How important is WHEN you eat calories

I am going to go against what everyone else is saying-- I learned in a nutrition class I just took that it is very critical. If you consume more than you need to replenish your body with energy at one given time you will store it as fat. It is better to have a few meals throughout the day that are all around the same size and total up to your calorie goal. It is better for your metabolism as well as the hormones in your body related to digestion.

This is 100% patently false. Your metabolic rate will be appreciably higher following an intermittent fasting regimen (or similar dieting plan) rather than eating multiple times throughout the day. Insulin level are also more tightly controlled.

My experience has been to eat bigger meals at Breakfast and Lunch time when your most active during the day and your metabolism is working faster to burn off the fat and calories, later have a small meal when your going to be less likely active and more relaxed.

What does "metabolism working faster" mean?

I do the same thing. I eat about 1/4 of my calories for breakfast then I have a small lunch and snack so at dinner I still have almost half of my calories left to eat. I eat a normal dinner with my family no special "diet" dinner or anything. I simply just ensure I take no more then one serving of everything. Then I normally eat a small desert and still have calories left over for a small late night snack too.

I have lost almost 60lbs in 7 months and am still going strong. Never hungry, never tired. So I say if it works for you go for it.

I practice Intermittent Fasting, and limit my food intake to a 4-hour window in the evening. For weight management, I don't think there is anything as important as the total amount of calories consumed . If I consume too much or to little, the concomitant results will speak for themselves.

However, IF does two things for me: (1) It helps me *enormously* in controlling how many calories inside of myself. There is only so much that you can eat at one sitting (provided you are not eating junk). (2) During most of the day, when my stomach is virtually devoid of food (a state that I used to find uncomfortable initially, but have gotten quite used to), I am at cognitively at my sharpest. I love how I can focus on any work that requires mental acuity . Surprisingly, even my physical energy levels are higher throughout the day. Indeed, I have gotten used to doing my weight training at the end of the fast.

Is fasting beneficial by itself? Not everyone will agree. But, personally, I happen to buy the purport of this documentary: .

I just computed total pounds lost for the nays and total pounds lost for the yays. I dunno, you do the math on which philosophy is correct. Afterall, that IS the bottom line, right? \m/ \m/

I prefer to eat through out the day to regulate my blood sugar. Sometimes I have a big breakfast if I'm hungry. It depends on what you want to do and what is best for your health.

It's all based on personal preference. Just like there is nothing wrong with having a snack/meal before you go to bed-- because calories can't tell time.
As long as you get your amount of calories in for the day, it doesn't matter when you eat.