Division of Daily Calories Between Meals

e_v_v

Any suggestions or tried-and-true methods for dividing up calories between meals and snacks? I am allowed 1400 calories/day to reach my goal, and I'm just wondering what percentages or amounts are the most appropriate for each meal. (For example, 300 calories at breakfast, 500 calories at lunch, 400 calories at dinner, and 200 calories for snacks)

chocolate_owl

Whatever makes you feel best. Some people would break that down into 6 200-300 calorie "meals", some would eat one big meal, and most of us fall somewhere in between. On workdays I tend to do 200 for breakfast, 400-500 for lunch, 400-500 for dinner, and fill the remainder with snacks (or wine!). On weekends when I'm sleeping in and going out to dinner I might only eat twice and do a 400/1000 calorie split. It's all about personal preference to keep you satiated and feeling like you have energy.

vegangela_

Any thing you like. I hate breakfast so I don't eat a proper meal for breakfast so it's always less than my meals. Sometimes at work I don't have time to eat lunch so I then eat most of my calories in the form of snacks and my main meal of an evening. Find what works for your lifestyle.

malibu927

Unless you heave a medical reason to eat so much so often (i.e. diabetes), it's personal preference

cwolfman13

It doesn't matter. Breakfast is typically my least calorie dense meal of the day...lunch is probably the most calorie dense in most cases...and then I graze a lot in the afternoon/evening and eat my dinner which is usually a protein and 2 cooked cups of veg.

Need2Exerc1se

Mine is usually something like 0 for breakfast, 250-300 for lunch and 1000-1200 for dinner.

GrinnyMae

I eat 1500 cals a day. I use around 300 for breakfast, 150-200 for a morning snack, 150-200 for an afternoon/evening snack, about 400-450 for lunch and dinner. If I know I'm going to have a bigger lunch/dinner, I'll skip a snack and use those calories on lunch/dinner.

My husband eats small breakfast, occasionally lunch and huge dinner. It really is up to personal preference.

fishshark

i have about 1400 depending on my fitness for the day. My break is usually 200-300 lunch around 300 dinner 500-600 and snack smoothie around 200. Sometimes more for dinner because its my favorite meal of the day.

ASKyle

Personal preference. The only thing that's' important about your meal timing is that it leaves you satisfied.

Me personally, I don't eat breakfast (coffee & cream only), 400-500ish lunch, 200 of snacks between lunch and dinner, and the rest for dinner and treats if I have room.