Is calorie stacking bad?

p90xokc

I'm not sure if I'm giving it the right name. Just to explain a little bit. What I want to do is eat small, low calorie meals during the day and have a pretty big dinner (without going over my protein, carbs, and fat ofcourse). I want to do this so that it ensures that my stomach won't start growling while I'm in bed. When that happens, it's tough to fight it and can lead to some very bad things. Anyway, so when it comes to dinner time I have anywhere from 1,500 to 2,000 calories left. That's when I like to have a big meal...still leaving my calorie deficit between 650 and 900 per day. Should I space the calories out better or is this fine to do as long as I'm staying within my range? Will it affect my weight loss one way or the other?

sngnyrslp

Im interested to hear what others have to say about this. I do the exact same thing, I love eating a big dinner

heydollface

I've heard that it is best to have your biggest meal in the morning and that your dinner should be rather small since you wont be very active after you eat.

mommyhof3

That is how I do it. If I eat a big dinner it drastically cuts down on my evening snacking and I sleep better. But I am not a morning eater either. I think that if you stay within your calories, fat, etc it doesn't matter.

jrich1

I eat right up until I go to bed, as long as you are within your calories it doesnt matter when you eat

zeala

i do the same thing. I've come to realize that a bunch of little meals over the course of the day just don't work for me. I only end up hungry constantly, or at least with a big appetite. So instead I have a decent breakfast, then very little throughout the day and then a good solid, not over the top, dinner meal. Sometimes I'm just sick of hearing of : ohh but you have to eat 5 small meals. No I don't.
I've come to a point where I listen more to what my body is telling me, than what everyone else says I have to do ( within reason of course, not in terms of pigging out and eating crap). So I say, go ahead, keep "stacking".

ladytap

Yes, like the previous poster said, Breakfast should be your biggest meal, lunch next, and dinner your smallest. Be sure to drink lots of water throughout the day, and at night...that will also help curb your cravings. If this doesn't work for you and you must have a bigger dinner, then try to make sure you're having as few carbs as possible that late at night.

summerblunden

We are built to graze. Eat 5 or 6 small meals a day. Also, remember that your body is operating at a MUCH lower metabolic need while sleeping than during the rest of the day. So you are giving your body TONS of calories, and then going to sleep. Well, it doesn't need all of those calories...so it stores them. Plus keeping your body at a constant sugar level throughout the day will make it a happier functioning machine.
So, it is your body, you can eat your calories however you like, but our bodies are happier getting a bunch of small meals throughout the day. Plus, then you aren't starved at dinner and feel like you need 2 helpings of everything.

MacMadame

Clinical studies show that it doesn't matter when you eat the calories that matters; it's how many total you eat for the day....

emilysparey

i do the same thing however i always make a point never to eat after six and only drink fluids. so tea or water(water being the main) after six.

jrich1

Clinical studies show that it doesn't matter when you eat the calories that matters; it's how many total you eat for the day....

*Like*

Again my findings too, my wife and I eat snacks right up until we go to bed...

Kazren

I do the same and i am doing well i am looseing weight so it seems to be working, i am never and have never been a big eater during the day, its always the night my worst time, but eating this way i have realised that i am hungary as much in the evenings, to the point were i can wait for morning the hungar is not keeping me up.

aippolito1

I think it's fine. I've been having pretty big dinners (calories-wise) just because it's easier to eat up all my calories then and it seems to be working just fine for me. :happy: You can check my diary -- just a forewarning: I'm coming off a rough couple weeks eating-wise... haven't done so well but am restarting today!.

justahorsen

I say eat when you want, just try to have a couple hours between dinner and bedtime.....you know what will work for you. If after a couple weeks you are not losing like you think you should then change one thing and go acouple of weeks doing that. Not everyone can eat 5 times a day....especially if you work all day.

samiko

"We are built to graze. Eat 5 or 6 small meals a day. Also, remember that your body is operating at a MUCH lower metabolic need while sleeping than during the rest of the day. So you are giving your body TONS of calories, and then going to sleep. Well, it doesn't need all of those calories...so it stores them. Plus keeping your body at a constant sugar level throughout the day will make it a happier functioning machine.
So, it is your body, you can eat your calories however you like, but our bodies are happier getting a bunch of small meals throughout the day. Plus, then you aren't starved at dinner and feel like you need 2 helpings of everything. "

This person said it best. your breakfast lunch and dinner should be between 300-500 calories if you portion your food correctly between carbs, fat and protein it will add up to that. inbetween those meals your should be snacking about 100-200 calories. If you eat every 2- 3 hours up until AN HOUR before bed, I don't think you will be hungry. I've been eating this way for months now, it's well balanced, I'm not deprived and although my calorie counter says 5 lbs lost, I have actually lost 45 since Feb. Your body will adapt to eating this way and LOVE you for it!

Angiepackmom4

Ditto to the reply that said "Clinical studies show that it doesn't matter when you eat the calories that matters; it's how many total you eat for the day.... "

I wondered about the distribution of calories, if it would make a difference or not in losing weight. I tried this theory out and came up with the same results. It didn't matter how I broke it up. I didn't lose any more weight having smaller meals throughout day consuming the same number of calories. It didn't matter when I had the calories only the total amount of calories. I find it easier to eat more at dinner than any other time because if I'm really hungry at night I cant go to sleep.
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods

p90xokc

All the suggestions are great. I have really tried to do the 5 meal thing. But I always find myself watching the clock and I think mentally, I start trying to get hungry when my next meal is coming up. I'm going to do this "big dinner" thing. Even eating crap I'll be under 2,000 calories for today, and I'm allowed 3,200 today. That last sentence may open up a whole new can of worms but all of your suggestions have been great. Keep them coming if possible.

zeala

We are built to graze.


I don't know where that info is coming from. From my logic, we actually aren't. Based on the thinking of our ancestors, I don't think they had much time to snack around while they were hunting for food. More like, you hunt all day and then you have the big meal. Even people who then worked on farms and did physical labor didn't have the luxury to snack around.
I really think the whole 5-6 meals a day is a total myth. From my reading, it was established more for people with diabetes and then took off to weight loss, with no real data showing that it works better at burning calories than the 3 meals.

edorice

Eat like a king for breakfast, eat like a prince for lunch and eat like a pauper for dinner.

I eat six times a day. 300plus calories for breakfast, 200 calorie snack, 300 plus calorie lunch, 200 snack, 300 plus dinner, 150 calorie evening snack and 25 calorie fruit bars from the freezer.

summerblunden

Why do I say eat 5-6 small meals a day?
-Increased metabolic rate (Thermogenic Effect of Food)
- Increased energy level
- Reduced storage of calories as body fat (we can only expect our bodies to use a certain amount of what we eat, when we eat it.)
- Reduced hunger and cravings (due to the next point)
- Better regulation of blood sugar and blood insulin levels
- Better absorption and utilization of nutrients
- Keeps us in a positive nitrogen balance and anabolic vs. catabolic in concerns of muscle

Eat however you want, we make our own choices. I am only telling you what scientific evidence has shown. I'm not saying this will make you lose weight FASTER, I am simply saying it is better for you.

There are so many "he said, she said, I've found, my friend told me" out there about health and nutrition, I'm just trying to shed some light on why people say this. If you want to stack your calories, it is totally your perogative. Your body, your weight loss, your nutrition. Just trying to answer the OPs question.

I suggest reading the Zone method of eating. While I don't agree with "fad" diets, and many of the recipies he provides are unrealistic for a working person, his philosophy and science is very sound.

MacMadame

Also, remember that your body is operating at a MUCH lower metabolic need while sleeping than during the rest of the day. So you are giving your body TONS of calories, and then going to sleep. Well, it doesn't need all of those calories...so it stores them.

Not exactly. All your body's systems slow down during sleep, including digestion. So a lot of the calories won't even be digested and so won't be stored. Not to mention, it takes between 8-72 hours for different types of food to be completely digested and put to use in our bodies so even stuff we eat in the afternoon may only be ready as energy by the time we go to sleep.

But that's okay because our body is constantly storing energy and then pulling energy from our stores. So, even if it is stored, big deal. When the energy is needed, it will be pulled from the stores. It's not like it's stuck there forever.

To address someone else's point: yes, when you eat, you get a slight metabolic rise. This is true of any activity we do. Doing "stuff" revs up our metabolism because we're asking it to do work. There is no evidence though that eating 5-6 meals a day revs up the metabolism any more overall than eating 3 meals a day. After all, when you eat a bigger meal, you are asking your body to do more work then when you eat a smaller meal.

Personally, I eat often because I can't eat much at any one time and I am doing some pretty intense training right now. I probably eat 6-10 times a day depending on how you want to count it because I try to eat just before and just after a workout and also, if it's long enough, I'll eat during it. But I've also eaten only 3-4 meals at times and that worked for me too. I also eat right up until bedtime and that works as well.

Basically, if I eat more than I burn, I gain and, if I eat less than I burn, I lose. The time of day, spacing of the meals and size of the meals makes pretty much no difference in the long run. It's what works for you and gives you the most enjoyment, I say.