With shakes I go 2 hours. After a food meal I go 2 1/2 to 3 hours, unless I’m hungry. If I’m hungry then I go 2 hour after a meal. But my egg whites and rice cakes meal typically fills me up on the bulk fiber. I just make sure I get at least 6 total shakes/meals. Yesterday I had 7 because my food meal was only steak and vegetables which I feel would flatten me out since the carbs only came from veggies. A few months ago I was only having 5 shakes/meals but as my diet goes on I like to up the protein and the calories so my metabolism doesn’t slow down. This allows me to fill back out as well. Once your body gets in the zone for fat loss you can up the meals slightly and keep making progress. From a science perspective I think doing 3 days lower carbs, followed by a medium carb day, then a higher carb day, would most likely give the best results and keep your body from catching on and stagnating in fat loss. But knowing this, I still have never done a preplanned diet of carb cycling. I tend to stay away from regiment, and follow my instinct as each day comes. The same goes with my daily drug protocol. Some days I think, fuck it, I want to pop a bunch of orals today, dbol, tbol, and anavar, so I get a real good workout. Or I may say, I’m feel like doubling my tren dose today. Other days I may feel less than spectacular and just skip my AAS shot and decide to drop orals for a couple weeks all together. I think we have an inherent protective mechanism in our DNA that allows us to sense what we should do. It’s why you and I have evolved and not died out. Maybe I’m just bat shit crazy though? Haha 
