A question

muskratface

So here's the thing. I'm living at home for the summer and my parents eat very late...sometimes after 8:00. I've found that pretty often I end up with a lot of calories to spend toward the end of the day, so I've been eating bigger dinners. It's tough to eat a small meal and finish off my calories after because there's really not much time between din din and sleep. I feel like I shouldn't eat any more for dinner (tonight was 600 cals. Yikes!) but is it better to eat a bigger meal than neglect those leftover calories? Won't my body store the extras from a large meal? I know I should probably work on eating more often, and more at lunch and breakfast, but it doesn't always work out that way. So, what's the consensus?

muskratface

So here's the thing. I'm living at home for the summer and my parents eat very late...sometimes after 8:00. I've found that pretty often I end up with a lot of calories to spend toward the end of the day, so I've been eating bigger dinners. It's tough to eat a small meal and finish off my calories after because there's really not much time between din din and sleep. I feel like I shouldn't eat any more for dinner (tonight was 600 cals. Yikes!) but is it better to eat a bigger meal than neglect those leftover calories? Won't my body store the extras from a large meal? I know I should probably work on eating more often, and more at lunch and breakfast, but it doesn't always work out that way. So, what's the consensus?

PedalHound

It's probably better to be shy of your calorie goal on occasion than to eat a huge meal and put too much food in your body at once. Regardless, you'll store fat in the latter circumstance, but if you only go under your cals once every week or two and you're otherwise trying to eat really nutrient-rich calories you should be okay. Use your hunger as a guide. And consider having a protein shake or something during the day to add in some calories if you're usually in deficit.