How to split calories across the day?

kthompson601

You might have to experiment a bit before you figure out what is the best split. If you're worried about being hungry often, you might try to have smaller meals and substantial snacks, therefore spreading out the calories throughout the day. Or maybe you aren't very hungry in the morning but find yourself really hungry at night, so you have a larger calorie dinner. Or maybe around 3 pm you are tired and listless, and need a hearty snack of protein with a lighter dinner to finish up. Or maybe you find a large lunch gets you through to a 300-calorie good snack for dinner.

There is no right or wrong answer. It might just take some experimenting to figure out what is best for YOU in particular. So spend a few days checking in with yourself every few hours. Am I always starving at 2 pm? When do I start hankering for lunch? How late can I go without breakfast, or do I need a big breakfast as soon as I wake up? Do I get the munchies an hour before bed? Keep track and you'll figure out when you require the most calories, then you can spread them out accordingly.

For me (I have 1400 calories a day), I can usually do a 400 calorie breakfast, about 500 for lunch, and a larger dinner, with very little snacking. Or some days I might need a snack to boost me over the hump at 3:30, then I cut out a bit on dinner. But you might be totally different, and that's okay! Do what feels right--but stay UNDER your calorie goal!

alt5057

I like to have snacks during the day, so I eat smaller breakfasts and lunches to account for that. I also like to be able to have a larger dinner and some kind of dessert (depending on how many calories I have left) at night...so I plan my breakfast/lunch accordingly.

learningtolove

You can add me if you want,my diary is 1500 calories and open

pstegman888

It took me several days or even a few weeks to get into a good rhythm with food intake & choices, and to get past the cravings, hunger, fatigue and slight headache of adjusting to a different way of eating. Don't sweat the details at first, and realize that you can always start out at a slightly higher calorie goal at first and then adjust it downward after a few weeks when you develop better habits. Keep filling but lower-calorie snacks on hand, like apples or popcorn or raw veggies with a yogurt dip. If you eat chip or cracker snacks, get lower cal brands and portion them out so you don't just mindlessly munch your way through the bag. Allow yourself an indulgence from time to time, just work it into your cals. You can always save a few hundred cals up for a few days and have a really nice indulgence! If you really overindulge, just be honest with yourself, log it in, learn from it, and move on. I am not only losing in a slow but steady manner, and getting healthier at the same time, I am actually having fun doing it. To me, it's like a little game to figure out how to get the most delicious healthy & satisfying foods into my calorie goal

AnnPT77

+1 on the idea of experimenting to see what distribution of meals/calories works best for you.

I'm at 1400 net (usually 1700-something gross because I eat back my conservatively-estimated exercise calories). I typically do 3 meals around 400, 400-500, and 500-600 with random small snacks (usually protein) if I feel hungry. I, personally, *must* have a decent breakfast with protein, or I get all crave-y later in the day. But everyone's different.

Another thing to experiment with is learning what makes you satiated. (It should *not* be necessary to feel hungry all the time, let alone famished. You may not feel stuffed full, but should be able to feel satisfied most of the time, once you figure this out.)

If necessary, taper down your intake gradually, while logging conscientiously, to figure things out. You want this to be healthy & sustainable over the long haul.

Some people report needing large-volume foods to feel satiated (think things like cabbage, high volume, low cal, for this case). Some need protein (I'm one of these, so satisfying go-tos include greek yogurt & soybeans (I'm vegetarian, BTW)). Some require high-fiber foods (like oatmeal, beans). Some can't feel satisfied without some carbs (like bread, potatoes), while others find eating carbs just makes them want *more carbs*.

So, experiment for a while, learn about cslories, learn what your body needs, don't be *too* hard on yourself right off.

You can do this!

callsitlikeiseeit

whatever works for you....

i generally eat a larger lunch because after the gym, I am hungry LOL

BUT... not always.

As long as I'm good with my calories at the end of the day, I'm not worried abut when I ate what....

hapa11

Try to allow yourself a decent amount of calories when you know you'll need them. I can resist temptation pretty easily up to about noon, so I eat meals around noon, 3, and 6 with a snack in there when I need it. That way I'm able to eat a full meal at my hardest time of day, mid-afternoon.

pmm3437

I do 20% each for breakfast, lunch and snacks, with the other 40% for dinner. This works for me, because it leaves me enough wiggle room to go out to dinner on occasion, without trashing my budget.

You have to figure out what works for you. I would recommend you log for a week or two, and see when ( and what ) you tend to eat ( trends ), then try to work from that.