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Times to Eat

JasmineBottoms
JasmineBottoms Posts: 7 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to get a good schedule for eating and snacking. I eat breakfast about 8:30 and it's a good amount. I know I shouldn't wait until lunch to eat what's a good time for a before lunch snack? Help please lol

Replies

  • JagerLewis
    JagerLewis Posts: 427 Member
    It sounds crazy, but I eat every 2 hours..
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2015
    I "break fast" at noon'ish everyday... But I have been skipping breakfast all my life...

    There is no set time to eat.. requirement.. Eat how you want to and eat all the MFP calories given to you and you are good to go...
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited May 2015
    Meal and calorie timing is an individual preference thing and nothing more. Some people prefer to eat 3 meals/2 snacks, others prefer two larger meals, no snacks, 6 small meals etc. At the end of the day weight loss comes down to calories, math and eating at a deficit. Just figure out what works best with your schedule/lifestyle and go with that-there's no wrong way to do it, as long as you're eating within your calorie goals :)
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,886 Member
    Sarasmaintaining wrote: »
    Meal and calorie timing is an individual preference thing and nothing more. Some people prefer to eat 3 meals/2 snacks, others prefer two larger meals, no snacks, 6 small meals etc. At the end of the day weight loss comes down to calories, math and eating at a deficit. Just figure out what works best with your schedule/lifestyle and go with that-there's no wrong way to do it, as long as you're eating within your calorie goals :)
    And this.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Eat when you're hungry.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited May 2015
    In the hierarchy of things that are important to losing weight, meal timing is largely irrelevant. This is another instance of majoring in the minors.
  • Emily3907
    Emily3907 Posts: 1,461 Member
    The best schedule for eating/snacking is the schedule that makes you successful. In my experience this is an individual decision with no rules for right or wrong. For example my day looks like this usually:

    6:15 AM - wake up
    10:00 AM - breakfast (usually big)
    12:00 PM - 1:00 PM - exercise
    1:00 PM - snack
    5:30 PM - Dinner (usually big)
    6:30 PM - snack

    I think more important than timing your meals is determining your body's hunger signals and following those. The schedule I go by has been based on my individual needs throughout the day and it works great for me, but for someone else it may be torture.

    Basically, when you are hungry eat. When you feel satisfied, don't eat. Pay no attention to the clock.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,179 Member
    JasmineBottoms wrote: »
    I am trying to get a good schedule for eating and snacking. I eat breakfast about 8:30 and it's a good amount. I know I shouldn't wait until lunch to eat what's a good time for a before lunch snack? Help please lol
    Whenever you usually are hungry. Thereis no magic weight loss timetable. Whatever fits in your lifestyle and keeps you happy.
  • JasmineBottoms
    JasmineBottoms Posts: 7 Member
    edited May 2015
    Thanks guys! For all your input I am such a "bored snacker" that I get scared that I am going to just want to eat And fall off the wagon
  • Phoenix_Down
    Phoenix_Down Posts: 530 Member
    JasmineBottoms wrote: »
    Thanks guys! For all your input I am such a "bored snacker" that I get scared that I am going to just want to eat And fall off the wagon

    Just make sure you log it and stay at your moderate calorie deficit and you'll be fine ;)
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    edited May 2015
    Come up with a schedule that works for you. It will be different for every single person. The "right" eating schedule for me is one that keeps me from getting too hungry (a danger for some because they will then overeat later, myself included), doesn't make me feel sick of food, and that I can stick to.

    So for me, I don't usually eat until about noon or 1PM (I often work late so I end up sleeping late). I will then have "lunch". I usually do not snack in the afternoon unless I will be eating dinner late. Then I eat dinner which is usually my largest meal and will have a dessert before bed if I am hungry.

    Broken down it looks like this on a normal day:
    Lunch Noon-1pm
    Dinner 6pm ish
    Dessert/snack 8pm-9pm

    Don't even get me started on days where I work. It messes things up like you wouldn't believe.
  • Gska17
    Gska17 Posts: 752 Member
    Here's my schedule (based on preference, nothing more):

    10 AM: breakfast at work
    11-12: snack if needed
    1-2 PM: lunch
    4 PM: snack if needed
    6-8 PM: dinner
    8 PM & later: snack if needed
  • sixxpoint
    sixxpoint Posts: 3,529 Member
    edited May 2015
    Rule Number 1 - Keep him away from bright light, especially sunlight. It can kill him.

    Rule Number 2 - Never get him wet.

    And Rule Number 3, the most important rule of all - Never feed him after midnight.


    Eat when you're hungry!! Don't go by the ridiculous timing rules you have heard regurgitated over the years.

    Timing is inconsequential for the most part. What is more important when it comes to weight management is consistency. Consistency of calories consumed, hitting macronutrient targets, and maintaining your activity level.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    JasmineBottoms wrote: »
    Thanks guys! For all your input I am such a "bored snacker" that I get scared that I am going to just want to eat And fall off the wagon

    If it helps, you could try planning out your meals/snacks and pre-logging them. That may help curb the impulse snacking.

    As for timing goes, the others have already hit the nail on the head. Eat when you want to. If you're a professional bodybuilding seeking out optimal protein synthesis to reach ultimate muscle mass for a lucrative bodybuilding competition and you want to experiment with meal timing then knock yourself out. If you're a mere mortal trying to lose weight and get fit like the rest of us, there's no reason you can't wait to eat until lunch after having breakfast. Also no reason you can't have three snacks in between. Just hit your daily calorie and macro goals. :)
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    edited May 2015
    sixxpoint wrote: »
    Rule Number 1 - Keep him away from bright light, especially sunlight. It can kill him.

    Rule Number 2 - Never get him wet.

    And Rule Number 3, the most important rule of all - Never feed him after midnight.


    Eat when you're hungry!! Don't go by the ridiculous timing rules you have heard regurgitated over the years.

    Timing is inconsequential for the most part. What is more important when it comes to weight management is consistency. Consistency of calories consumed, hitting macronutrient targets, and maintaining your activity level.

    Ha, love it :p
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    JasmineBottoms wrote: »
    Thanks guys! For all your input I am such a "bored snacker" that I get scared that I am going to just want to eat And fall off the wagon

    If having set times to eat works for you, then set times to eat. There's nothing at all wrong with eating at set times. Different plans work for different people.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    Eat when you're hungry.

    This. Don't make things too complicated. Hungry - eat. Not hungry - don't eat.
  • Ryanstwin
    Ryanstwin Posts: 70 Member
    I would say just listen to your body. When you're hungry eat something keep it simple. There's no right or wrong time to eat . Hope this helps

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