Eating Backwards

Better_Balance_2011

I know how it's supposed to go - breakfast is the biggest meal and dinner is the smallest, or mini meals throughout the day....just not the bulk of your calories at night. Truth is, I'm not a breakfast person. I never have been. I try to eat somethng everyday for breakfast, but it's usually 100-200 calories and often times after I have been awake for 3 hours. I am not a morning person, so I don't work out in the a.m. I have a desk job, so I eat while I'm working. Breakfast is something I have to.

So lunch....I try to bring my lunch 3 days a week but still making healthy choices the other 2 days I go out, plus I work downtown so I will walk to my lunch destinations. My lunch is usually around 300-500 calories.

I'll have a 100-200 calorie snack around 4:00 to get me through my 5:00ish workout.

By the time I get home from the gym, showered and eat, usually it's around 7:30, maybe later. Dinner is usually 500-700 calories by the time I add my dessert (dark chocolate kisses or a popsicle which I thoroughly enjoy having an 80 calorie dessert at the end of the day) or a glass or two of red wine. And then what do I do? Sit on the couch and burn no calories.

I love to cook and dinner is the only meal I get to cook during the weekdays. It's the only meal I get to sit down and really enjoy what I'm eating rather than just shoveling down food at my desk or over converstaion with co-workers. It's also when I the hungriest, perhaps because my workout is in the early evening. I've tried the mini meals and feel that I'm actually eating more than I generally would and have gained weight trying to go that route.

I wonder how important it is to actually eat the majority of my calories in the first part of the day? I wonder if I can retrain myself to eat that way? I wonder if I will feel like I am depriving myself at night?

DrBorkBork

As long as you're eating, you're good. Listen to what your body wants to do. If it's not hungry til 2p, then don't eat til 2p. No stress.

chelekaz

While I do not eat as late you do (the latest is usually 6ish) the bulk of my calories some days are from dinner. I do not think that it matters when the bulk of cals are during the day as long as you are getting the necessary nutrients! And, who says dinner has to be high in calories? Some days I have a huge dinner and it's low cal due to the type of protein and preparation I do, then of course I have my steamed veggies and maybe a salad!

CFAITH_WARD

Just make sure you are having somthing for breakfast...oh make sure you get some protein......Try to cut back perhaps a bit on dinner and spread your calories around a little more...baby steps......When I started watrching my sugar intake I started by cutting it down just a bit at a time.....I think it is easier that way...You can do it.

kitkat1781

I wonder about this, too! It seems like, on this site at least, the focus is on your total daily caloric intake, and not on when you eat. I also eat my biggest meal at dinner--I feel like that's just practical. I do try my best not to eat after 9 or 10, just because I've always heard not to. I think listening to your body and coming up with a routine that works for you and your lifestyle probably makes the most sense. Eating less is already challenging, let's not make it worse with strict rules about when we eat!!

raindancer

My grandmother always ate a big breakfast then a healthy light lunch, then dinner in the summer a small bowl of cold ceral and in the winter a bowl of hot cereal. she was thin and healthy till she died.

hpsnickers1

I don't say have a huge meal right before bed but our bodies burn calories around the clock (even when you are just sitting). Losing weight comes down to one fact: calories out < calories in. Breakfast is good because it will give you the energy you need for the day. Eating throughout the day keeps the energy up and keeps you from getting so hungry the craving kick in - that's when I overeat.

Dinner is my biggest meal - I also exercise in the evening. Last night I had a huge salad, broiled salmon and brown rice. This was about 9:30 and I was still eating at 10pm (it was a really big salad). My weight was the exact same this morning as it was yesterday morning.

So how you eat your calories through the day is entirely up to you as long as you are burning more than you are consuming you are fine.

edorice

Do what works for you. I have always eaten breakfast and I eat most of my calories for the day before I leave work. I workout in the morning and sometimes at lunch, so eating more during the day works for me. Good luck.

katschi

I think you're doing just fine.

I work shift work so every two weeks I'm on a different eating schedule.
It has never hindered my weight loss to eat late at night.

"Supposed to" has probably sidetracked more people from being successful than any late night dinner or skipped breakfast ever did.
At 50, I'm finally learning that I am my own expert when it comes to knowing what works for me, "They" be damned.

pyro13g

The breakfast thing is for optimal results and its really not that much bigger than the other meals. A decent breakfast would probably help those hungries you get later in the day. There is a plan by a prominent Ph.D. Where the the main meals are 320 95 300 95 300 90 for women. Bfast Snack, Lunch, Snack, Dinner, Snack. Most tend to agree that spreading the calories out through your entire day is best and skipping Bfast is bad.

I guess it depends on goals and how quick you want to get there. Trying to get those early calories sooner sounds like something to try and do.

And if you tend to struggle, bye bye desert and wine. Once a week each at most for both.

hpsnickers1

Site is very screwy. Can't see any post except yours and mine.

It's all there now!

menchi

I'm not really a morning person either. Since I started this diet, I've been trying to get some breakfast and it's only about 100-200 Cal like you. I try to make the best of the appetite I have in the morning by getting proteins in so my body has slow energy to burn the rest of the day. But sometimes I just don't feel like finishing the oatmeal or eggs, so I pack it up and snack on it as I work until lunch. I eat at my desk too, or on the go if I'm driving places for work. I aim to have a large lunch (~600Cal) and small dinner (~400Cal) with about 300 Cal of snacks. I don't always manage to hit the magic numbers, but I feel like if I keep trying and get it right occasionally, my body will adjust eventually .

I also workout in the late afternoon or as late as 9pm (when the gym is finally not crowded). I do find dinner a little lacking after the workout so sometimes I save some of the snacks for a light bedtime snack... a bit of cheese, some yogurt, a slice of smoked salmon, a handful of almonds. I find that if I spread my lunch over a few hours as I work, it's easier to get the calories in and dinner isn't so lacking. Since I tend to pack a bits of everything for lunch (carrot sticks, edamame, rice crackers, cheese, cereal, etc) I seem to naturally just snack on lunch :bigsmile: rather than inhale a whole sandwich in 5 minutes :noway: .

noltes2

I am the exact same way - desk job, eat mini meals throughout the day, exercise around 5:30pm then dinner afterwards. I'm TRYING to be a breakfast person, but like today I had 8 oz of steel cut oatmeal with sliced almonds but I could only eat 1/4 of it!!! When I consume a large dinner I usually end up gaining weight though. When I have a 150-250 calorie snack or really small dinner I do better and lose it. It sucks because it's the only meal I can cook and have time to eat, but I CAN'T eat more than 300-400 calories tops after a work out as my dinner. So I'll have a yogurt or almonds 45 minutes before my work out (220 calories) and after the work out I'll have something small similar to what I had before the work out. It sucks but I'm serious about getting to my goal... it seems like I can't really eat real meals unless I have a LATE work out so I can eat before it. Good luck.

Laceylala

Personall I think as long as you have enough energy through out the day, don't feel all run down and tired, then you are probably eating "when and how" just fine.

I too eat a bigger dinner. its my time to sit down with my family and relax and enjoy the evening. As long as I am not over calories and feel good I don't worry about it.

crystal_sapphire

I don't think there's anything wrong with this and how you're going. If this is what works for you, then that's great.

I'm not much of a morning person myself. I'm not one of those people that can spring out of bed and go workout. I usually work out in afternoon to evening because my body then has food and fluid for energy.

besides when it comes down to it, a calorie is a calorie. Where you eat them throughout the day is your choice. Though it is best to try and not eat 2-3 hours before bed.

GremlinJenny

I wonder if I can retrain myself to eat that way? I wonder if I will feel like I am depriving myself at night?

you won't know if you can retrain urself this way until you try it! lol.... and if it doesn't work and you feel deprived, go back to the way you were eating. that's what works for you. we're all different and you really have to acct for YOUR lifestyle.

great job!

crystal_sapphire

I think you're doing just fine.

I work shift work so every two weeks I'm on a different eating schedule.
It has never hindered my weight loss to eat late at night.

"Supposed to" has probably sidetracked more people from being successful than any late night dinner or skipped breakfast ever did.
At 50, I'm finally learning that I am my own expert when it comes to knowing what works for me, "They" be damned.

I totally agree. I'm a shift worker too so the silly OMG YOU MUST EAT A BIG BREAKFAST with smaller meals throughout the day is making me roll my eyes. The important thing is making healthy food choices and eating them at times that work for you.

curleesam

I have started swapping around my dinner and lunch so that lunch is my main meal for the day so that I have enough time to burn it off. I just eat whatever I cooked for dinner for my hubby the night before.

I think maybe you should try eating little and often if you do not find yourself hungry during the day. It's still important to keep your energy up especially if you are working out in the evening. Nuts, bananas, dried fruit, yoghurts that type of thing can be munched at your desk and have a reasonable amount of calories in to get you to your limit for the day.

linddd

Personally, I never eat breakfast. Most of the time, the thought of eating in the morning makes me feel sick. As long as I feel active throughout the day (and I do), I don't worry about it. I don't know how healthy a plan it would be for someone dieting for many months, though. I do try not to eat anything big in the late evening.

aviduser

The thing about breakfast is that it elevates your metabolism early. I have a strawberry/blueberry protein smoothie for breakfast everyday--about 700 calories. The high protein keeps me sated for a long time--I can make it to 2 PM before lunch if I need to.

I was not a morning person, and I mean really not a morning person. Now I work out in the morning 4 days a week beginning at 6 or 6:30 (Sat. at 7). I am done by 7:30 and I have burned big calories. I have my workout done, and my schedule will not be derailed by a busy day at work, or being stuck at the office. Join a 6 am class and try it for 2 months--you will be hooked. You will, of course, have to turn off the TV/computer earlier and go to bed by 10 or 10:30 to get up at 5 or 5:15 (another hard lesson for me).

Also, I would skip the sugary desserts. Low cal or not, I am trying to limit such treats to the weekend--and then only on Saturday (a day with a huge workout--like 900 to 1000 cal). I have a major sweet tooth--one of the reasons for my weight gain--and enjoying fresh fruit for dessert satisfies the end of meal desire, without spiking my blood sugar. Plus, I crave sweets less.

Hope this helps.

CarlitaK

I used to have the same problem - desk job, no breakfast, eating way to much at night!

I now make my breakfast at work and I love it! I find i am not nearly as hungry at night as I used to be after my post-work work out! It took some getting used to as I am not a morning person, nor do I particularly enjoy breakfast foods, but I am so happy with the change!

anovasjo

"Sumo wrestlers famously maintain their large bulk by napping after their meals. The idea is that food you eat before sleeping doesn't get as thoroughly metabolized as food you digest while being active, and so if you want to get fat, shift your meals toward bedtime.
Lots of people try to avoid eating after dinnertime to stay skinny, but does this really do any good? Sadly for those looking for easy answers to the weight gain problem, this particular solution has been studied a lot, and found to be just another myth.
There's certainly a correlation between people who eat late at night and obesity, but this is simply because people who eat at night are more likely to be those who overeat throughout the day. Similarly, those who skip breakfast are more likely to be those who power away too big of a lunch.
Turns out it doesn't matter when you eat your calories, it just matters how many calories you eat in total. People who eat small meals spaced throughout the day are less likely to overeat at any given meal. So relax and don't shy away from that late-night snack, just be aware during your other meals that more calories are coming later."

From http://skeptoid.com/episodes/4174

aproc

You should eat how you feel comfortable with. If this works with you, then there is nothing saying you should change it. It doesn't matter when you eat the calories during the day. Breakfast is big because its the fuel for the day, but if you enjoy having a bigger dinner and not a big breakfast person, then it might not help you much if you try to change everything around.

heathersmilez

The eating breakfast rule for adults only exists b/c when people intentionally skip breakfast in order to save calories, they often binge later. If you aren't hungry then that’s ok, you aren’t in danger of binging since that is a result of temporary starvation/dieting. It’s important for children to eat breakfast for proper brain functioning but adults are a-ok.

meeshers

I am NOT a morning person either and never used to eat breakfast! Or at least i didn't think I was! But I just decided one day to try to get to bed a little earlier to go to the gym before work because I was so easily talking myself out of it after work. So I did. I woke up at 5:30, logged on to MFP to help me wake up and get motivated, and I went to the gym. And then I kept doing it! And it's the best thing ever because when I get home after work, I've already exercised and I can just relax. It's weird, I'll forget I've worked out all day and when I get home I kinda dread that I have to go to the gym, and then I remember that I'm done! So I get all happy And it's definitely changed my eating habits. I'm hungry/ ravenous in the mornings now and really look forward to breakfast. Also, by going to bed that little bit earlier, I'm not anymore tired than I was before. It's just a different routine.

But having said that, everybody's different! I think if you're sticking to your calorie and exercise goals, are eating relatively healthy, and are losing weight, then you're good. don't try to fix something if it isn't broken!

outersoul

I eat dinner after 7 all the time. It's just a fact of life with my schedule. I spread my meals throughout the day though. I don't think there's a 'right' answer. Do what feels best and check the results. If you're not losing adjust. Someone said it comes down to calories in vs. calories out. I agree.

jennylynn84

I've eaten dinner as the largest meal of the day for the whole of my life. I've gained weight that way, and lost weight that way. Personally, its always been the WHAT and not the WHEN that has made or broken my eating habits.

Oh, and I frequently eat after 7 because I don't come home and eat until after the gym.

radwan_masri

I am exactly like you, see my dairy it's public. I am very serious in my diet plan, but for me it's not diet it's a change in lifestyle. So do what makes you feel good, as long as you're achieving your targets

radwan_masri

I am exactly like you, see my dairy it's public. I am very serious in my diet plan, but for me it's not diet it's a change in lifestyle. So do what makes you feel good, as long as you're achieving your targets

chicablanca26

wow you are an inspiration!

Better_Balance_2011

Wow! What amazing feedback! Thanks to all who replied. Lots of great input, reserach and personal stories. Ultimately I agree that a calorie is a calorie, but I also understand that our bodies burn calories at different raters throughout the day. I think for the time being I'll generally stick with my meal plan. But I think I may try to reduce my dinner a little and perhaps I'll be hungrier the next morning. I have a tendency to see that I have colories left and decide to use them. As a matter of fact, MFP will suggest "starvation mode" or something to that effect if too few calories are consumed. Ultimatley I think I will listen to my body and see what it really needs, not what I may want. Thanks to all and good luck!