When to take in your calories

rachel303

We all have our set calories for the day. Does it matter when you take these in?..... I've read contradictory things. Some sources say you should take most of them in the mornings, so breakfast would be your biggest meal and dinner your lightest in order to give your body more time to burn them. Which makes sense.
But I've also read that it's the amount of calories that's important, NOT when you take them in, which also makes sense.

When you start to diet, everyone tells you to eat breakfast..... but I never have done, even when I was slim. I'm never usually hungry and all I have is a coffee or 2. So I tend to take in most of my calories in the later part of the day/early evening.

Is this something I should work at changing?

aimibean

i'd say breakfast was the most important meal of the day because it kinda... kickstarts you into action for the rest of the day?
i know that i find that if i skip breakfast or only have something small, i'm usually hungry by mid-morning and tend to snack more!
but i guess it varies from person to person - if your body isn't used to having breakfast, and you don't feel the need for it in the morning, then "listen to your body", as many say.

Healthyby30

It's important to eat breakfast regardless of its your biggest meal or not. Not eating until 2pm isn't good. I used to do the same thing but the longer you go w/o eating, ghrelin, the hormone that makes you hungry builds up in your stomach making you hungrier and hungrier so you eat more later. Also, it boosts your metabolism. When you eat several times a day your metabolism stays going and your blood sugar is evened out.

maureak

Since I am a morning person, most of my energy is burned early in the day. I eat several times during the day and try to have just enough calories left by the time I head for home to cover a light dinner. Thankfully, I have never been an evening snacker; when I'm done with dinner, I don't eat anything else before going to bed. I spread out my water consumption the same way.

This is what works for me.

SpecialSundae

Eating at regular intervals throughout the day tends to help you keep your metabolism up and stops you binging because you're starving. I wouldn't say to force yourself to eat a big breakfast when it feels wrong to you, but possibly find something you can eat in the morning rather than waiting 'til lunch.

luv2ash

You defnitely want to spread your calories throughout the day. Yes, you must eat breakfast, but then plan to something every 3 hours so that you are constantly fueling your metabolism.