Worried about how high my breakfast calories are, any help?

babystepsforward
babystepsforward Posts: 52 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Whats a normal amount of calories to have at breakfast? Mine seem to be over 400 . I try to be healthy, i avoid processed cereal and save bread for lunch etc.. I have alpen muesli mixed with oats + raisins with some semi skimmed milk. i really want to make sure i'm getting a good intake of fibre, fruit, protein etc.. and if possible naturally. But am i eating too much? What is a standard serving size if anyone makes a similar mix?? help!

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Whats a normal amount of calories to have at breakfast? Mine seem to be over 400 . I try to be healthy, i avoid processed cereal and save bread for lunch etc.. I have alpen muesli mixed with oats + raisins with some semi skimmed milk. i really want to make sure i'm getting a good intake of fibre, fruit, protein etc.. and if possible naturally. But am i eating too much? What is a standard serving size if anyone makes a similar mix?? help!

    Focus on how you feel, your performance, and your end of day totals for calories and macronutrients. If you feel fine, perform fine, and you are able to stay near your calorie and nutrient targets then you don't really need to worry about how many calories you eat on a per-meal basis or how frequently you eat.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    You're 300 cals under your goal. Eat a larger breakfast.
  • sweetteacher123
    sweetteacher123 Posts: 178
    I wouldn't worry about it as long as it fits into the calories of your day. I see nothing wrong with a big breakfast; maybe now you eat a smaller supper.
  • AndyStanford
    AndyStanford Posts: 154 Member
    The other thing to consider that nutritionists tend to recommend that you have a hearty breakfast, to give your body a good start to the day. To a certain extent, everything you eat after breakfast is just topping the tank up, so as has already been said, as long as your day balances out ok, I really wouldn't worry that you're having too large a breakfast.

    A big breakfast also helps prevent snacking
  • jwh225
    jwh225 Posts: 45 Member
    My breakfast calories are ususlly over 400. My breakfast calories are normally over my dinner calories and definitely over my lunch calories. I have no problem with that.

    Eat a good breakfast.
  • harlanJEN
    harlanJEN Posts: 1,089 Member
    Whats a normal amount of calories to have at breakfast? Mine seem to be over 400 . I try to be healthy, i avoid processed cereal and save bread for lunch etc.. I have alpen muesli mixed with oats + raisins with some semi skimmed milk. i really want to make sure i'm getting a good intake of fibre, fruit, protein etc.. and if possible naturally. But am i eating too much? What is a standard serving size if anyone makes a similar mix?? help!

    Focus on how you feel, your performance, and your end of day totals for calories and macronutrients. If you feel fine, perform fine, and you are able to stay near your calorie and nutrient targets then you don't really need to worry about how many calories you eat on a per-meal basis or how frequently you eat.

    ^^ THIS. I tend to eat a larger breakfast w/ protein, healthy fats and a bit of carbs to fuel me up for the day. Don't worry about how big each meal is - look at your day overall.
  • lasmit4477
    lasmit4477 Posts: 308 Member
    My breakfast calories are ususlly over 400. My breakfast calories are normally over my dinner calories and definitely over my lunch calories. I have no problem with that.

    Eat a good breakfast.


    Me too! I sometimes have a calorie intake of 600-700 at breakfast depending on the training day.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Considering on most days you are not netting your calories, you can eat a big breakfast all you want. In fact you could even eat a bigger breakfast based off of your diary.
  • mfp_1
    mfp_1 Posts: 516 Member
    Do you use a digital food scale?
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
    Your breakfast calories are not high and it is healthy but it is not the most balanced breakfast, high in carbs and low in protein and healthy fats. Looking at your food diary your fruit choice is one of the most sugar dense available - consider frozen berries instead, you could get four UK servings (320g) and still eat less sugar (~26g) than your one serving of raisins. Also in the UK a servings of dried fruit is 25g to 30g not 40g, If you prefer dried over fresh fruit a 30g serving of ready to eat prunes has half as much sugar (~10g) as your raisins (21g in 30g serving) yet more fibre.

    Serving sizes are somewhat arbitrary because the research is actually in total grams of produce per day, but it's generally considered better to eat a wider variety of different fruits and vegetables that larger portions of of a few - nine a day if you can which really does mean starting with two to three servings at breakfast.

    One of my current favourite breakfasts is a black forest smoothie - whey powder, berries, spinach and avocado - for less than 350 calories I have four servings of fruit/ veggies, some protein (33g), carbs (28g, of which sugars is 16g), healthy fats (14g) and fibre (12g).
  • melissalandrum
    melissalandrum Posts: 10 Member
    Based on your goal calories for the day the amount you're eating at breakfast seems fine, you could even eat more. If you swap some frozen berries for the raisins, you'll end up with less carbs. You could add some liquid eggs in without upping your calories which would balance your breakfast, reduce the sugar load and leave you feeling full longer. But if this breakfast works for you and you like it, then I wouldn't worry about it. You have to find something that fits with who you are. Good luck!
  • jfan175
    jfan175 Posts: 812 Member
    Just as everyone else here said.....it's the calorie total at the end of the day that counts, not a particular meal.
  • mjbell642
    mjbell642 Posts: 229 Member
    Our gym trainer promotes......
    Eat Breakfast like a King
    Eat Lunch like a Prince
    Eat Dinner like a Pauper

    So make breakfast your largest and go down from there.

    I still haven't mastered this...
  • Kaymart79
    Kaymart79 Posts: 28
    Our gym trainer promotes......
    Eat Breakfast like a King
    Eat Lunch like a Prince
    Eat Dinner like a Pauper

    I like this, gonna try going by this now. I never thought about it this way.
  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
    I sometime have one glorious meal of nearly 3,000 cals for breakfast and call it a day.

    But you don't have to do that just know this: meal frequency (or how you choose to spread out your calories throughout the day) doesn't have anything to do with your body composition. At the end of the day, your net calories are what matters.
  • belladonna786
    belladonna786 Posts: 1,165 Member
    Mine are 400-500 nothing wrong with that
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    I agree on a big breakfast, I generally have between 400-500 calories depending on whether I'm going to have super busy day or just an average day. Course mine is protein and veggies, being gluten and dairy free really changes up your breakfast choices, lol.
  • fatt_boyy_slimm
    fatt_boyy_slimm Posts: 56
    bump
  • MemphisKitten
    MemphisKitten Posts: 878 Member
    Mine are high too, but I have a lot of protein and sugary creamer for breakfast. Usually for the rest of the day I have fruits, veges, protein supplements, or salads. I'm over 400 right now and all I've had is breakfast.
  • Game8
    Game8 Posts: 442
    Our gym trainer promotes......
    Eat Breakfast like a King
    Eat Lunch like a Prince
    Eat Dinner like a Pauper

    So make breakfast your largest and go down from there.

    I still haven't mastered this...

    Sounds like something my grandma would say. But at the end of the day, it's all personal preference. Meal timing/ size/ frequency is of very little importance.
  • Kap10
    Kap10 Posts: 229 Member
    Some people have big breakfasts, some people have small breakfasts, some people have three meals a day, some people have lots of meals a day. it does not matter .. what matters is what are you trying to achieve and are you getting there. they say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so if it one of your largest don't worry. Focus on your goals then on your overall calorie count and then worry about what to eat at which meal but having a big breakfast is never bad.

    If you want to add feel free.
  • InPieces3
    InPieces3 Posts: 215
    I see nothing wrong with having a big breakfast. You have all day to burn that off. I do the same thing... I eat a pretty decent breakfast and then taper off as I get to my dinner. I don't eat a huge dinner because I'm going to bed soon, so I eat my bigger meals during the day.
    Everyone is different though, so do what you feel is right for you.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Our gym trainer promotes......
    Eat Breakfast like a King
    Eat Lunch like a Prince
    Eat Dinner like a Pauper

    So make breakfast your largest and go down from there.

    I still haven't mastered this...

    Except meal timing and frequency have no impact on weight loss or metabolic rate over time. So, eat how you like. It's all personal preference. But the quote above is just a myth.
  • runrockclimb
    runrockclimb Posts: 124
    Read about an interesting study where they took a look at breakfast, one group ate a low calorie "good breakfast" the second group ate a high calorie breakfast and allowed themselves a splurge, chocolate in their shake, or some sugar in their cereal. They discovered that the group that ate a larger breakfast and allowed themselves an occasional "splurge" in the morning, rather than at night, lost more weight, and kept it off better. So don't worry about the breakfast you're eating. Sounds like you're right on track.
  • mgobluetx12
    mgobluetx12 Posts: 1,326 Member
    Your breakfast calories are not high and it is healthy but it is not the most balanced breakfast, high in carbs and low in protein and healthy fats. Looking at your food diary your fruit choice is one of the most sugar dense available - consider frozen berries instead, you could get four UK servings (320g) and still eat less sugar (~26g) than your one serving of raisins. Also in the UK a servings of dried fruit is 25g to 30g not 40g, If you prefer dried over fresh fruit a 30g serving of ready to eat prunes has half as much sugar (~10g) as your raisins (21g in 30g serving) yet more fibre.

    This is wonderful advice. I would definitely add more protein into your breakfast!!!!!
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    As long as you're meeting your calorie goals, it really doesn't matter when in the day or at what meal you are consuming them. It looks like you usually have leftover cals at the end of the day. Eat an even bigger breakfast, it you want. You're good, carry on.

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