“Well this explains a lot…”

Why Women Are Told to Eat More Often (and Why That Advice Is Backfiring)

If you’ve ever been told to eat five to six small meals a day “to keep your blood sugar stable,” you’re not alone.

Doctors, dietitians, and even fitness influencers have repeated this advice for decades—especially to women navigating fatigue, hormone shifts, or early signs of metabolic dysfunction.

But here’s the problem:That advice doesn’t work when insulin resistance is in the picture. And let’s be honest—insulin resistance is in the picture for one in three adults in the Western world (and climbing fast).

So if you’ve tried the six-meal-a-day thing and wondered why you still feel foggy, tired, snacky, and stuck…

Well this explains a lot.

Where Did the “Grazing” Advice Even Come From?

The origin of the “eat frequently” recommendation actually came from a good place—it was meant to prevent dangerous blood sugar crashes in people with diabetes.

But over time, it made its way into mainstream advice and was handed out across the board—often to people who didn’t have diabetes but did have insulin resistance (or were on their way to it).

Here’s the problem: Frequent eating means frequent insulin spikes. And if your body is already resistant to insulin? You’re just making the cycle worse.

Imagine shouting “INSULIN!” at your cells six plus times a day… eventually, they start tuning it out. Check out that GIF below, and you'll know how every cell in your body is feeling!

What Actually Helps With Insulin Resistance?

Let’s make this simple.

If your goal is better energy, fewer cravings, and a healthier metabolism, here’s what actually works:

✅ Creating longer gaps between meals

This gives your insulin a chance to drop—and your body a chance to burn fat for fuel.

✅ Prioritizing protein + healthy fat at meals

That combo stabilizes blood sugar and reduces the urge to snack between meals.

✅ Focusing on nutrient-dense, satisfying meals

You don’t need to graze all day if your meals are actually nourishing you.

✅ Honoring your circadian rhythm

Eating at consistent times and giving your body time to rest (overnight!) helps restore metabolic flexibility.

“But I get shaky if I don’t eat every 2–3 hours…”

That’s not a personal failure. That’s a sign your body has forgotten how to burn anything except sugar.

This is what we work on inside my coaching programs: Healing the root issue (insulin resistance) so your body doesn’t rely on constant fuel to feel okay.

The goal is freedom—freedom from needing to pack snacks every time you leave the house, freedom from the 3pm energy crash, freedom from the roller coaster.

It takes a little time to retrain your body.But it is possible.

You’re Not Broken—You’ve Just Been Misinformed

If you’ve tried the small-meal strategy and it didn’t work for you, you didn’t fail.

You were just following advice that wasn’t designed for women with insulin resistance. (And let’s be real—this advice rarely accounts for female hormones or life phases like perimenopause or post-menopause.)

Your body wants to heal. You just need a new strategy.

Want support and clarity without the fluff?

Come hang out with me in my free Facebook group for women ready to reverse insulin resistance and build a life that works. I’m sharing practical tools, helpful videos, and encouragement every week. 👉 Join here

Or if you’re more of a TikTok gal, come find me over there. I’m sharing real-talk reels and metabolic coaching in 60 seconds or less: 👉 @metaboliccoachmarybeth

You don’t have to stay stuck. Let’s heal your metabolism—one real meal and one smart step at a time.

—Coach MB