Eating small breakfast/lunch then a big dinner

chelle_fri

So I've heard the saying "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper." However, I eat like this; a small breakfast- 200cal, a few spread out snacks as lunch- 3-400cal, dinner 4-500cal and if I have left over calories, I'll have a small snack. I'd like to note that I go to bed around 11pm and stop eating by 8pm. My question now would be is this less effective than the aforementioned quote?

saraann4

My schedule is very similar to yours. I like to eat a big dinner. I also like to change it up sometimes. I really love breakfast on the weekends.

Also, doesn't matter what time you eat. You could eat at 10:59 and it won't matter. Just keep a calorie deficit.

chelle_fri

Thanks! That makes me feel better I don't want it to be six months from now and I haven't lost much because I'm doing it all wrong.

lyttlewon

That is how I do it.

marcenepea

I also eat a small breakfast and a small to medium lunch. i eat most of my calories in the evening. I honestyly don't believe that when you eat matters. Its how much and what types of food as far as I'm concerned.

Some people insist you need a big breakfast, in the morning I'm just not that hungry. Pick what works best for you. Eat healthy and you will be fine.

Good Luck!

Huskeryogi

I skip breakfast entirely, eat a small lunch, and a big dinner. I finish eating at 9 PM and go to bed at 10PM.

I'm a firm believer in calories in / calories out regardless of time they are consumed.

magerum

I eat 2/3 of my calories (which means 2200 right now) between 6:30 pm and 9:30 pm. The other 1100 are mostly lunch minus about 250 cals for my morning protein shake. Do it if it works for you, meal timing won't stop you from losing weight.

Dahllywood

Doesn't matter when, just as long as it's all under. Hell, I just had a 900 cal dinner and it fit under mine. Granted I'm maintenance but still lol

jkestens63

I skip breakfast entirely, eat a small lunch, and a big dinner. I finish eating at 9 PM and go to bed at 10PM.

I'm a firm believer in calories in / calories out regardless of time they are consumed.

I agree with this. I don't like to eat heavy in the am because I always exercise in the morning. Then busy through the day so I like a heavier dinner. I also like eating heavier & later at night because it helps me stave off late night over-eating. I've lost a lot of weight so clearly it doesn't have a negative impact if you stay within the calorie goal.

Oh and I usually eat upwards of 2500 + calories a day when I exercise because I exercise hard. I don't eat my calories back down to the last calorie but I take advantage of them.

Sidesteal

<--- No breakfast, sometimes no lunch, buttload of dinner.

EccentricDad

There hasn't been any scientific proof when you should eat and how much except two main points. (1) Your stomach is only the size of your fist, so if you eat a meal bigger than it, you are causing your stomach to stretch; (2) The goal to weight loss is to put in less than you burn out.

I have 3 balanced meals a day at 300 calories or so each. The remaining 300 calories I save for "Nibbles" between meals if I feel my energy levels dipping down. Most of my nibbles are fruits or veggies since carbs is the body's fuel source.

The theory behind King, Prince, Pauper is that your meal in the morning will be so large that you won't feel like eating until Lunch time. The large dinner theory is based on the concept that you reward yourself with a big meal in exchange for your hard work starving yourself all day (btw, food should never be a reward).

My way of eating means my stomach knows how much food to expect so it doesn't go into metabolic shock when I fill it. And as far as blood sugar levels, fruits don't hit the blood sugar so mine never spikes or dips, but I still watch the calorie intake of the fruit because too much of anything is a bad thing!

As far as metabolism is concerned. Theory is that you should eat first thing when you get up so your metabolism will get started. This is just a theory too. Your stomach DOES digest food while you're sleeping, but because of the lack of gravity and consciousness you don't transit food very far when you sleep. So the BEST thing to do for weight loss, is to wake up and exercise and get your body craving some food; then drink 2 cups of water and eat a 300 cal breakfast then get moving.

Water is key to a diet though, it fills you up since the body is dehydrated more often than it's hungry (but the body sends the same damn signals for both needs).

Callean321

This makes me feel a lot better! I have tried eating breakfast but my stomach is very sensitive when I first wake up and food makes me feel nauseous.

lyttlewon

Your stomach DOES digest food while you're sleeping, but because of the lack of gravity and consciousness you don't transit food very far when you sleep.

What the what? Gravity doesn't change because you are sleeping. I assume you mean that gravity helps food fall towards your colon? However your intestines are not a slide, they are a smooth muscle that moves your food forward with no input from your "consciousness", and they don't go in a straight line.

trevpimp

I don't think it would. Plus a breakfast is always good throughout the day so it's kool u start it low

I eat a big dinner with a snack after lunch

Onasendedroute

I've lost weight since I've been eating about 400kcal for dinner around 5pm. Nothing after 5. For lunch I eat 500-600kcal and get an afternoon snack around 200kcal. I did not count the milk with my coffee in the morning. But I also burn an avarage of 350 kcal in the gym every day. When I was on my 1200 kcal diet and worked out, I just couldn't loose weight. I had big dinners with snacks. Nope for me!

eileen0515

Eat at a caloric deficit, you will lose weight, period.

I've lost 65 pounds eating, small breakfasts and lunches, larger dinners. This is what works for me, and keeps me the most satisfied. Whatever configuration that brings compliance, is what will make the pounds fall away.

Calories in, calories out baby.

Weigh your food, accuracy is everything.

Francl27

It doesn't matter when you eat. I know a lot of people do intermittent fasting and don't eat until lunch, and it works for them, but in the end what matters is that it works for you.

alisonlynn1976

I have dinner as my largest meal because that's when I have time to cook at home. It's working fine for me.

sloNsteady

Calories in calories out guy here. I'm a believer in that the timing of your calories in a 24 hour period are not as important as being in your caloric deficit. My social circle eats bigger dinners, so thats when I get the bulk of my calories..so far so good.

helpfit101

Just eat it all in one big meal.

Or spread it out in 100 calorie snacks.

It won't matter significantly as far as weight loss is concerned.

itsfruitcake

Hm I try to do it the other way round and eat plenty for lunch (not so much for breakfast, no time/too lazy). That's because I usually work until quite late (7pm...) and I need the energy in the daytime when I'm active and not so much at night

Athena53

I'm blessed to have a househusband who's a wonderful cook, and our big meal is at night. He cooks pretty healthy; I just have to exercise portion control! I've never been a big breakfast eater. I'm also munching throughout the day but make sure most of it is fresh fruit and veggies (no one ever got obese from overdoing those) and a few nuts. I've maintained a weight I'm happy with for over 2 years by breaking the "big breakfast" rules.

The exception: I used to go to India on business. I had wonderful breakfasts there; spicy relishes, dishes made with chickpeas and potatoes and other veggies... I was in heaven. I did notice that I was a lot less hungry during the morning hours and was able to put off lunch till around 1 PM, which was when the locals in our office ate. I miss those meals but they probably weren't good for my waistline.

dsullivan50

I thought it was better to eat healthy breakfast good lunch and small dinner

asjt678

I thought it was better to eat healthy breakfast good lunch and small dinner

I eat a smaller breakfast, HUGE lunch, and smaller dinner.
I think people say that because some people end up overeating at night when they don't eat throughout the day. As far as health benefits the only thing I can think of is maintaining energy levels, blood sugar and all that scientific stuff I leave for the pros. Also, if you are more active during the day, you will burn the calories off from earlier meals. Where if you at night, you won't have time to burn any of them off. Again, not a pro here.

misschoppo

My eating habits change daily depending on my routine but the majority of the time I have a light snack in the morning as breakfast as I'm usually not hungry for a good few hours after waking up so only feel like something small. Then typically I'll have another small snack before midday followed by a 300 calorie ish lunch & then I eat my largest meal of the day for dinner followed by snacks/dessert. I get most of my calories after 6:30pm.

jefox1125

I have been dieting a short time but I have a average breakfast (1 serving each cereal, OJ, and a banana-400 cal), a small lunch (half a sandwich with lean meats- 200cal) a mid day snack at about 230 (usually a fruit or vegetable - 60 cal) a larger dinner between 5-6pm (lean meat, small salad, pasta or bread 600-700 cal) and an evening snack (usually unbuttered popcorn, a frozen fruit bar, or fruit averaging 100 cal.) I finish each day around 1400 - 1500 calories which is well under my allotted. I have lost about 4-5 lbs. A week by doing this so I think that as long as you keep what you eat in check and don't over indulge in one meal it doesn't really matter how you break up the calories by meal size. Of course 1 1500 calorie meal wouldn't be very healthy.

Athijade

Meal timing and frequency have no impact on weight loss. Period. So says science. And science is better then random diet books and magazines.

laineybz

I'm also pretty similar. I have a small breakie (if any!) bigger lunch but dinner's the biggest meal of the day. I snack quite regularly throughout the day too and have a hot choc and snacks in bed around 10.30pm ish.

J72FIT

My question now would be is this less effective than the aforementioned quote?

Nope. The most effective approach is the one that suits your lifestyle and personal preference...

AidaLott

I recently had an "epiphany". I stopped listening to what and when everyone else was telling me to eat and started listening to my body. In the morning I enjoy a small 2 oz. piece of Swiss cheese and a big mug of coffee with half and half or cream. As long as I don't eat fruit or other carbs with it, I'm good to well into the afternoon with no hunger. For lunch I'll have a few slices of turkey breast with raw veggies. If I am hungry for a snack mid-afternoon it's usually a piece of fresh fruit and a half oz. of nuts. Dinner is always a huge tossed salad with olive oil vinaigrette and a small portion of protein (lean meat or fish). I eat nothing after dinner. That way I give my body a chance to metabolize my meals rather constantly feeding it a lot of extra calories in the form of snacks. I find I am much more content with smaller meals and fewer snacks, fewer carbs and lots more exercise. In my humble opinion, all the hype about eating 6 times a day is BULLWONKEY! Only my body tells me what and when to eat from now on, and it's amazing how good food really tastes when I'm actually hungry!