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    400-500- cals too much?

    Posts: 264
    edited January 28 in Health and Weight Loss
    Hi!
    Do u think that a meal of 400-500 cals is too much? I mean, how many cals should a "normal" meal be?

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    • Posts: 905 Member
      it doesnt matter.
    • Posts: 430 Member
      your myfitnesspal calorie goal divided by three
    • Posts: 2,582 Member
      If it makes you feel bad, it's an inappropriate amount. 4-500 cals is a nice small portion, if that's what you're looking for. My breakfast this morning was 800. Some people don't eat breakfast. Whatever works.
    • Posts: 9,487 Member
      Not to much. Depends on how many calories you get in a day - take out 200-300 for snacks then divide by 3. Or you can go the route where you eat a large breakfast, moderate lunch, and smaller dinner. Or eat them all at one meal. There's no right way.
    • Posts: 602 Member
      I've had some meals that were 150 calories, and other meals that were 1200 calories. It all depends on your caloric goal and meeting your daily requirements.
    • Posts: 12,142 Member
      Hi!
      Do u think that a meal of 400-500 cals is too much? I mean, how many cals should a "normal" meal be?

      That doesn't even sound like enough for a decent snack
    • Posts: 27 Member
      Hi Andresconejo,

      A meal can be as many calories as you choose. Your body won't care when you eat the calories as long as you eat them. I would suggest you decide what you need to feel satisfied at any given meal, for example I like to eat eggs at breakfast because they keep my hunger at bay, whereas a cake of equal or greater calories to the omelet I ate for breakfast might leave me feeling hungry after an hour.
    • Posts: 119
      Doesn't matter. You can have all your day's calories in one meal. Just hit your macros.
    • Posts: 3,783 Member
      For me, breakfast is about 350-400 cals, lunch and dinner from 500-700, throw in 100-200 cals in snacks takes me to about 1900cals/day. That works for me.
    • Posts: 2,181 Member
      Let's see--this morning, my breakfast was 920 kcal. That wasn't too much for me. Whether it's too much for you, only you can know.
    • Posts: 727 Member
      1000 at least ;)

      How much, when, how frequent, those are negligible details when it comes to meals. Find an eating routine that works for your habits and your schedule that allows you to stay at a deficit consistently. That's what matters in the long run.
    • Posts: 35
      That's around what most of my meals are if I'm not doing a lot of snacking through the day. 3 meals would put you at 1200-1500 calories with no snacks. If you work out, you can eat back those calories as snacks if you're still hungry!

      If I have a day that has a lot of snacking, I'll have 200-300 calorie meals, which would be a lot of salads or lighter meals.
    • Posts: 79
      My lunch was around 1000 calories which is pretty normal. 400 calories would be more of a snack for me.
    • Posts: 3 Member
      Protien is just as important if not more than calories. Focus on protein first. That will keep you full.
    • Posts: 50 Member
      I follow 300 for breakfast, 450 for luch and 450 for dinner. then 100-200 on snacks. But this goes over sometimes.
    • Posts: 37 Member
      depends when...how active and how hungry you are...
      if I just worked out...and I am hungry ....I eat....and I eat a lot...
      Sometimes over 500 calories...who cares...as long as you're eating nutrient dense foods...that is nourishing your body who cares if you eat 300....400....or 500 calories...you eat more now....then eat less at the next sitting....but eat to be satisfied...not to make sure you stay within some imaginary calorie limit.... :)
    • Posts: 257 Member
      It all depends on you. I eat a smaller lunch and breakfast, and small snack through the day and have a larger dinner, anywhere between 500-900 calories depending on what I am eating and if I worked out that day. My favourite meal is supper, and is the only meal I get with my husband every day so I like to enjoy myself!
    • Posts: 7,237 Member
      For you, not at all. You are an 18 year old male with a calorie goal of 2500.
    • Posts: 1 Member
      400 - 500 is probably not bad but the worst habit would be to eat a majority of your daily calories in one meal. Whatever the body can't process is turned to fat and your metabolism is reduced to compensate for the "period of starvation" during the rest of the day. The best approach is to have multiple "meals" that are spread throughout the day. I also try to align my food intake with the anticipated excercise until the next meal. Medium size meal at breakfast (500 cal) to compensate for not eating at night; large meal before exercise usually lunch (800 cal); a small dinner before bedtime (400 cal); and two 150 cal snacks during the day.
    • Posts: 727 Member
      400 - 500 is probably not bad but the worst habit would be to eat a majority of your daily calories in one meal. Whatever the body can't process is turned to fat and your metabolism is reduced to compensate for the "period of starvation" during the rest of the day. The best approach is to have multiple "meals" that are spread throughout the day.

      False.

      The best approach is the one that allows you to stay within a small to moderate caloric deficit while hitting macronutrient goals to help in preservation of lean body mass. Your metabolism is not so easily effected by just hours of "starvation".
    • Posts: 531 Member
      Not at all. Just make sure you don't snack too much and you should be fine.
    • Posts: 119
      400 - 500 is probably not bad but the worst habit would be to eat a majority of your daily calories in one meal. Whatever the body can't process is turned to fat and your metabolism is reduced to compensate for the "period of starvation" during the rest of the day. The best approach is to have multiple "meals" that are spread throughout the day. I also try to align my food intake with the anticipated excercise until the next meal. Medium size meal at breakfast (500 cal) to compensate for not eating at night; large meal before exercise usually lunch (800 cal); a small dinner before bedtime (400 cal); and two 150 cal snacks during the day.
      Don't spread misinformation.
    • Posts: 18,771 Member
      400 - 500 is probably not bad but the worst habit would be to eat a majority of your daily calories in one meal. Whatever the body can't process is turned to fat and your metabolism is reduced to compensate for the "period of starvation" during the rest of the day. The best approach is to have multiple "meals" that are spread throughout the day. I also try to align my food intake with the anticipated excercise until the next meal. Medium size meal at breakfast (500 cal) to compensate for not eating at night; large meal before exercise usually lunch (800 cal); a small dinner before bedtime (400 cal); and two 150 cal snacks during the day.

      This is completely incorrect. Your body can and will process your entire meal, unless you vomit it up or have some other sort of digestive issue. Your metabolism does not slow down to compensate for this period of starvation, in fact evidence shows that it speeds up when you're fasting. Hence all the variations of intermittent fasting that are becoming very popular.

      Long story short, eat whatever you feel comfortable with. My meals vary from as little as 600 to as much as 2000 (or more on cheat days). All depends on the day and the context.
    • Posts: 355
      Naaah, just eat what you're comfortable with! Sometimes I've had meals that were 1,200 calories. Like people have said, just hit your macros. I'm finding anything less than 700 calories for breakfast, especially on lifting days, leaves me kind of tired. I'm 20 years old, female, and can eat up to 2,400 a day.
    • Posts: 131
      It looks like your calorie goal is set at 2490 (without exercise). I'd recommend around 600/cal if you're eating 3 meals plus 2 snacks around 300 cals each.
      As other posters have mentioned, it doesn't matter when you eat, just as long as it's within your limit. Spacing it out as I suggested (plus hitting your protein goal) may help keep you from getting hungry.
      Good luck
    • Posts: 3,198 Member
      It doesn't matter!
    • Posts: 3,198 Member
      400 - 500 is probably not bad but the worst habit would be to eat a majority of your daily calories in one meal. Whatever the body can't process is turned to fat and your metabolism is reduced to compensate for the "period of starvation" during the rest of the day. The best approach is to have multiple "meals" that are spread throughout the day. I also try to align my food intake with the anticipated excercise until the next meal. Medium size meal at breakfast (500 cal) to compensate for not eating at night; large meal before exercise usually lunch (800 cal); a small dinner before bedtime (400 cal); and two 150 cal snacks during the day.

      No, just no.
    • Posts: 679 Member
      My opinion of how many calories should be in a meal depends on a lot of different things. Right now I just base it on how many calories I have left for the day.
    • Posts: 264
      Ok everybody, thankss so much for the help! Today i have only eaten like 500 cals!
    • Posts: 9,487 Member
      Ok everybody, thankss so much for the help! Today i have only eaten like 500 cals!

      Well then you have a lot of eating to do before the day is over. Get busy and have a nice big dinner!
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