Eating all of my calories at dinner

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  • jbailyn
    jbailyn Posts: 1
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    MyFitnessPal and other calorie trackers -- designed to track caloric intake over the day -- attract people who believe that it's the total calories you consume over a day that matters, not when you consume it. If we cared about calories at certain times or meals, we wouldn't have chosen MyFitnessPal, since it doesn't track that. If you asked this same question on another forum, you might get a different set of answers.
  • GrannyGwen1
    GrannyGwen1 Posts: 213 Member
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    Eating all of my calories at dinner

    BUMP FOR FOLLOW UP
  • MsEndomorph
    MsEndomorph Posts: 604 Member
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    MyFitnessPal and other calorie trackers -- designed to track caloric intake over the day -- attract people who believe that it's the total calories you consume over a day that matters, not when you consume it. If we cared about calories at certain times or meals, we wouldn't have chosen MyFitnessPal, since it doesn't track that. If you asked this same question on another forum, you might get a different set of answers.

    Truth. Opinions on forums tend to be biased without anyone really realizing it. 20 people may agree with you, but people here are self-selected.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    My trainer recommends 4-5 meals a day. She doesn't specify the amount of the meal but eating regularly. I think the downside of eating so much at dinner is that you don't have a lot of time to burn it off before bedtime. I think the reasoning behind the multiple meals is to give yourself energy throughout the day. But if you feel fine with what your doing, I wouldn't say to change it. But everyone is different.
    If one is in calorie deficit before bedtime, then there is much burning off to do.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    I find that timing of meals really makes little difference for me. Some days I don't start eating till 10, 12, or even 2. On some days I eat all my calories between 4pm -12am. Honestly it depends on what my day involves and whether or not I have a shift with a lunch included at work. If you're not starving all day and you have no problem eating the majority of your calories at night go ahead and do it. The most important part, in my opinion, is to keep a sensible deficit.
  • tworthen79
    tworthen79 Posts: 1,173 Member
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    I eat like 400 for breakfast, 500 for lunch and 300 at dinner. Not past 8pm. I eat less at night, because that's when I'm less active.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Meal Frequency has no bearing on weight loss... Eat your calories when it is best for you... It all comes down to personal preference......... Best of Luck
  • Missjulesdid
    Missjulesdid Posts: 1,444 Member
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    The only thing I worry about splitting up is my protein.... so I try to have 20-30 grams of protein at a meal.. I'm usually really light on calories early on in the day and heavy on calories for dinner. This is how I'm naturally hungry. If I try to eat my calories earlier on , I STILL want my calories at night too.... So I consume well over half of my calories for dinner and a nighttime snack.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    I was not expecting such replies. I always read or heard that a balanced day should be a large breakfast, a smaller lunch and a smaller even dinner. Since food sustains your activity level throughout the day/night, your intake should match that level. I have also read that eating carbs at diner is fine, since it is energy in the making for the following day. But i wouldn't eat 900 cal at dinner and would try to spread the amount throughout the day.
    don/t believe everything you read...

    meal timing, metabolism, and fat loss have nothing to do with each other...

    a lot of people do IF and eat one large meal post workout and are absolutely shredded and maintain low body fat...
  • purpleipod
    purpleipod Posts: 1,147 Member
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    The only thing that would worry me is being so hungry later that you overeat without meaning to. Other than that I don't think it really matters.
  • ecw3780
    ecw3780 Posts: 608 Member
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    Eat when you are hungry. I personal try to have between 200-300 calories at breakfast and lunch, but that just because any less and I get hangry. As long as you aren't hording your calories so you can eat a big mac every night, I think your probably fine. Now, if you are having a big mac every night, I worry about your risk for high cholesterol and other health problems, but it's still all calories in and calories out.

    Lastly, because this doesn't get said enough, your body does not re boot at midnight, so as long as you are in a deficit, it doesn't matter when you eat.
  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
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    Calories should be split up in a way that works best for you. If you aren't a morning person and you don't like to eat, then keep it light and simple and finish up your cals at night (if that is what works for you.) If you are starving yourself at any point of the day, you are doing it wrong :P

    Calories being rationed equally throughout the day is too difficult a plan to follow (at least in my experience) so just eat what you want, when you want it and enjoy going to bed on a very full stomach :) If you pig out at night, those cals will stay in your system through the night and into the morning. You just won't notice cause you're sleeping, haha :)
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
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    My trainer recommends 4-5 meals a day. She doesn't specify the amount of the meal but eating regularly. I think the downside of eating so much at dinner is that you don't have a lot of time to burn it off before bedtime. I think the reasoning behind the multiple meals is to give yourself energy throughout the day. But if you feel fine with what your doing, I wouldn't say to change it. But everyone is different.
    Why do you need to burn it off before bedtime? Why is that the deadline? Your body continues to burn (and store) energy throughout the day. Hopefully your trainer's reasoning has more to do with your energy levels and optimum performance.

    Everyone knows that metabolism stops after dinner....

    Does your trainer have a degree from University of BroScience?
  • ska41
    ska41 Posts: 15 Member
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    I eat very few calories during the day. Mostly just coffee, water and a small lunch. Then I have enough calories for basically whatever I want for dinner.

    ^^^^This. It works really well for me. Eating breakfast or a large lunch makes me really hungry much sooner and I hate going to bed kinda hungry and "rumbly". I discussed this with the Registered Dietician who's keeping a friendly eye on my weight loss just two days ago and he says it's perfectly fine.

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