overwhelms the gut. I think I might need to have a late afternoon snack - either yogurt, small applesauce cup, crackers, etc. Then a light dinner with small amounts.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

Mary/Marsky

In my opinion everyone (healthy or not) should be eating smaller meals, it's much easier on the digestive system.


:)

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My bum is broken....there's a big crack down the middle of it!  LOL  :)