Distribution of Calories Over 5 meals

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CJ5318
CJ5318 Posts: 14
in Health and Weight Loss
I am trying to get on the right track and get 5 meals in a day rather than 2 or 3. I have a fair amount of calories per day to burn, the way I typically eat my calories is 600-700 calories for breakfast, a 250-350 snack, 350-450 lunch 250-350 snack then 350-450 dinner. My question is more to see what everyone else does and why you do it the way you do. My primary concern is making sure I am doing what I can to avoid cravings and eat at the right time. I also like the idea of having more calories in the morning to get my metabolism going and less at night since I am going to be sleeping a few hours after that last meal anyway.

My concern is cravings at night which I think I can beat with eating the right foods, and such (and learning to have will-power/not being the fat guy who eats everything in site.) Not really asking the right or wrong way to do it as I don't really want to start a debate, but I was just looking to see what everyone does and why to open up view points I may not realize.

Thanks!

Replies

  • markjacobs1987
    markjacobs1987 Posts: 162 Member
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    Sounds like you are doing ok on your calories. I don't think you have anything to worry about other than to make sure you are hitting your macros (50% protein, 30% carbs, 20% fats for fat shredder). As for how much you feel like eating and when is going to vary a bit from person to person so whatever works for you is great! I don't think you really have anything to worry about.

    Mark
  • wheird
    wheird Posts: 7,963 Member
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    A couple points:

    Eating breakfast does not increase your metabolism. Nor does eating frequently. Movement increases your metabolism.

    Eating late at night does not affect your weight loss. You could literally consume all of your daily calories 30 minutes before bed and still lose weight, provided that you are at a deficit.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    I tend to eat a smallish breakfast. I take in most of my calories from about 1 PM until bedtime.
  • CindyMarcuzAdams
    CindyMarcuzAdams Posts: 4,006 Member
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    I am the farthest from being an expert but I think you should keep track of your hunger and eat accordingly. If you get the late night munchies maybe prelog a snack for that time of night.
  • jimmmer
    jimmmer Posts: 3,515 Member
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    I eat two meals a day.

    It matters little.

    You just need to find whatever eating style makes you most compliant when hitting your calorie and macro goals.
  • kelsully
    kelsully Posts: 1,008 Member
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    you have to distribute the calories in a way that is sustainable for you. I do about 300-400 for breakfast, 300-400 for lunch, about 200 for a snack, around 500-600 for dinner and leave a little room for an evening snack. I do not mind that feeling of looking forward to my next meal during the day, but if I feel hunger in the evening I am more likely to binge. I eat about 1800-2000 calories a day and burn a lot training for a triathlon.

    Do what keeps you satisfied.
  • omnisis
    omnisis Posts: 85 Member
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    Calories in is way more important than timing. Some foods (e.g. high sugar) may be a trigger for you - or they may not - depends on your individual metabolism and food cravings. Nutrient timing is mostly irrelevant to energy balance as your body will adjust to almost any feeding schedule you throw at it. Whatever maximizes your ability to maintain the proper energy balance is the exact right formula for you.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
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    i eat 6 small meals per day, all about the same number of calories, and the last meal is actually right before bed - it's a bowl of cereal and non-milk with a little xylitol. that satisfies my evening snack cravings as well as adding a little protein and some carbs for sleep.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
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    The best time to eat - when you are hungry. There are tons of myths out there - eat a lot early, eat 5-6 meals a day, eat anything you want for 5 days and then nothing for two days, I could go on and on. Other posters are correct - your metabolism gets started with movement and eating healthy (not starving). Your body uses the same amount of energy to digest 1000 calories regardless if you eat them all at the same time or spread them out into 3 meals.

    What works for me - two meals a day and a snack or protein shake if I get hungry. I try to stop eating by 7 p.m. - I just don't sleep well on a full stomach and I usually don't eat until about noon - I'm just not a breakfast person. Some people think that's crazy...but it works for me.

    My advice - experiment with what works best for you. There is no "right" or "wrong" way to accomplish your goal. Eat healthy, move, and be patient...you will get there sooner than you think is possible!
  • CJ5318
    CJ5318 Posts: 14
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I think the thing I need to go is put in morning workouts with that breakfast. As a few of you have stated metabolism starts with movement, what I am reading/studying says work out in the morning as well so I guess that's confirmed. I know different ways work for different people, I have noticed that eating 5 smaller meals helps a lot with hunger. I am more worried about cravings. I've been experimenting a little with monitoring sugar and sodium which I should probably step up, that may be the trick to dealing with cravings.

    Really I am just trying to find a sustainable way to get avoid cravings, get healthy and do it with as few road blocks as possible.

    Thanks everyone for your input it helps a lot!
  • hobbeskastiel
    hobbeskastiel Posts: 221 Member
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    I eat oatmeal with cinnamon and fruit just about every morning. 200-300 cal. Lunch jumps around. I usually have between 400-600 cals at lunch. It's often chicken and veggies of some kind. If i'm hungry before dinner I grab something in the 100 cal range. Fruit, almonds, veggies. For dinner 600- 800 depending on what the rest of my day was like. Again, chicken, veggies & brown rice or something along those lines. If my calories allow it I will have a protein shake somewhere between lunch and dinner or after dinner. Often adding a 1/4 cup of oatmeal to that shake. I aim for 1500 calories.

    Today breakfast was 227 cals. Lunch was 491. Heading to the gym at 3:00 and that leaves me 650-750 cals for dinner.
  • litsy3
    litsy3 Posts: 783 Member
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    I eat 500 for breakfast, about 450-550 for lunch, and maybe 700-850 for dinner depending on how hungry I am (which usually depends how much exercise I did). In between, I eat as many snacks as I feel like (fruit, nuts, crackers etc.) but they are usually quite small (75-150 cals) and add up to around 150-300 in the morning and then again in the afternoon. I don't feel the need to limit myself to set mealtimes; I just eat when I'm hungry. If you want to avoid cravings, maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to get into the habit of having small, low-calorie snacks more frequently. Then you get to eat, which is satisfying, but you don't need much because you know you can eat again in an hour if you need to.
  • defauIt
    defauIt Posts: 118 Member
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I think the thing I need to go is put in morning workouts with that breakfast. As a few of you have stated metabolism starts with movement, what I am reading/studying says work out in the morning as well so I guess that's confirmed.

    No. Stop. Hold up. You misunderstood something somewhere.

    Your metabolism is always running. Always. If you're currently alive, it's running.

    When people say exercise more to increase your metabolism they just mean in a general sense. They don't literally mean you have to exercise in the morning to jump start your metabolism in the morning.

    Eat whenever you want. Move whenever you want. Timing doesn't matter, aside from personal preference.

    If you have more energy in the morning, feel free to work out then. If you're hungriest at lunch, feel free to have your biggest meal then. This is 100% up to you to decide what works best for you. If 5 small meals a day helps with your overall hunger, go for it. If 1 large meal a day helps with your overall hunger, go for it. If you like to work out in the morning, go for it. If you like to work out at night, go for it.
  • dearannna
    dearannna Posts: 60 Member
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    I think it's important to find what works for you. The only constant I have is that I always eat a small meal of around 250kcals prior going to the gym in the morning. I then make sure I have food available for a morning snack, lunch, pm snack, dinner, and evening snack. I never eat all of them but do eat when I am hungry.
  • elsinora
    elsinora Posts: 398 Member
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    A couple points:

    Eating breakfast does not increase your metabolism. Nor does eating frequently. Movement increases your metabolism.

    Eating late at night does not affect your weight loss. You could literally consume all of your daily calories 30 minutes before bed and still lose weight, provided that you are at a deficit.

    This - on weight loss. But I distribute calories to maintain energy levels, hungry pangs, and for pre-training and post- training recovery.
  • CJ5318
    CJ5318 Posts: 14
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    Thanks for the advice everyone. I think the thing I need to go is put in morning workouts with that breakfast. As a few of you have stated metabolism starts with movement, what I am reading/studying says work out in the morning as well so I guess that's confirmed.

    No. Stop. Hold up. You misunderstood something somewhere.

    Your metabolism is always running. Always. If you're currently alive, it's running.

    When people say exercise more to increase your metabolism they just mean in a general sense. They don't literally mean you have to exercise in the morning to jump start your metabolism in the morning.

    Eat whenever you want. Move whenever you want. Timing doesn't matter, aside from personal preference.

    If you have more energy in the morning, feel free to work out then. If you're hungriest at lunch, feel free to have your biggest meal then. This is 100% up to you to decide what works best for you. If 5 small meals a day helps with your overall hunger, go for it. If 1 large meal a day helps with your overall hunger, go for it. If you like to work out in the morning, go for it. If you like to work out at night, go for it.

    I got ya, I was thinking it was in the sense of exercise get's your metabolism going. I understand it's always working, I should have specified. I keep reading that exercise first thing in the morning is the best way to do it but I never understood the why behind it. I had thought that may be it but I guess not.

    Thank you for the clarification! I am still trying to find the right exercise time and way to eat for me, but this helps!
  • Jeslefisch
    Jeslefisch Posts: 27 Member
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    I think you just have to remember that food is not an activity! If you are hungry then eat something, eat something healthy! If you are just having cravings, just remember you don't need it. sometimes I have a craving and I will have a square of a chocolate bar or a couple chips. I think what everyone needs to work on is self control. Then it just becomes habit.
  • sloth3toes
    sloth3toes Posts: 2,212 Member
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    I got ya, I was thinking it was in the sense of exercise get's your metabolism going. I understand it's always working, I should have specified. I keep reading that exercise first thing in the morning is the best way to do it but I never understood the why behind it. I had thought that may be it but I guess not.

    Thank you for the clarification! I am still trying to find the right exercise time and way to eat for me, but this helps!

    The only reason that exercise first thing in the morning is good for me, is because it gets it out of the way. I'm a procrastinator.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    I got ya, I was thinking it was in the sense of exercise get's your metabolism going. I understand it's always working, I should have specified. I keep reading that exercise first thing in the morning is the best way to do it but I never understood the why behind it. I had thought that may be it but I guess not.

    Thank you for the clarification! I am still trying to find the right exercise time and way to eat for me, but this helps!

    The only reason that exercise first thing in the morning is good for me, is because it gets it out of the way. I'm a procrastinator.

    This is soooo me too. I'd rather do it in the morning and not give myself the chance to "talk myself out of it". I'm a terrible procrastinator. The sooner it's done, the better.

    As for calories, I tend do about 300-400 for breakfast, 400-600 for lunch, 200-300 for afternoon snack, and 500-700 for dinner. I always leave room for some ice cream at night too (100-250 cals). It's a great way to cap the day off ;)

    Really, the snacks are more dependent on what I have at meal time. I try to prelog my meals and then fill in the gaps with yummy snacks.

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