How many calories do you 'leave' yourself for dinner?

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Replies

  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    I don't "leave" anything for dinner - I prelog for the entire week beforehand. It keeps me from guessing how many calories I'll need at the end of the day. I don't do guessing, I'd rather have a plan.

    My dinners usually run between 450 and 550 calories. Breakfast is around 400, lunch 250, afternoon snack 200, protein shake 250. That totals 1550-1600 calories per day.
  • PJPrimrose
    PJPrimrose Posts: 916 Member
    I'm around 2000-2300 without weight gain on maintenance right now. I'd say 600-900 round about there.
  • hellodmo
    hellodmo Posts: 23
    I am on about 1650/day. I try to leave around 1000 because I'm never quite sure what my wife has planned or when a trip to the frozen yogurt place is in order.
  • Zx14chick
    Zx14chick Posts: 255 Member
    I also tend to stress a bit about what I'm going to eat for dinner. We used to eat out ALL the time. It's been easier now that we are eating at home more often. Easier on my calorie intake planning and easier on our wallet! I like to have at least 800 for dinner, if not more. I am on around 1550 calories. Today my breakfast was about 200 calories, lunch around 200 calories and 200 calories for snacks (carrots and hummus). I would rather fill in the evening calories after I know what I'm eating for dinner. It really screws up my days when I have a lunch planned.
  • msbeeblebrox
    msbeeblebrox Posts: 133 Member
    My diary is open. I typically eat around 1000 between breakfast and lunch; and leave the other 800 for dinner, snacks, and dessert.
  • dianaeatworld
    dianaeatworld Posts: 25 Member
    I have picky eaters at home so I have a to cook for them more so than myself so I eat light all day (which has helped me not feel luggish at work) and leave anywhere between 800 - 1000. I'm goal per day is 1520 per day and I use my lunch hour to walk when I can.
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I lost most of my weight at 1550 NET calories a day. I would try to save 800-1000 for dinner. 2-300 cal breakfast, 3-600 cal lunch, and 700-1000 cal dinner with some exercise to give me 1-200 cals extra.

    Even now that I get quite a bit more (I exercise more and I'm on higher cals), breakfast didn't change but lunch and dinner got bigger. More snacks too.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Not enough, lol. Typically between 300 and 500.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Usually between 700-1000. I eat around 2000 cals a day.
  • ddixon503
    ddixon503 Posts: 119 Member
    Between 1000 and 1200 for myself (daily is 2750)
  • janine2355
    janine2355 Posts: 628 Member
    I like 600 for dinner, sometimes even a bit more. I have 100-230 cal for breakfast usually, 300 for lunch, and the rest for dinner and snacks. My daily calories is set at 1340, and then more is I exercise.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    I enjoy sharing a home-cooked meal with my wife, so I usually figure about 60% of my pre-exercise calories will be in the evening: a light snack with a cocktail or mocktail, then dinner. I'm currently eating 1600 before exercise. I usually exercise in the late afternoon/early evening, so when I do that, those calories also get added onto the evening allotment, though sometimes I don't finish them until the next day.

    The exception is when I'm doing a long bike ride (over 2.5 hours/40 miles), in which case I will have a larger breakfast or lunch, then aim to eat 200-250 calories an hour while on the bike, to avoid bonking. Since I burn 450-550 calories an hour, that still leaves a reasonable deficit to make up in the evening.
  • AHASRADA
    AHASRADA Posts: 88 Member
    I pre-log my day, so the only meal I "leave" calories for usually is snacks. I like to have a decent breakfast, a fairly large lunch and a decent afternoon snack. For me, dinner just puts a cap on the day so I don't go to bed hungry. Usually a huge Romaine salad and a piece of protein. If I have a satisfying snack and have calories left over at the end of the day, I might add an apple, a piece of cheese or some crackers to my dinner.
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    All of em!

    But seriously, the majority of my calories are eaten after 5:30 pm. Sometimes like 1200 cals (that's not my total goal for the day!)
  • deliacm
    deliacm Posts: 66 Member
    I pre-log dinner and then fit breakfast and lunch into what's left. Much easier and then I can have what everyone else has.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    1200 right before bed.
  • bookworm_847
    bookworm_847 Posts: 1,903 Member
    I usually plan my dinners first since that's always been my biggest meal, then figure out breakfast, and divide what's left between lunch and snacks.
  • PennyVonDread
    PennyVonDread Posts: 432 Member
    I can't imagine eating 3 square meals a day. I eat close to 1200 calories, but I eat all the time. 150-300 at a time.
  • meganjcallaghan
    meganjcallaghan Posts: 949 Member
    usually I leave at least half my day's worth of calories for eating when I get home.
  • xmarykaterose
    xmarykaterose Posts: 82 Member
    I actually eat my most calories at breakfast (400ish) considering its the most important meal of the day (sorry to be cliche haha) and I'm usually STARVING in the morning. Afterwards, I pretty much snack throughout the day and have a larger sized meal at dinner. (: also, my daily cal limit is 1200.
  • LittleMy1
    LittleMy1 Posts: 5
    I have been leaving myself 500 to 600 calories for dinner, which includes a glass of wine. I used a different BMI calculator to lose 1 pound per week, and i'm eating nearly 1400 calories per day and not the 1200. i kept failing with 1200.
  • ErinMcMom
    ErinMcMom Posts: 228 Member
    I don't "leave" myself calories for dinner because I always plan my dinner first, and "leave" calories for the other meals. I decide what dinner is going to be the night before, log it, then plan and pack my lunch and breakfast based on the calories remaining. This way I know I've always got enough calories for a wonderful dinner and if my breakfast/lunch have to be somewhat lacking as a result I know what I'm looking forward to, or I have the choice to throw in a workout and eat more for breakfast/lunch.
    Dinner seems to average 700-800 calories most days.
  • MotorcyclesAndCode
    MotorcyclesAndCode Posts: 13 Member
    I find it easier to eat a small lunch and leave the majority for dinner and evening snacks. So, I usually have 800 - 1,200 left for dinner.
  • Kamirose9047
    Kamirose9047 Posts: 21
    I have to eat my school lunch, which is balanced for growing teenagers, so I tend to have to leave most of my calories for that. By the time I get home I generally have 500-700 calories left for the rest of the day. I'm actually considering trying out IF and skipping breakfast, but then I'm terrified I'll be starving by lunch time, lol.
  • ybee1991
    ybee1991 Posts: 106 Member
    I eat 1600-1800 cals a day on average. It usually averages out: 400 breakfast, 400 lunch, 400 dinner, 400 snacks throughout the day (usually 3: after lunch, and 2 after dinner), 100-200 misc give or take. I think it's a great way to make sure you're always full. I used to eat 1200-1400 cals a couple of years ago and I don't think I could now, lol!
  • trinityoflove
    trinityoflove Posts: 15 Member
    I really struggle with dinner. Living in a house with two other adults that have conflicting schedules, sometimes it doesn't make sense to make a meal, or it is easier to grab a bite to eat from a fast food place. Plus my dad and brother don't really care about their weight like I do. And buying my own healthier meals is expensive. I know it isn't a good thing, but I've been "saving" most of my calories until dinner because I worry about not having enough. Usually it is about 800-1200 on a 1500 limit. I'm hoping to get past this though cooking more no matter who is home to eat it. There's nothing wrong with leftovers, right? (Other than no one eating them, which happens too often)
  • 12by311
    12by311 Posts: 1,716 Member
    I know it isn't a good thing, but I've been "saving" most of my calories until dinner because I worry about not having enough.

    Why do you say this?
  • nixxthirteen
    nixxthirteen Posts: 280 Member
    I eat 1900 a day.

    Because I work afternoons, I'm up until 2 or 3 in the morning so I typically save 1000 calories to split between dinner and a big snack before bed. If dinner ends up being really late, or I go to sleep early for whatever reason, I just splurge and eat it all in one go ;).
  • manda1978
    manda1978 Posts: 525 Member
    200-300 covers me for dinner, if I have a post dinner snack (greek yoghurt) and/or tea then I might eb up to 350.
  • SuperC_85
    SuperC_85 Posts: 393
    As much as possible lol.
    I plan my day out a bit, but try and keep the calories reasonable during the day.
    Once Ive logged my dinner I know where to add in extra food to get to my calorie goal.

    Im eating 2000 cals per day so typically my dinners are about 1200 calories.

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