How do you distribute your calories?

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alice74
alice74 Posts: 28
in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone have any good advice on how to divide up your calories for the day? I find myself getting hungry in between meals, but even a small snack seems to push my calories beyond my daily goal. I'd love to know what people's thoughts.
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Replies

  • bmw4deb
    bmw4deb Posts: 1,325 Member
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    I eat about every 2 hrs, I try and eat around 300-400 cal for brkfst,lunch and
    dinner and keep my snacks between 50-100.
    with the calories i have been burning i have a hard time using them all.
  • Andie122
    Andie122 Posts: 36 Member
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    If I don't have time to exercise, I try to keep my breakfast and lunch calories low (200 or so) so that I can have snacks, because I HAVE to have snacks. And on the days I just need to eat more than I'm allotted, I exercise more. No joke. Sometimes I go out and run a couple of miles because I'm so hungry and I know I need to earn the calories.

    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my food journal. I NEVER skip a snack :)
  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
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    I've been keeping my meals small 250-300 cal, and having better snacks 150-200 cal. I try to have a little protein and carbs at each meal.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    I eat one large meal at noon and another around 8pm. I find that I stay very full eating two large meals a day.
  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
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    I eat every 3 hours, and am rarely hungry. The key is to get a mix of carbs and protein in every meal. I get as close to this as possible:
    7am - 375
    10am - 300
    1pm - 300
    4pm - 300
    7pm - 225
    Total - 1,500
  • marybsalmon
    marybsalmon Posts: 46 Member
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    I've only been tracking calories for about 3 weeks, but I've found that I'm not as hungry as I used to be. I try to eat 300 for breakfast, 400 for lunch, and 500 for dinner. My snack is usually around 200. So even though that's 1400 calories a day, I try to do enough cardio or strength training to burn those extra 200 calories. It's been working out well and as I said, I'm not as hungry as I was when I first started.
  • tssa
    tssa Posts: 93 Member
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    I read one of Bob Greene's books " The Best Life Diet" and he used the idea of "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" because then you are eating more of calories in the morning - late afternoon time therefore you are burning more of calories during the day since you are usually moving around during the day. Your dinner should have the least calories since your metabolism tends to slow down when you are sleeping.

    Hope this helps....:happy:
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Sorry, forgot to post calories.


    Noon-600
    8pm-1500
    Right before bed-200 (sometimes just comined with second meal)
  • BohemianDestiny
    BohemianDestiny Posts: 47 Member
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    I'm very similar to Andie. If I find that I'm going to eat more than I'm allotted thus far in the day, I exercise more. I find aerobics works really well for me, especially since I own an xbox kinect. Dance Central is a game I strongly recommend to anyone on here with a kinect.
    I basically try to stay as low as I can but still have a "meal" 3 times a day, and then when I make a mistake it doesn't impact me so badly and I can work it off in 30-45 minutes of dancing.

    As for advice? Find a way that works for YOU, and run with it. No one is exactly the same, and you will find your balance. Hope that helps a little.
  • onehecticmom
    onehecticmom Posts: 299 Member
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    If I don't have time to exercise, I try to keep my breakfast and lunch calories low (200 or so) so that I can have snacks, because I HAVE to have snacks. And on the days I just need to eat more than I'm allotted, I exercise more. No joke. Sometimes I go out and run a couple of miles because I'm so hungry and I know I need to earn the calories.

    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my food journal. I NEVER skip a snack :)

    OMG, this is me. Actually, I do take a brisk walk most every night... but it is typically to get me out of the hole for the day.

    I just eat when I am hungry. I am in the same boat as the original poster. Good info given. Thanks
  • queen_bea
    queen_bea Posts: 118
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    If I don't have time to exercise, I try to keep my breakfast and lunch calories low (200 or so) so that I can have snacks, because I HAVE to have snacks. And on the days I just need to eat more than I'm allotted, I exercise more. No joke. Sometimes I go out and run a couple of miles because I'm so hungry and I know I need to earn the calories.

    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my food journal. I NEVER skip a snack :)

    OMG, this is me. Actually, I do take a brisk walk most every night... but it is typically to get me out of the hole for the day.

    I just eat when I am hungry. I am in the same boat as the original poster. Good info given. Thanks

    LOL me too!!! the other day i went over my 1200 by lunch time. so i went for a 20min walk. lol.
  • mandyschalk
    mandyschalk Posts: 93 Member
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    I eat every 2-3 hours, eat more frequently helps to kick in your metabolisim. Ive made my "meals" smaller to leave room for snacks. When Im really hungry I reach for something protein filled, fills me up and keeps me full.
  • AlexzKT
    AlexzKT Posts: 131 Member
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    I think it's also important to remember that when you're hungry, your body is telling you that it isn't getting enough to eat. If you're eating smaller meals and still getting hungry, you may need to increase your caloric intake.

    Remember that MFP is just a rough estimate of the calories your need, but you may require more energy than other people similar to your age/weight.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.
  • Ilovepeppers
    Ilovepeppers Posts: 396 Member
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    I wake up around 9 and go to sleep around 1am but this is what I do:
    I eat breakfast around 1pm AFTER I get the kids ready/fed and clean. I keep breakfast to 300-400 (a salad, dressing, and 2 boiled eggs OR oatmeal with sugar, a fruit and milk)
    Then I eat lunch around 5pm after some exercise OR cleaning/chores around 400 (pasta or sandwhich or salad)
    Then dinner around 9 or 10 (400 - 500 cals) and have an under 200 cal snack around 12am

    I'm allowed 1500/day. its been working so far! best wishes!
  • Super23
    Super23 Posts: 3
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    I make breakfast my biggest meal. That really helps me stay full longer.
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
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    All of my meals including snacks fall between 200-300 calories. I might go slightly over sometimes but not often. I don't keep them there on purpose. The foods that I like to eat aren't that high in calories but keep me full and satisfied. I eat 2.5 to 3 hours apart.
  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
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    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.

    No offense, but I 100% disagree with this statement.
  • vlc1979
    vlc1979 Posts: 227
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    I eat every 2-3 hours.. I try not to have more then 300-400 calories at a meal. Snack are usually a lot of veggies or a piece of fruit. When I get home from work I am always starving so I have some nuts or cottage cheese to carry me till supper so that i don't eat too much at supper.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.

    No offense, but I 100% disagree with this statement.


    Why is that?



    *I should disclaim that my statement was not intended for anyone with diabetes or another metabolic disorder.

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