Does Anyone Else Stockpile Calories For Dinner??

shelbysp8

I did, until I change over to using the TDEE method because it increased my daily calories so then I din't feel like I had to save them for dinner. I could eat a decent breakfast and a decent lunch without worrying about it.
This is a good reference to explain it:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

reneeroberts_88

You are not alone! I do it! Habit, planning, whatever. I don't want to eat all my calories and only have 300 or 400 for dinner when I am going to eat out with friends or my husband. Dieting is a lifestyle change, but the biggest change for me, is learning to plan so I can make healthier choices.

JenLindsey70

I am soooo happy to hear that a lot of people do this and it has worked for them. I also have been saving my calories for the evening. When I am at work during the day, I am busy and don't think about food but as soon as I get home, the hunger starts. So during the day, I drink my ViSalus shakes with maybe a snack and then in the evening have a nice dinner.

MystikPixie

Mostly it depends on what I'm having for dinner. Like Friday is pizza night. It's always been pizza night, will always be pizza night no matter how I'm doing with losing weight. It's also my 'cheat' day, but I tend to only eat lunch and make it a small one then just fill up on water for the day so I can have the pizza and not go over to much on calories.

AngryDiet

Yes, quite often. I find it easier to be a bit hungry during the day while I'm busy doing other things rather than later in the evening when I'm home relaxing.

There's a bit of an indulgence in nibbling at night and I like to have the caloric budget to "afford" it.

I will also short change days so that I can have a bigger day after. I try to balance my calories by week's end.

rpapesr

Let me first say that it is evident from the responses that everyone is different. I was drawn to this post because I heard about a diet based on the phrase "Eat like a King, a Prince and a Pauper". Which basically means eat your biggest meal in the morning, a medium size meal for lunch and a small dinner. I, like you, tend to save my calories for a nice meal at the end of the day but I have been toying with the idea of changing that around to see if it helps my hunger during the day. I am constantly hungry.

I am attracted to the notion that this could change your metabolism. I know going to bed on a full stomach is bad so this would feed right into that theory. I think it gives your body a chance to burn the food off during the day and to me that seems logical. For me, working out is actually an appetite suppressant. Perhaps because I drink a lot of water right after which may fill me up. For many people they are really hungry after a workout and I believe that many trainers recommend replacing the nutrients right after. For me, I like to get a meal in an hour before I work out to give me the energy and fortunatly I have the ability to change my work schedule around to accomodate both my eating habits and my workouts.

I saw one person on here that has had success with this Kind, Prince and Pauper theory, anyone else?

NurseEmmyRN

I actually eat the most at lunch. I work out in the morning and by lunch my sugars are low and I need to get a good meal in. I don't have any medical problems but sugars tend to run low in my family (not dangerously, just annoyingly). By dinner I'm mostly just tired from the long day of work and school and not so hungry. I have a reasonable meal and call it a night. Granted, I can't do a 1200 calorie day for more than one day. Lol

AngryDiet

I know going to bed on a full stomach is bad so this would feed right into that theory.

I would challenge this assumption.

I will not say that there is no merit at all, but I think that it's pretty minimal and if one were to put effort into one's eating, putting that effort elsewhere could yield far more significant results.

It's the sort of optimization to a diet which might yield an extra tiny bit of benefit in the form of burning a few more calories per day, but anyone focusing on that when they have 10's of pounds to lose isn't prioritizing very well.

ninerbuff

IMHO, bad idea for two reasons. First, you should eat consistently several times (5-6) per day - Small portions every 2-3 hrs.this way you stay neither full or hungry and are burning all that you need and you are not tempted to binge knowing that your next meal is just around the corner.

The body senses hunger differently from person to person. Several meals to some may work and NOT work for others due to over consumption of calories.

Second, you are consuming a bunch of calories close to the time when you will need them the least (sleeping).

If you're within calorie limit, then it doesn't matter. Contrary to what you've heard, you still burn calories and have a metabolism when you sleep. In fact, you burn more fat at rest than when you exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

Sarauk2sf

Yes

amalato

I tried this yesterday and it didn't go so well. I ended up eating 2x my allowed calories for the day when the night was done. Guess who is heading to the gym today? MEEEE!!

I have realized I do best eating a moderate to heavy breakfast, then a small lunch (usually because I am still full from breakfast), then a moderate dinner with a snack thrown in somewhere.

When I save calories I end up looking like one of those zombies out for blood only with food. Seriously, I think I ate a half of a PAPA JOHN'S pizza by myself plus breadsticks. Not pretty.

I am the same exact way. It really goes to show that everyone has to diet differently. It really is a life style change though. I hope that this works for all of us. I still have a really long way to go, but I feel good about it this time. I work for an orthopedic surgeon and he said calories are calories, whether you eat 2000 calories of donuts or 2000 calories of pizza, it's really all about burning off the excess and then some. Hit that gym

ninerbuff

I skip breakfast every day, eat about 500-700 at lunch and then 1000+ at dinner. During Holidays, I have a tendency to eat more at dinner, hence my weight goes up. Meh, it's my bulking phase anyway.:laugh:

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

griffga1

Me too :drinker:

griffga1

Looking forward to a nice hearty meal gives me a reason to live

Me too :drinker:

cardinalsfootball

The only time I feel like I'm really "dieting" and become miserable is when I really restrict myself for dinner. For me, the only chance I have of making this a "lifetime" change is to have substantial, filling, satisfying dinners.

Black coffee during the morning keeps me hunger free until 11am or 12pm. Then I have a reasonable lunch, maybe 1/3 of my daily calories, where I try to get most of my fruits and veggies out of the way.

I'm usually nicely hungry by 6pm. And I've left 2/3 of my calories for a great, big, satisfying dinner, where I consume most of my daily protein. I'm usually hunger free throughout the night.

It's really nice to read that so many other people are in the same boat and able to lose a lot of weight this way.

BootyShakingBadAss

I do this too! Mentally, I just feel more satisfied with saving my calories for later in the day. However, I make sure to eat throughout the day. Usually Breakfast, Lunch and a 3 pm snack

bcattoes

I have found that I can't do that, if so, I will gorge myself at dinner time. The best way for me is that I make lunch my biggest meal of the day. It kind of does matter when you eat, unless you plan on working out really well before you eat all those calories. By working out before hand, you jump start your metabolism and it burns your calories better. Try not to work out after dinner, or all you will be burning off is dinner, not to mention the energy boost you get will have you bouncing off the walls all night. I hope this helps.

"jump start your metabolism" :huh: Even if all that were true, what would be wrong with burning off dinner?

coolraul07

Yep. Usually it's not deliberate, but it's what happens. In theory, I'd like to be one of those "eat 5-6 smaller meals a day" people. However, that's too drastic a change from what I've done for decades so it would most likely not stick long term. On days that I work from home, I find that I often don't eat/drink until after 1-2pm because I'm so focused on what I'm doing. I'm more discipline when I go into the office because the work cafe has wonderful nutritious meals that are reasonably priced AND already in the MFP database! I'll eat lunch there around 1pm and it's usually 30-40% of my cals, thus saving 60-70% for dinner and snacks. I only work-out in the evening/night, so that's when I need the cals anyway. It's worked out great for me! YMMV

AmyS1975

I do that too, but I also work out as soon as I get home at suppertime, so that's when I need the most calories and am hungry after working out.

Exactly what I do!

cubbies77

I prefer to eat more during the day and then a lighter meal at night. I workout after work, so it helps to have energy/fuel throughout the day and then not overwhelm my stomach at night. Plus, for me, personally, I tend to see the biggest difference in the scale when I eat this way. If I eat a heavy meal at night, I'm usually still up when I weigh myself in the morning. I'm also hungrier during the day and not as hungry later at night.