When do you eat most of your calories?

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13

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  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I seem to get hungrier in the evenings. I need to start eating bigger breaskfast with lots of protein.

    If evening is when you are hungry, why not just eat more in the evening?
  • lmdeehan
    lmdeehan Posts: 1
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    I'm a large Bfast eater lately. For the longest time I would do a smoothie and snack and lunch and snack but always see to be hungry. Now my morning routine (I've made it a habit so I now get up a bit earlier) is 2 egg omelet with slice cheese, 2 slice turkey bacon and 1/2 of a slim sandwich bun. I make myself sit at the table and eat and clean up kitchen before I head to office. For the first time for me in many years I'm not hungry and have to force my lunch of cup of soup, 1/2 of a turkey wrap, 2 celery stocks, 4 radishes and 1/2 small apple and this holds me until I get home. then the wheels fall off the wagon. If I don't already have dinner prepared to simply warm up I'm toast. I will eat at whatever leftovers, tostios, crackers and dips and cheese are available. Today is the day this is going to stop. I'm final able to start walking after NO exercise because of a stress fracture on the top of my foot then developed blood clots. So from 7am to 5pm I'm golden, but 6pm to 9:30pm what to do?
  • saltedcaramel86
    saltedcaramel86 Posts: 238 Member
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    Everyone is different, and has different ways that work for them.

    Personally, I have a small-ish lunch, medium lunch and big dinner. Can't eat a feast in the morning. However, I'm finding that I'm usually way under by end of the day so "top up" with chocolate. so trying to bulk out my earlier meals and have more calorie dense foods to stop the temptation.
  • Kadesha72
    Kadesha72 Posts: 109 Member
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    I've always heard the bigger meal should be one of the earlier meals, but since dinner is the only meal I have with my husband, and I would be cooking for him anyway, dinner is my big one most of the time. I have a green smoothie or slim shake for breakfast (180 or less), a midmorning snack (usually fruit, 100), lunch of tuna or soup, a boiled egg... (usually runs 200 or so) and a midafternoon snack of veggies (depending on which 20-50)... and if I do good, that leaves me anywhere from 400-600 for dinner. And if I can get that done under goal, I can have dessert!

    It seems to be working, so I'm not sure there's too much stock in the "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" thing... as long as you get something to start your day.
  • losinglbslovinglife
    losinglbslovinglife Posts: 76 Member
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    dinner is usually my biggest at around 500 cals.
  • sarahlouisegass
    sarahlouisegass Posts: 3 Member
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    I'm a big breakfast fan.. Always will be the biggest meal with most cals probably just under 600! Works best for me
    I burn it off during the day and I'm not hungry till 2ish. Have some fruit then a light salad for dinner...
    Even if I have to get up for 5am I'd be up earlier to prepare it! Otherwise id eat loads at night and feel sluggish and I hate it!
    Everyone is different though x
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
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    Whenever is convenient for me. Normally after work between 10pm and 2am I consume just over 1000 cals.
  • tommygirl15
    tommygirl15 Posts: 1,012 Member
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    Lunch usually ends up being my biggest meal, if not then breakfast.
  • JeneticTraining
    JeneticTraining Posts: 663 Member
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    Dinner time around 300-500 calories.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    Breakfast is always the biggest meal of my day. I always wake up really hungry and love a combination of veggies, protein and grains in the morning. It always gets me off to a great start, plenty of energy well into the afternoon. So out of my 1,000 calorie a day limit about 35% of that is breakfast (300-350 calories) I try to keep my snacks and lunch to around 150-200 or so spaced out appropriately through the day. Then my before workout snack and dinner can range from 400 to 500 depending upon the breakfast/lunch/snack calories. I often times leave a hundred or so for a treat before bed like a small bowl of cereal or yogurt or something sweet.

    I think it comes down to the persons life style and hunger patterns. I get up at around 4:15 AM for work and commute so by around 7:30 AM I'm starving! I usually will eat a small breakfast around 4:30 or 5 ish then again when I get to work around 7:30.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
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    Breakfast is always the biggest meal of my day. I always wake up really hungry and love a combination of veggies, protein and grains in the morning. It always gets me off to a great start, plenty of energy well into the afternoon. So out of my 1,000 calorie a day limit about 35% of that is breakfast (300-350 calories) I try to keep my snacks and lunch to around 150-200 or so spaced out appropriately through the day. Then my before workout snack and dinner can range from 400 to 500 depending upon the breakfast/lunch/snack calories. I often times leave a hundred or so for a treat before bed like a small bowl of cereal or yogurt or something sweet.

    I think it comes down to the persons life style and hunger patterns. I get up at around 4:15 AM for work and commute so by around 7:30 AM I'm starving! I usually will eat a small breakfast around 4:30 or 5 ish then again when I get to work around 7:30.

    You're on 1000 calories a day? I ate 75% of that for lunch. Are you under medical supervision or something? I don't think I could have "plenty of energy into the afternoon" on 350 cals, but then I walk for my commute and I teach kids for work.
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    1,000 calories is my target number and other than one day a week I usually fall between 1000 and 1100 give or take. Yes, that's my number and no I am not under medical supervision. I eat tons of veggies and make sure that all of my foods are very low calorie while being nutrient dense. I have plenty of energy all day long, not just through the afternoon. I have two breakfasts, mid morning snack, work-out, lunch, mid afternoon snack, early evening pre workout snack, workout, then a light dinner e.g., protein and veggies or protein and veggie broth soup. This is what works for me :smile:

    It depends on the exercise too though. I have evening classes that are at 7 PM some nights. Since I get home with a couple of hours to spare I only have a snack to power me through the work out, can't eat a big dinner before. When I have a 9 AM dance class I make sure to get up and have a yogurt mixed with fruit and nuts by 7 AM, about two hours before. Then I'll eat a proper late breakfast after class.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Breakfast and dinner are my biggies.
  • caitconquersweight
    caitconquersweight Posts: 316 Member
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    I get super hungry in the evening. I try to eat a moderate breakfast and lunch so I'll still have enough left over at the end of the day. One of my big fears is running out of calories and being extremely hungry. Luckily I've been able to budget my calories so far. I end up eating a lot of snacks lol
  • BoxerBrawler
    BoxerBrawler Posts: 2,032 Member
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    I was like that too. Ate up most of my calories during the day including snacks then I'd be starving at night and end up snacking endlessly on all kinds of stuff. I too had to learn to budget my calories, make sure I eat one of my snacks late in the day just before I'm leaving work. It helps a great deal!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    For me it hasn't really seemed to make a big difference in the scale when in the day I eat my calories. My largest meal is usually dinner but occasionally lunch. However I do eat dinner fairly early, somewhere between 5-6:30 most nights, and don't tend to snack later unless it's a boiled egg, nuts, etc. (to fill in calorie gap)

    I am currently at 1,320 cal minus exercise so typical for me is roughly this:

    200-300 cal breakfast
    400-500 cal lunch
    500-700 cal dinner
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
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    Most of my calories are used riiiiight before bed.
  • FrustratedYoYoer
    FrustratedYoYoer Posts: 274 Member
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    I prob have most of my calls in the morning to fuel my workouts and depending on what I have got on the rest of the day but I also like to make sure I have plenty available for the evening as that's when I'm most vulnerable. However, because I do workout a lot and quite vigourously and quite often have to go on placement straight after which is quite physical and I'm on my feet for 6-7 hours then some days I might have 700-800 cals by 11 a.m. Other days if I have an easy day I may only have 300 cals in the morning. So for me, most cals are consumed either in the morning or evening between 4 and 8/9ish. Really does depend on what i have got on for the day :)
  • naariel
    naariel Posts: 37
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    I eat about 30-35% of calorie intake for breakfast, and 35-40% for dinner (basically my largest meals are 12h apart) and they're mostly fat and protein. A large dinner doesn't agree with me if it's high in carbs. Keeps me awake. But a big piece of meat and I sleep like a baby.
    Lunch is the biggest meal in size, but smallest in calories : big salad. I don't need the energy and am not hungry so soon after breakfast anyway, so I just chew on some fibres. And I have room for snacks during the day.
  • toronto_j
    toronto_j Posts: 206 Member
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    Mine are pretty evenly spaced, except that breakfast might be 100 cal or so smaller. And I find I don't generally need to eat after 8pm.

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