When do you eat your "big meal"?

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Dan112358
Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Just wondering when people have their "big meal" for the day. I typically eat about half of my daily cals (about 8-900 of my 2000) at lunch. I usually eat a 4-500 cal meal in the morning and a 5-600 cal meal in the evening. For me, eating more mid-day keeps me from snacking in the late afternoon. Just wonder what others thoughts are.

PS, I know there's no metabolic advantage to when food is consumed, just wonder about people's preferences.
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  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
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    Dinner, for sure. I am somewhat hungry at lunch but dinner is when I want to eat the most.
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
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    I tend to eat about 200-230 calories for breakfast then 300-400 for lunch with the remaining calories at dinner (550-750 depending on if I snack in the afternoon). I find that its easier to do less calories at meals when Im at work than with dinner at home. Plus, if on the rare chance that we eat out at dinner, I dont feel like I have to really hold back- just stick under the remaining amount.

    P.S. Im trying to stick to 1320 calories per day.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    Just wondering when people have their "big meal" for the day. I typically eat about half of my daily cals (about 8-900 of my 2000) at lunch. I usually eat a 4-500 cal meal in the morning and a 5-600 cal meal in the evening. For me, eating more mid-day keeps me from snacking in the late afternoon. Just wonder what others thoughts are.

    PS, I know there's no metabolic advantage to when food is consumed, just wonder about people's preferences.

    why do you eat 2000 calories is the question. lol.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    why do you eat 2000 calories is the question. lol.

    What's wrong with that?


    EDIT: Also OP: I tend to eat most of my calories in the evening. Small-ish meal around lunch, gigantic dinner after workout, then continual grazing until bed.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    My preference is to have the biggest meal around "dinner time".
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
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    I tend to eat most around dinner time, although that's a combination of meal and snack. Although I try and plan it out, it often ends up being 'Oh *kitten*, you've got WAY too many calories left', and then I have to eat more to make up the deficit.
  • yummy♥
    yummy♥ Posts: 612 Member
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    Just wondering when people have their "big meal" for the day. I typically eat about half of my daily cals (about 8-900 of my 2000) at lunch. I usually eat a 4-500 cal meal in the morning and a 5-600 cal meal in the evening. For me, eating more mid-day keeps me from snacking in the late afternoon. Just wonder what others thoughts are.

    PS, I know there's no metabolic advantage to when food is consumed, just wonder about people's preferences.

    why do you eat 2000 calories is the question. lol.

    i cannot understand why that "is the question"

    i often eat 2000 cal a day as well, with the majority of them being consumed between 5-10pm.
  • shell3986
    shell3986 Posts: 98
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    I eat the majority of mine at breakfast. Then I have a small lunch since I workout right after work and don't like to feel too full.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    Just wondering when people have their "big meal" for the day. I typically eat about half of my daily cals (about 8-900 of my 2000) at lunch. I usually eat a 4-500 cal meal in the morning and a 5-600 cal meal in the evening. For me, eating more mid-day keeps me from snacking in the late afternoon. Just wonder what others thoughts are.

    PS, I know there's no metabolic advantage to when food is consumed, just wonder about people's preferences.

    why do you eat 2000 calories is the question. lol.

    i cannot understand why that "is the question"

    i often eat 2000 cal a day as well, with the majority of them being consumed between 5-10pm.

    because it's my prerogative to ask what I think is relevant. you're also a female--he is a male. big difference.
  • leodru
    leodru Posts: 321 Member
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    majority of my eating tends supper and at night. I'm trying to shift to earlier in the day as it is supposed to help with cravings but i'm not there yet. i can barely survive on 1900 calories without going over...
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    because it's my prerogative to ask what I think is relevant. .

    That's a good point and I agree.
    you're also a female--he is a male. big difference

    While I can't assess w/o knowing his overall lifestyle and activity, based on his stats 2000 is likely within the realm of reasonable for a cut unless he is highly active outside of the gym.
  • makemoneymom25
    makemoneymom25 Posts: 1
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    Dinner, I read online breakfast should be your biggest meal.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
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    because it's my prerogative to ask what I think is relevant. .

    That's a good point and I agree.
    you're also a female--he is a male. big difference

    While I can't assess w/o knowing his overall lifestyle and activity, based on his stats 2000 is likely within the realm of reasonable for a cut unless he is highly active outside of the gym.

    fair--he just looks rather lean and for a male I always seem to think under 2500 is rather low with a reasonable amount of activity.
  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
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    because it's my prerogative to ask what I think is relevant. .

    That's a good point and I agree.
    you're also a female--he is a male. big difference

    While I can't assess w/o knowing his overall lifestyle and activity, based on his stats 2000 is likely within the realm of reasonable for a cut unless he is highly active outside of the gym.

    fair--he just looks rather lean and for a male I always seem to think under 2500 is rather low with a reasonable amount of activity.

    Hey, sorry for the lack of clarity, I threw the 2000 number out there as a rounded figure. I actually averaged 2425 cals per day over the past 7 days and have had a total calorie defecit of about 3500 for the week. This thread wasn't really about that anyway, it was about people's eating habits with respect to time. That being said, if you have any suggestion with regards to my nutrition, feel free to fire away, I'm always looking for new ideas.
  • Dan112358
    Dan112358 Posts: 525 Member
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    I eat the majority of mine at breakfast. Then I have a small lunch since I workout right after work and don't like to feel too full.

    I find this an issue for me as well. I don't like to workout on an empty stomach (so morning workouts are tough for me) or if I'm feeling "full". My schedule allows me to eat lunch at around 12:00 and I'm usually in the gym around 2:30, home by 4:00 and eating soon thereafter.
  • c3nterstage
    c3nterstage Posts: 46
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    Usually dinner because lunch is to close to track practice. But sometimes on the weekends it's breakfast, i love me some eggs and waffles!
  • kristen6022
    kristen6022 Posts: 1,926 Member
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    Lunch. Like you I find it helps with afternoon and late night snacking.
  • steadk
    steadk Posts: 334 Member
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    i do around lunch. If i do that, then i don't want a large dinner. :)
  • tbellamy1
    tbellamy1 Posts: 353
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    I eat almost 2000 cals a day normally between 1600-2000. My big meal is breakfast its about 600+
  • hippietofugirl
    hippietofugirl Posts: 430
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    I agree with lunch. Also I've always heard its bad to eat a lot a night...it gives you less time to work off those calories before you go to bed and your body stores them.

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