How to divide calories

neveradullmoment

I have heard that you should consume most of your calories well before dinner. I work really hard to stay with in the amount of calories that I should have. It is easier for me to have smaller meals during the day with fewer calories and have more of my calories with dinner. Is this a no-no? Should I consume more calories during the day and a smaller amount with dinner?

Karen

MinnieInMaine

I've eaten the same way since I started my weight loss journey last year and it hasn't held me back at all. Some folks will tell you that you need to eat so many meals per day and so often and so much at each meal but I think it's no different than the "don't eat after 8pm" myth... Our bodies all work differently and we all lead very different lives so I say do whatever works for you and don't believe the hype.

For me, it makes sense to leave most of my calories for dinner because that's the one meal I eat with hubby and he's not on the diet bandwagon at the moment. I'm the cook and do tweak our meals and my portions to make them lighter but if we're having something really yummy, I know I'm going to want to eat more. It's just how I am and how my life works. Again, if's never held me back from losing so why not?

ZachyABaby

it's a myth. eat whenever.

lockef

it's a myth. eat whenever.

Word.

The only thing that matters is WHAT you eat, not WHEN you eat.

mrmanmeat

I have heard that you should consume most of your calories well before dinner. I work really hard to stay with in the amount of calories that I should have. It is easier for me to have smaller meals during the day with fewer calories and have more of my calories with dinner. Is this a no-no? Should I consume more calories during the day and a smaller amount with dinner?

Karen

Breakfast and lunch should be the majority. Ideally you'll want to keep your dinner under 500 cals, maybe even 300 if possible.

bethdris

I don't really try to divide my cals to use most before dinner. Dinner is most people's biggest meal. I know it is here. As far as I can tell, it hasn't hurt me to have a bigger dinner most nights.

channa007

Yes I've also heard it's a myth. It's what you eat not when you eat it or how many meals it takes you to eat the daily total.

meeperoon

The only thing I would say with eating more at your evening meal is that it has to last you till the next morning, that's why it's traditionally the bigger meal. The cals and energy will take through without being hungry half way through the night! X

Dijon360

As others have said. Do what works for you. I don't think its a good idea to have a 2000 calorie dinner after fasting all day, but a reasonably sized dinner helps you get through the night without midnight snacking on junk food!

I find that evenly spreading the calories helps me make sensible choices. i.e. a mid-morning snack helps me avoid eating everything in sight at lunchtime, or a late-afternoon snack helps me control serving sizes at night.

Matttdvg

The theory that eating most of your calories early in the day is based on the fallacy that eating a lot early gives your metabolism a boost. In reality, changes to your metabolism don't happen that quickly. Changes to your metabolism happen very slowly and you won't see any changes to your metabolism by eating the majority of your calories early in the day. It takes days for even small changes in your metabolism to occur. The idea that eating a lot early on in the day gives your metabolism a boost for the rest of the day is totally incorrect.

That doesn't mean that eating more of your calories earlier definitely won't be beneficial. Eating more earlier in the day often fills you up and can help to prevent snacking later on. It works for some people, it doesn't for others. If you're struggling to lose weight, give it a go. Trying it out can't do any harm. But if you're losing weight, just stick with what you're doing. If your diet works, there is no need to change it. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

lockef

I don't think its a good idea to have a 2000 calorie dinner after fasting all day...

Actually, there is evidence that IF (Intermittent fasting) helps to induce growth hormones, but we'll leave that for another discussion.