Calorie budgeting strategies

thegreatcoyote

What are some of the hacks/strategies you use when budgeting?

One that works well for me is working in reverse. I log the most important meal first (bedtime snack) then my social meal with family (dinner) and then whatever is left is split up for the rest of the day.

Lietchi

Well, what works for me is:
- breakfast doesn't vary a whole lot: it's around 300-350 calories (or none at all, or a lower calorie alternative when anticipating a big lunch/dinner)
- lunch usually between 600-750 calories
- dinner varies a bit more (and not always known beforehand)
- so my evening snack varies depending on how many calories I have left after the other meals

cwolfman13

I haven't counted calories in a very long time, but I'm still mindful of them. Mostly, if I'm trying to drop weight, I cut back on snacking and don't drink my calories (most of the time)

nossmf

I almost never eat breakfast, so no worries there. I plan my dinners out a week in advance, taking into account work schedule, kids after-school activities, church/Scouts, etc. Based on the calories/protein in the dinner, I select a corresponding lunch to complement from available leftover meals to try to balance calories/protein intake across the week. On days I hit the gym, the only change made is adding a protein shake, which calories are more than offset by the workout. At the end of the day, the size of my leftover calorie budget determines, what, if any, dessert I get to have. Some weeks I get to have ice cream multiple times; other weeks, I go without.

Special occasions (birthdays, holidays) I ignore calorie restrictions, though I still try to hit my minimum protein goals for each day.