Eating small breakfast/lunch then a big dinner

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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?
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Replies

  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    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
    chelle_fri Posts: 333 Member
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    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
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    That is how I do it.
  • marcenepea
    marcenepea Posts: 364 Member
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    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
    Huskeryogi Posts: 578 Member
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    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
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
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    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
    Dahllywood Posts: 643 Member
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    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
    jkestens63 Posts: 1,164 Member
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    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
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    <--- No breakfast, sometimes no lunch, buttload of dinner.
  • EccentricDad
    EccentricDad Posts: 875 Member
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    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
    Callean321 Posts: 44 Member
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    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
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
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    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
    trevpimp Posts: 170 Member
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    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
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    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
    eileen0515 Posts: 407 Member
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    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
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    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
    alisonlynn1976 Posts: 929 Member
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    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
    sloNsteady Posts: 8 Member
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    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
    helpfit101 Posts: 347 Member
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    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
    itsfruitcake Posts: 146 Member
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    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 :D