how do you divide your calories?

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janaq2003
janaq2003 Posts: 44 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Lets say for 1600 cals a day. How much for bfast lunch etc? Does it keep you from being hungry or snacking? Snacking is a big issue for me, which is something new as I have never been a huge snacker.

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  • micheleb15
    micheleb15 Posts: 1,418 Member
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    I do 1600 calories a day and I don't have a set breakdown of calories, but I tend to eat the same thing during the day.

    Before gym (6am) - chocolate milk - 140 calories
    Breakfast - Coffee, homemade sausage, egg white and cheese english muffin - 350 calories
    Lunch - Homemade Greek Salad - 150
    Snack - Grilled Chicken & Black Beans - 300
    Dinner - Steak, rice and veggies - 500

    Still leaves about 150 for dessert.
  • Wrxsti23
    Wrxsti23 Posts: 62
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    Huge snacker here!

    At 1400 calories

    Breakfast-Egg white and spinach omelette- 75-100
    1 cup of fresh cut pineapple- 85
    Mid Morning- 100 calorie english muffin
    Cinnamon Laughing cow cheese- 45
    Coffee with creamer- 25
    Lunch-3 cups of soup- 150
    Afternoon Snacks- 100 calorie popcorn
    27 Kashi Hummus popped chips- 120
    Banana with PB2- 150
    Coffee with creamer-25
    Dinner- 8 ounces of swai fish- 140
    1 cup of uncle bens brown rice- 170
    Starbucks Hot skinny mocha- 100
    Blue Bunny fudge popsicle- 90

    This is all 1375. Of course it can all be tweaked to your liking. I will usually also add broccoli to my dinner or have chicken breast instead of fish.
  • bekahlou75
    bekahlou75 Posts: 304 Member
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    I am currently on 1500 calories...i'm doing TDEE - 20%. I usually have a light breakfast (200 calories) and lunch (a Lean Cuisine)and end up with 1000 calories for dinner. Needless to say I don't use them all but it allows me to have a beer, a glass of wine, and/or cheesecake. But I normally end up only using about 1350/1400 calories in a day.
  • Better_Balance_2011
    Better_Balance_2011 Posts: 3,711 Member
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    I typically "fast", aka don't eat breakfast, in the morning. If I get hungry, I eat some (maybe 10) almonds. Lunch is around 500 calories. Afternoon snack around 200 calories if I have it. Dinner is 500-700 calories and then I usually have a less than 100 calorie treat after dinner.

    I used to be paranoid that not spreading my calories evently throughout the day, having the majority of my calories at the end of the day, and not eating within 90 minutes of waking was counterproductve to weight loss/maintenance. But I think eating is so much more of a mental game than most people realize. I'd rather have 300 calories to use on a glass of wine or a popsicle than "forcing" myself to eat breakfast. I try to listen to my body and eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full (which is hard because I love food.)
  • kowajenn
    kowajenn Posts: 274 Member
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    1400 is my goal. I try to eat:

    Breakfast 300
    Lunch 300
    Snacks 300
    Dinner 500

    I eat something every 3 hours all day because if I get too hungry I become obsessed with eating. I try to keep snacks around 100 calories each.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,280 Member
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    It never stays the same for me. I eat between 1700 and 1800 calories a day. I plan my dinners ahead of time for the week and then do my shopping. I keep a couple of options at home for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. I always start my log with dinner and fill in from there based off of the calorie content of dinner.
  • CindaWhite
    CindaWhite Posts: 104 Member
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    I am on net 1200 and I do eat back exercise calories. I try to get 250 to 300 calories per meal and I eat 5 -6 meals (not snacks) a day. I don't eat specific foods at specific times and I exercise at different times on different days due to a busy schedule so I try to eat the most protein closest to my exercise. I think I'm kinda backwards to most. I eat and then exercise to 1200 rather than exercising and adding those calories to my foods. Also I really haven't started paying attention to macros, etc. As I am not toning, just aerobic stuff right now. I haven't been good lately though as my will power failed on Halloween and the next two days and I haven't exercised....so... I am back on track today ( I think...) since I didn't jump and grab when my daughter got the Halloween candy bowl down this morning ; ). Also I find Water helps curb any cravings. I drink 8 oz at a time. First thing in the morning before or at least after each meal, when I pee and before bed. Hope this helps.
  • missADS1981
    missADS1981 Posts: 364 Member
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    I eat more calories toward my lunch and breakfast. I don't allow any of my meals to go above say 500 calories.

    My calories per day is around 1800-2000 depending on the training i am doing that day.

    i focus more on my macros than calories though.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    I don't have any hard and fast rules, but generally a meal for me will be between 500 - 600 calories with another 700 - 1000 calories coming in the form of snacks, desert, beverages, etc....on average I'd say the bulk of my calories come after 3-4 PM as I like to eat/drink in the evenings.
  • kenyonl85
    kenyonl85 Posts: 217 Member
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    I like to have around 1000 left for dinner/evening. Its when I do most of my eating.
  • 34blast
    34blast Posts: 166 Member
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    This is probably bad, but I have been doing the 8 hour eating window
    lunch (1 - 4 PM) ~600
    Dinner (~8 PM) ~1000

    If I need more calories, typically a protein shake with 1% milk and sometimes orange juice. I typically never feel hungry.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
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    Between 500-800 cals on my evening meal, and the rest divided evenly throughout the day, including alcohol and snacks after dinner.
  • Followingsea
    Followingsea Posts: 407 Member
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    I don't eat breakfast because my stomach is a brat and I generally feel awful when I do.

    I typically eat somewhere between 400-500 cal for lunch.

    I eat a huge meal at dinner (900 cal at the very min).
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    Breakfast~200-250 calories
    Snack~100
    Lunch~400-500
    Snack~500
    Dinner~350-500
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,119 Member
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    I'm at 1700. After years of experimenting, I find 500-700 for breakfast and morning coffee, then 6-7 hours later the remainder of my calories. I'm usually awake for a couple hours before I eat. After my afternoon meal, bedtime is four hours later.

    If I am exercising that day it's usually midday, and I'll have a small protein/carb/fat snack (like 200 calories) before the exercise. I've been doing this for two years and maintaining.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
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    I don't usually eat breakfast or if I do I have a Quest bar. Lunch is around 500-600 calories and the rest is dinner and snacks after. I'm like a raccoon at night lol ETA: My goal is 1850-1950
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    1600 is my daily goal. My usual breakdown is about 105 for breakfast, 250 -350 for lunch, 0-200 in snacks, the rest for dinner (and sometimes dessert).

    ETA: And yes, it keeps me full. I am rarely hungry except right before a meal.
  • jett254
    jett254 Posts: 64 Member
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    I do 1800 calories per day:

    Breakfast 150-180 cals
    Lunch 350 cals
    Snack 175 cals
    Dinner 550 cals
    Evening snacks 500 cals

    I get hungry at night so I have the majority of my calories then! It works for me.

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