Biggest meal of the day?

briabner
briabner Posts: 427 Member
edited September 27 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone have any recomendations on which meal should be the biggest of the day? Just curious to see if one meal over another would help in weight loose.
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Replies

  • JMCade
    JMCade Posts: 389 Member
    Mine is always Dinner. Don't know if that is best or not?
  • Jerri68
    Jerri68 Posts: 14
    I try to make my biggest meal lunch.
  • Misskathryn00
    Misskathryn00 Posts: 47 Member
    mine is lunch as i work mainly afternoons and like to 'fill up' before i go, no idea though if this helps weight loss, i do like a good breakfast too :/
  • HaleyAlli
    HaleyAlli Posts: 911 Member
    Interested in hearing this too. Mine is usually supper as well!
  • rosey808
    rosey808 Posts: 92 Member
    Breakfast.


    Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper
  • Beebs33
    Beebs33 Posts: 262
    I've been told many times breakfast should be the biggest. I believe it is true but I say breakfast or lunch. The last meal of the day should be the lightest...or so I've been told too.

    Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day so it's not too hard to plan a big breakfast. Check out my food diary if you like.
  • MJKing2
    MJKing2 Posts: 177
    Mine is always dinner too. Just because I know my body well enough to know that I usually tend to be more hungry and want to eat more at the end of the day. So I intentionally save a lot of my calories for then. I think whatever works for you is the "right" choice. Good luck!
  • Beebs33
    Beebs33 Posts: 262
    Breakfast.


    Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper

    Well said!
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Mine is dinner but it's post-gym so much needed to get enough calories in to follow the program on MFP.
  • Normalg
    Normalg Posts: 125 Member
    I do find eggs for breakfast keep me well until like 20 or so, even though you shouldn't go more than 4 hours without eating. Jillian Michaels also says your body doesn't burn during sleep when you eat too much too late. Hope it helps :smile:
  • aristel
    aristel Posts: 110
    lunch
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    I've been told many times breakfast should be the biggest. I believe it is true but I say breakfast or lunch. The last meal of the day should be the lightest...or so I've been told too.

    Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day so it's not too hard to plan a big breakfast. Check out my food diary if you like.

    Depends on the individual. I take a 6:30 class at the gym and typically eat dinner around 8:30pm. This works well for both me and my husband since he works late. His biggest meal of the day is also dinner and he's thin.
  • bfkilduff
    bfkilduff Posts: 11 Member
    Biggest Loser shows always talk about snacking, so that way you don't have a biggest meal. My meals are about the same when I stay on track.
  • Andee08
    Andee08 Posts: 147 Member
    Mine is pretty even between lunch and dinner. I try to eat smaller meals and more snacks throughout the day. This seems to keep the hunger away!
  • ImBabyBunny
    ImBabyBunny Posts: 75
    I try to eat 5-7 small meals a daily....its SUCH A PAIN sometimes...but it does keep you full of energy. I noticed if I am not doing that ....Breakfast is the biggest..if not that....... than lunch is. dinner is always small. ALWAYS!

    I have night mares if I eat a-lot before I go to bed! lol 0-0 I have always wonder weather or not it matter what time you where eating your biggest meal? The info I hear the most is that it's only bad to eat a giant meal if it's a whole days worth of food and 1hr before u go to bed. Take Care!
  • olo567
    olo567 Posts: 50 Member
    Mathematically it shouldn't matter. If breakfast is your biggest meal, you'll be burning off some of those calories throughout the day and then primarily fat stores at night. If dinner is your biggest, you'll be burning fat throughout the day and then your dinner calories while you sleep. Psychologically eating a smaller dinner is easiest because you generally don't feel hungry when you're asleep! For me dinner is usually the biggest because I'm never sure how many calories I'll have left for it and usually leave a lot.
  • RunChinni
    RunChinni Posts: 149 Member
    Breakfast.


    Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper


    Amen.

    Breakfast has to be the biggest meal since you are starved from the night before and you need the energy to get by the day.
  • djhavoc
    djhavoc Posts: 43
    Breakfast for sure at 7:30am keeps me full until about 10:30am/11am not sure if its for eveyone; 1 serving of Oatmeal, 1 Egg on 1 toast.
  • jrr429
    jrr429 Posts: 9
    Mine is usually breakfast, but I know that if we are having a big family dinner then I cut out on breakfast and lunch for that :)
  • emmajane_2288
    emmajane_2288 Posts: 132 Member
    I dont feel like I could eat a big breakfast in the morning :(

    I wake at 7pm and need to be out the door by 7:30. The most I really have for breakfast on a weekday would be no more than 350 (3 egg omelette with mushrooms and a slice of toast), normally its around 300 though.
    Lunch is normally around the 300-350 mark too. I work at a desk, and get a 30 minute lunch break (if im lucky) . Sometimes I might have chicken and rice but this is on the rare occasion.
    Dinner is most definitely my biggest meal. I try to keep it under 500 calories though. This suits my lifestyle as I live with family, and we traditionally eat meals around the table together. Since joining MFP I always leave something on my plate after dinner so I reduce portion sizes slightly.

    Unfortunately since I go to the gym straight from work, I dont normally get in until at least 7:30, so my dinner is usually eaten around 8pm. I do not snack after this time though.

    Has there been any evidence to suggest that eating after a certain time makes you put on weight? Ive always heard this from these fad diets like 'dont eat carbs after 5pm' etc but never really took much notice.
  • decu68
    decu68 Posts: 78
    What happens is we as society eat too much and too much at one time. For many they eat a large supper however are the least active after supper. Over time, especially as we get older when our metabolism slows down, we start to put on extra weight as our body doesn't need all of those calories for fuel so stores it as fat instead.

    I had my most success when I broke out my daily needed meals into 5 to 6 equal meals. This allowed my body to efficiently burn the fuel it need throughout the day. Nothing was being stored extra as fat and when my body needed extra fuel to perform higher energy tasks, my body effectively burned fat. This is something I am planning on going back on as I know it works. However since I had gotten away from this, typically my lunch was my largest meal.

    The reason I came to this site was for this reason, to look at my diet to see where I have some failings so that I can fix those things and go back to eating these 5-6 meals a day. I know there are probably others on here but my goal isn't to lose weight but to gain better calories and eliminate bad calories so that I can grow; become bigger and stronger.
  • craek
    craek Posts: 201 Member
    Dinner for sure. I love all the food dinner has to offer so it is very tough for me!!!
  • Agglaki
    Agglaki Posts: 105
    My meals get smaller as the day goes on:

    Breakfast approx 700-900 cal
    Snack 1 - Fruit
    Snack 2 - Fruit
    Lunch 300-500 cal
    Dinner 300-400cal

    Ideally I would love 6 meals a day, but given my current schedule I cant do that so I'll opt for the couple of snacks instead.
  • gingerfoxxx
    gingerfoxxx Posts: 267 Member
    I try to make lunch the biggest because its when i need the most energy to finish my day. It doesn't always work out that way of course, but i try :D
  • hhenehan
    hhenehan Posts: 4
    I think whatever works for you is the correct answer.

    For me, I prefer to eat a protein-packed breakfast that will last me until lunch time. Usually some egg beaters with 1/8 cup 2% cheese and either toast or oatmeal. Then I eat a light lunch and an even lighter afternoon snack. My snack helps me to not over-eat at dinner time, when I have a moderately sized meal. This is how I have eaten in the past following the Weight Watchers program. We'll see how well it works for me on MFP:ohwell:

    I think if you prefer to have your biggest meal at dinner, though, it should be an early one so you have time to burn through some of it.
  • dave4d
    dave4d Posts: 1,155 Member
    From what I've read, it should be around your workout, since that is when your body needs the fuel to feed your muscles, but mine usually depends on different social activities. If I go to dinner with my girl friend, or kids, it usually becomes my biggest meal. If not, it is usually my post workout shake.
  • ImperfektAngel
    ImperfektAngel Posts: 811 Member
    Mine are all pretty balanced with lots of snacks inbetween
  • parvati
    parvati Posts: 432 Member
    All of your meals should be around the same...
    For me they are usually in between 300-400 calories per meal. Eating that way still allows me to have 2 sensible snacks daily as well. I eat every 2-3 hours & make sure my meals are as balanced as possible.
  • parvati
    parvati Posts: 432 Member
    From what I've read, it should be around your workout, since that is when your body needs the fuel to feed your muscles, but mine usually depends on different social activities. If I go to dinner with my girl friend, or kids, it usually becomes my biggest meal. If not, it is usually my post workout shake.

    Directly after your workout, within 20 mins is when you need to replenish your carbs because they are depleted after your workout. Simple carbs are best, but your body turns those carbs immediately into energy so they don't stay with you. (this is the reason low carb diets are bad).

    Within an hour after your workout it is good to consume protein. (but the carbs are more important).
  • sushilicious
    sushilicious Posts: 53
    I eat one time which is usually right after my workout. So to be a bit more descriptive, I give myself a 4 hour window each day to get my allotted nutritional goals, the rest is spent fasting. Pretty much just intermittent fasting, I guess.
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