Distribution of Calories Throughout Meals

Aurora1525

MFP put me on a 1200 calorie intake diet. I exercise every day (it's great having a dog who always needs a walk!) and I generally do eat whatever calories I've earned through exercising.

My problem seems to be distributing calories throughout the day. My dinner and dessert calories are DOUBLE what I eat for breakfast and lunch. I feel like I need to save up my calories for dinner because even my healthiest dinners are between 300-500 calories per serving. You'd think that would be reasonable, but add on a 150-200 calorie dessert (even a piece of fruit would be 100+ calories) and then I've eaten more than half of my daily allowance!

Come 3pm, I'm really, really hungry since I've only eaten about 400 calories. I drink water to try to feel full, but my stomach just gurgles until dinnertime. Let's face it: Water is not FOOD.

If I'm supposed to eat 1200 calories daily, am I supposed to distribute those calories evenly through breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Is dessert completely out of the question?! (This would be awful. Please don't suggest it!) How are you supposed to distribute your calories throughout meals so that you're not ravenous during any given part of the day?

rubberbiscuit

MFP put me on a 1200 calorie intake diet. I exercise every day (it's great having a dog who always needs a walk!) and I generally do eat whatever calories I've earned through exercising.

My problem seems to be distributing calories throughout the day. My dinner and dessert calories are DOUBLE what I eat for breakfast and lunch. I feel like I need to save up my calories for dinner because even my healthiest dinners are between 300-500 calories per serving. You'd think that would be reasonable, but add on a 150-200 calorie dessert (even a piece of fruit would be 100+ calories) and then I've eaten more than half of my daily allowance!

Come 3pm, I'm really, really hungry since I've only eaten about 400 calories. I drink water to try to feel full, but my stomach just gurgles until dinnertime. Let's face it: Water is not FOOD.

If I'm supposed to eat 1200 calories daily, am I supposed to distribute those calories evenly through breakfast, lunch, and dinner? Is dessert completely out of the question?! (This would be awful. Please don't suggest it!) How are you supposed to distribute your calories throughout meals so that you're not ravenous during any given part of the day?

You could change your activity level or change the amount of weight you want to lose in a week. That will up the number of calories that the site gives you. I used to have my goal as 2 pounds a week, at sedentary activity, but as I lost more and more weight, it recalculated my calories so that I was down near 1200 per day. I couldn't sustain 1200 calories for as long as I need to in order to lose all the weight that I need to lose. So I changed my weight goals (I work at a desk, so I didn't change my activity) and now I can eat 1650 calories. 1650 calories is much more sustainable for me.

heatherwhittington

I'm also on 1200 a day. It's hard. Some days when I do a big workout, I'm hungrier... Here's one thing I've recently realized... Maybe eating a true " meal" for breakfast and lunch, isn't totally necessary... Maybe just good foods, and more grazing on them... Or me, protein bars, split up... 1/2 after workout, then 2nd 1/2 at lunch, then maybe some almonds, and or other options, like a mini baby bell, or an apple which all seem to fill me.... For me, I like wine.... My crux... I also live desert, but can go with out.... I think this works, as I too tend to have higher calories for dinner, when I'm not eating alone, and having what my family is having.
Hope that helps.

verdemujer

I have learned to eat smaller meals through out the day to add some balance. I'm now trying to eat some protein/fat in the AM and PM snack time during the day. But is also helps to be sure that breakfast has protein. Protein lasts longer and fills you up quicker. We like desserts too but can't have anything made with grains. Our recent desserts are frozen blueberries or strawberries with some stevia and cocoa powder in a blender. They'be been hitting the spot. I also recently found a site that has some great looking desserts.

http://www.paleoeffect.com/category/recipes/desserts/

http://www.delightedmomma.com/search/label/recipes

JossFit

Splitting calories over the day while in a deficit has been my way of life for the last 7 years or so... but not anymore! I do Intermittent Fasting now, and life is so much easier and immensely more satisfying.