How do you spread out your calories?

ErinKEbert
ErinKEbert Posts: 12 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Question to MFP friends: Do you break your calories up during the day? I find myself having a small breakfast (yogurt and coffee), medium size lunch (200-300cal), then I have 800-1000cal left for dinner/evening...part of me likes this (yay pizza for dinner last night), but I have a suspicion I should be spreading them evenly throughout the day. Any thoughts or feedback?

Replies

  • TheRealParisLove
    TheRealParisLove Posts: 1,907 Member
    Everyone is different. What works for some people will be a massive fail for others. If you aren't hitting your goals, then maybe consider changing up your routine, but otherwise, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
  • Lpeg
    Lpeg Posts: 1
    I'm working with a doctor at the moment to help with my fitness, and she just recommended you at least divide your total daily calories by 3. So I'm at 1400, and my breakfast should be in the 400 calories, another 4-500 for lunch, leaving me with 4-500-ish for dinner. Before, I was eating almost 800 calories for dinner. She gave me some great options for bulking up my breakfast, so that I wasn't starving by 11:30am.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Today I did 400+ cal lunch, 500 cal lunch. I'll maybe do a 1-200 cal snack and that leaves 700-600 for dinner. I like a big filling dinner, but that's just me.
  • lilialley
    lilialley Posts: 15 Member
    I'm never hungry during the day - I usually eat about 200 calories for a late breakfast, 300 in between for light snacks and lunch, and 700 for dinner and an evening snack.
  • jollyjoe321
    jollyjoe321 Posts: 529 Member
    When I wake up for breakfast
    Really small portion of cereal (20g approx)
    Small amount of semi-skimmed milk with it
    Glass of Orange Juice


    11AM
    1 Banana


    12PM-2PM
    About 120g diced chicken spread across this time


    3PM
    1 Plum


    4PM(or thereabouts)
    1 Apple


    6-7PM(whenever I eat tea)
    Pretty much whatever I fancy (healthy of course, usually protein based with salad and carbs)


    Gives me headroom for an occasional biscuit or hot chocolate :D
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    I eat the majority of my calories after 4 PM. Meal timing and how many calories you consume at any given meal is largely irrelevant.
  • gsgitu
    gsgitu Posts: 118 Member
    8-900 for lunch. 8-900 for dinner. me like. some homemade yogurt at the end of feeding.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
    It doesn't matter... let your energy levels and preferences dictate when you eat.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Question to MFP friends: Do you break your calories up during the day? I find myself having a small breakfast (yogurt and coffee), medium size lunch (200-300cal), then I have 800-1000cal left for dinner/evening...part of me likes this (yay pizza for dinner last night), but I have a suspicion I should be spreading them evenly throughout the day. Any thoughts or feedback?

    I do pretty much the same. Only a cup of milk for breakfast, light lunch, a big plateful for dinner and usually dessert/snack before bed. Works well for me.
  • shaleyn
    shaleyn Posts: 125 Member
    I eat just enough for breakfast to get me through the morning and the same thing for lunch to get thru the afternoon. Then I get home from work and my Fitbit syncs and I eat the rest (usually 1400+) at dinnertime and before bed. Then I don't feel like I'm "dieting" and my hubby doesn't feel bad for eating a bunch when I'm eating like a rabbit lol.
  • Camera_BagintheUK
    Camera_BagintheUK Posts: 707 Member
    I sort of try to eat lower calorie breakfast and lunch so I can eat a nice tea. But I don't have a strict formula, it's just I'm aware as I eat earlier what calories I'm leaving myself for the evening.

    But you're supposed to Breakfast like a King; Lunch like a Lord and Sup like a Pauper, aren't you. Why do we do it backwards - eating our biggest meal at the end of the day?
  • harphy
    harphy Posts: 290 Member
    5 meals per day. 400+ for breakfast, 150 for both snacks, 300 for lunch and dinner.
  • Jenb0563
    Jenb0563 Posts: 2 Member
    I am a snacker. It keeps my sugar levels stable. I spread my calories out over the whole day and into the night as I work some really long nights.
  • GormanGhaste
    GormanGhaste Posts: 430 Member
    If I didn't have to eat with other people, I'd probably have breakfast be my largest meal and dinner my smallest.

    As is, my three meals are usually split more like 25%, 35%, 40%.
  • BarackMeLikeAHurricane
    BarackMeLikeAHurricane Posts: 3,400 Member
    I eat one meal (dinner)
  • l_clc
    l_clc Posts: 126 Member
    I have breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack and supper....Not that you have to eat so many times a day, it makes no difference....but this helps to keep me feeling full of energy throughout the day and keeps me from getting to that really hungry feeling.
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
    200-450 breakfast
    400-700 lunch
    700-1300 dinner

    If I know I'll have calories, I will have snacks.
    obviously, if I have larger lunch I have a smaller dinner, and so on.

    But a massive meal at night is a must for me. I like stuffing myself at least once a day. It is elaborate, well cooked, and something to look forward too.
    I prefer going to sleep when full, I have trouble falling asleep when at all peckish.

    This has been working very well for me, so I think this whole not eating late at night thing is bull.
  • foot1647
    foot1647 Posts: 92
    I just eat when I am hungry. I never eat just because its a certain time of day, if I am not hungry I don't eat.
  • kkclif
    kkclif Posts: 155 Member
    Your supposed to space out your meals and have like 5-6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism moving quickly, but if doing what your doing works for you then I don't think it matters. I usually find myself doing the same thing as you and having a bunch of calories left at night, which I don't really mind. However, I have been trying to fit some snacks in between there because I wasn't consuming enough and was feeling kind of shaky and pukey in the afternoons. Just do what feels right for you :smile:
  • kkclif
    kkclif Posts: 155 Member
    200-450 breakfast
    400-700 lunch
    700-1300 dinner

    If I know I'll have calories, I will have snacks.
    obviously, if I have larger lunch I have a smaller dinner, and so on.

    But a massive meal at night is a must for me. I like stuffing myself at least once a day. It is elaborate, well cooked, and something to look forward too.
    I prefer going to sleep when full, I have trouble falling asleep when at all peckish.

    This has been working very well for me, so I think this whole not eating late at night thing is bull.

    I don't buy into that late night eating thing either. Actually, after doing some research on it, I found out that eating certain foods before bed can actually spike insulin levels and help with muscle recovery.
  • chubbiebunny4444
    chubbiebunny4444 Posts: 9
    eat when ur hungry! :D idk where the breakfast lunch dinner thing came out :] listen to your body
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    My diary is open... I eat small meals between the day and snack a lot. I also end up with a ton of calories left for dinner, and usually don't eat them all... but I'm just not that hungry. I eat a lot of protein typically so I guess it fills me up...
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    I eat throughout the entire day. Breakfast, 200 Calories. Morning Snack (under 100 cal). Lunch 300 calories. 2-3 afternoon snacks (each under 100 cal usually), Dinner 500-550 Calories. If I have enough calories left over I'll have a 60 calorie Dove dark chocolate Ice cream bar (mmm yummy). My Calorie goal is 1400 a day. Spread out like this, I don't feel the need to binge or anything, and since I usually have enough calories for my evening sweet, I don't go overboard on sweets/desserts.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    I usually either have a moderate breakfast, big lunch, small dinner, and big snack (ice cream & various other snacks throughout the day) or I have no breakfast, big lunch, big dinner, and big snack.
  • SrJoben
    SrJoben Posts: 484 Member
    I think things work better for me if i have a substantial breakfast.

    The other meals and snacks are more variable.
  • Mariposa_Lily
    Mariposa_Lily Posts: 38 Member
    I have a husband whose calorie requirements are way higher than mine and he likes a substantial dinner.... and late night snacks. I can resist some, but I know that I end up snacking, too. So, I try to divide my calories in half--50% before 5:00 (spread out with breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, and afternoon snack), and 50% after (dinner, snack, nightcap).

    It might not be ideal, but it seems to be working. Plus, I exercise first thing in the morning, so the evening's calories (I think) give me pre-breakfast energy!
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
    What works for me isn't necessarily be what would work for someone else. My preference is intermittent fasting 15/9 style. That is I eat my last meal for the day and I don't eat again until 15 hours later and then I try to hit my calorie goal in 9. Sometimes it's 16/8. Right now my schedule is jacked so it's actually become a bit of a challenge to eat less than 1800 calories. In any case, if what you are doing now works keep it up that is how you will see results. If you try to fit your style into someone else's then chances are you are setting yourself up for less than optimal results.

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