How do you space out your calories during the day?

tiflyon
tiflyon Posts: 7
edited September 26 in Food and Nutrition
I'm set on a 1300-1450 calorie diet a day. I'm just curious to hear how you all divide up your calories between breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Today I had a breakfast of about 300 calories (egg, bacon, cheese, english muffin) and feel super full. I'm not used to eating a really big breakfast since i'm usually rushing out the door. Do you think it is better to start off your day full rather than having a 80-100 calorie breakfast and eating larger lunches and dinners? You can copy and paste this format if you like:

Breakfast:
(snack):
Lunch:
(snack):
Dinner:
(snack):

Advice:

Replies

  • amguyberson
    amguyberson Posts: 41 Member
    I just eat what I want for each meal.. I track the calories for breakfast lunch and snacks before dinner. If im pushing my limit I add in a work out to get hte calories back for dinner!

    I've found that it's much easier to stick to being healthy when I allow myself to eat the things I Like in moderation!

    My typically days i 300-400 for breakfast 200-300 for a snack 400 or so for lunch then the rest for dinner. If I only have 300-400 for dinner i'll go work out to get a lil extra calories for dinner!

    Good Luck! My calorie goal is 1330.

    :)
    Ashlie
  • saj9291113
    saj9291113 Posts: 65
    I divide (or the plan always is) to divide my calories evenly between all 6 of my meals.
  • Jamiebee24
    Jamiebee24 Posts: 296 Member
    I usually always try to eat right around the same amount for each meal---300-400 and then a couple 150-200 calorie snacks. It all just depends on the day---how hungry I am, and how much exercise I get. Breakfast shouldn't be too small though!!!
  • dwarfer22
    dwarfer22 Posts: 358 Member
    Typically eat 300 for breakfast, 300-400 for lunch, and about 400 or so for dinner. 1250 limit so maybe tiny snack b4 dinner and a light snack in the evening.
  • 00trayn
    00trayn Posts: 1,849 Member
    I tend to eat smaller breakfasts, a large lunch, and a medium sized dinner. In terms of calories, it's like 100-ish for breakfast, 400-500 or so for lunch, and 300-400 for dinner. Then I throw in an afternoon and evening snack of about 150 calories or less. It usually adds up to 1300-1400 for the day. I have found myself to get hungry by like 11am though with such a small breakfast. I've been thinking about throwing in something like a small yogurt or something, like it's 11;30 right now and I'm starving.
  • SuzanneRogers
    SuzanneRogers Posts: 250 Member
    Breakfast: 300-400
    (snack): 100-200
    Lunch: 300-400
    (snack): 100-200
    Dinner: 300-400
    (snack): 100

    Or you can divide your daily total but 6. 1300 /6 = 216 calories every 2-3 hours, but I find this harder to stay full. I usually do 300-400 3 times a day with 2-3 snack 100-300 calories depending on how many exercise calories I had to add back.
  • harls
    harls Posts: 88 Member
    I've been told that it's better to eat a larger breakfast and have your meals get lighter throughout the day, so dinner will be the smallest.

    However, I am an evening-eater type person; I don't really get hungry during the day time, but I do in the afternoons/evenings. So, I usually have a 200 calorie breakfast, 100 to 400 calorie lunch, and spend the rest as small meals/snacks for the rest of the day (not one giant heavy one). It works pretty well for me, but you just need to find out what works for you and your body. :)

    Good luck!
  • eglass64
    eglass64 Posts: 180
    I just keep track of what Im doing, I work almost daily, if I go over I workout a little more.
  • cardbucfan
    cardbucfan Posts: 10,571 Member
    Typically I eat between 250-350 for breakfast, no morning snack because of the way I break up my breakfast, lunch around 300-400, afternoon snack around 150, dinner 400-500, evening snack depends on how many calories left. I average 1600 per day and workout a lot. Key is having lots of protein for breakfast and some protein with everything else. I'm definitely of the eat what I want in moderation.
  • Nikiki
    Nikiki Posts: 993
    I'm at about the same calories as you and divide them up (usually)
    B: 300-400
    MS: 100-200
    L: 200-300
    AS: 100-200
    D: 400-500
    ES: 100-200

    depending on how busy and rushed my morning is sometimes those first two get flipped.
    However I will say that the most weight I ever lost was when I ate/exercised like this:
    200 calorie shake
    morning workout (about 45 minutes, intense level)
    350-400 calorie breakfast
    300-400 calorie lunch
    100-150 calorie afternoon snack
    250-350 calorie dinner
    evening workout (usually just a 45 minute walk)
    75-100 calorie evening snack

    something about the big workout and extra calories in the morning gave me energy throughout the day, and the walk in the evening helped me sleep like a rock. I will also add that I have never ever lost weight when eating 3 meals a day, only by eating 5-6 meals can i ever lose.
  • mlb929
    mlb929 Posts: 1,974 Member
    I make breakfast my largest calorie meal, lunch my second largest and dinner my smallest. I have two 100-200 calorie snacks mid am and mid afternoon, sometimes if I'm eating really late for dinner, I will have a late afternoon snack as well.

    My "theory" in my head - is that I work out in the AM and it's a typically heavy workout (P90X at this time). So I need to fuel my breakfast. I have a hard time with eating within 1 hour of the work out like "suggested" I'm generally eating about 3 hours later (Ie work out 4:30 - 5:30, I eat at 7:30 to 8:30). Then I don't want to eat too late at night - so my dinner meal is always my smallest. I try to keep it to thinks that will process gently, no cheese or diary, lower carbs - like a protein and a salad.

    I also drink 24-32 oz of water every hour on the hour I refill it to drink for the next hour.
  • adellepuppy
    adellepuppy Posts: 130
    1300 to 1450!!! Luxury!! Just kidding. I'm a shortie so I get a whopping 1200. It hasn't been too bad as I opted to become vegetarian with this diet and plan to stay that way.

    I'm like you I don't really feel much like eating in the morning. I toast an english muffin and have it dry (120 calories). For lunch I stick to a line of Organic Soups (280-400 calories). Dinners are a lot of brown rice and vegetable stir fries. If I feel I miss the meat aspect I use Seitan which is a grain based meat substitute that is basically flavorless and becomes whatever you cook it in taste wise. Dinners come in around 400-500 calories. The rest I round out with stuff from the juicer or Soy Crisps. (Yes, you can get used to them!) Or a salad. It helps to break away from traditional salad dressings that tend to be high calorie. Tossing a salad in salsa is very low cal, satisfying and adds onions and peppers to the salad.
  • Lyadeia
    Lyadeia Posts: 4,603 Member
    You can look at my diary if you like. I have it public. I eat 5 times a day with 3 meals and 2 smaller snacks. I think dinner is typically my biggest meal, sometimes it is lunch if I have to work and just bring something to work with me (I work third shift), but I try to have my meals somewhat equal in calories with my snacks being smaller.
  • edorice
    edorice Posts: 4,519 Member
    breakfast
    morning snack
    lunch
    afternoon snack
    dinner
    supplements
  • gold27701
    gold27701 Posts: 15 Member
    Like a lot of the above users, I try to keep my meals equal through out the day.

    Breakfast 300-400
    Morning Snack 100-200
    Lunch 300-400
    Afternoon Snack 100-200
    Dinner 500-800

    The only difference is my dinner is higher, but I usually don't have an after dinner snack.
  • blueberrypancakes
    blueberrypancakes Posts: 45
    so hard for me to eat 1350 calories.
    breakfast: 250
    snack: 150
    lunch: 350
    snack:150
    dinner:400
    snack: 50

    i usually go way over but yeah
  • montana_girl
    montana_girl Posts: 1,403 Member
    I eat about 300 for breakfast, 300 for lunch, 400 for dinner, and the rest on snacks.
  • Heidi1987
    Heidi1987 Posts: 191 Member
    I aim for about 300 cals for breakfast and 300 for lunch, about 400 for dinner and the rest for snacking..... I like to snack:blushing: ....... so i make sure i always have a few hundered cals left over

    Hope this helps

    :smile:
  • BigDaddy105
    BigDaddy105 Posts: 1
    http://www.fitwatch.com/qkcalc/calories-per-meal.html
  • judiness101
    judiness101 Posts: 119 Member
    I'm pretty much reverse than everybody here. I do not eat breakfast, only coffee with heavy cream (100 calories)

    I then take a medium lunch usually around 550 calories and a big dinner of at least 700 calories. I do not snack and I eat keto.
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