Dinner Calories

jenniejoy07
jenniejoy07 Posts: 78 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I eat most of my calories at dinner; but am still in a deficit. I've heard it's better to eat your calories during the day so you burn them off. Does it matter? I'm still losing slowly, but just wondering what everyone elses experiences are.

Replies

  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    Meal timing does not matter. Eat whenever suits you and your schedule.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    My experience: I save most of my calories for the end of the day and my weight loss is progressing well.
  • Jgasmic
    Jgasmic Posts: 219 Member
    As long as you're in a deficit it doesn't matter when you consume the calories. Your body is burning calories constantly just by keeping you alive, and it doesn't care about our standard 24 hour clock.
  • jenniejoy07
    jenniejoy07 Posts: 78 Member
    Good to hear! Thanks all!
  • pinkteapot3
    pinkteapot3 Posts: 157 Member
    What everyone else said. :) I lost 16lbs and am now maintaining and have always had most of my cals for dinner and afternoon-evening snacks.

    What you realise when using MFP is that 99% of 'diet tips' are nonsense. :smiley:
  • cleanbulk_hatersgfy
    cleanbulk_hatersgfy Posts: 31 Member
    Big breakfast. Big lunch. Sometimes dinner.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
    cleanbulk_hatersgfy wrote: »
    Big breakfast. Big lunch. Sometimes dinner.

    Sometimes breakfast. Decent lunch. Big dinner. Same same... But different :p
  • joeboland
    joeboland Posts: 205 Member
    pinkteapot3 wrote: »
    What you realise when using MFP is that 99% of 'diet tips' are nonsense. :smiley:

    I wish I could give you an award for this statement.

    I frequently eat most of my calories in the evening, and my cut is undeniably working (I've gone from a 34 to a 32 pant size over the last month). Anyone wanting to dispute the efficacy of this, feel free to take a look at just about anyone that follows the Warrior Diet or variants under Intermittent Fasting, and you'll see irrefutable results that make it hard to argue that this kind of lifestyle "doesn't work".
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    40-50% of my calories usually come in the evening.
  • LH85DC
    LH85DC Posts: 231 Member
    Agree with the others- I usually have half or more of my daily calories left at dinner time, hasn't hindered my weight loss at all
  • dscottwiner
    dscottwiner Posts: 1 Member
    I hate to be the lone dissenting voice here BUT, I recently read the results of a published study comparing two groups, the first ate at will the second ate the majority of calories before 3 PM. All other variables being controlled the second group lost more weight than the first. Like other things in our bodies, metabolism has a baseline but is not linear. There are times it is more active. So what you eat and when you eat it does matter. By way of example, if you're going to do vigorous exercise you take your carbs at least 60 minutes before and have protein WITH carbs within 30 minutes following.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    As long as you're meeting your calorie goal, arrange your meal sizes/calorie content however keeps you fullest, gives you the most energy, and fits with your life best :)
  • Sarasmaintaining
    Sarasmaintaining Posts: 1,027 Member
    KarenJanine wrote: »
    Meal timing does not matter. Eat whenever suits you and your schedule.

    This.
  • riderfangal
    riderfangal Posts: 1,965 Member
    Small breakfast, small lunch, medium dinner and popcorn . Lots an lots of popcorn nearly every night. Down 38 lbs :)
  • cmcdonald525
    cmcdonald525 Posts: 140 Member
    Most of my calories are saved for a large dinner. I don't feel deprived of restricted in any way if I can pig out at night. Definitely seeing results!
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    dscottwiner wrote: »
    I hate to be the lone dissenting voice here BUT, I recently read the results of a published study comparing two groups, the first ate at will the second ate the majority of calories before 3 PM. All other variables being controlled the second group lost more weight than the first. Like other things in our bodies, metabolism has a baseline but is not linear. There are times it is more active. So what you eat and when you eat it does matter. By way of example, if you're going to do vigorous exercise you take your carbs at least 60 minutes before and have protein WITH carbs within 30 minutes following.

    Let's not make weight loss harder/more confusing for people. Also, does a "published" study somehow correlate with credibility?

    OP: Eat when you're hungry. You're losing, so you're doing it right.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    dscottwiner wrote: »
    I hate to be the lone dissenting voice here BUT, I recently read the results of a published study comparing two groups, the first ate at will the second ate the majority of calories before 3 PM. All other variables being controlled the second group lost more weight than the first. Like other things in our bodies, metabolism has a baseline but is not linear. There are times it is more active. So what you eat and when you eat it does matter. By way of example, if you're going to do vigorous exercise you take your carbs at least 60 minutes before and have protein WITH carbs within 30 minutes following.

    How much more weight? What variables were equal? Were they equal to everyone not in the study?

    I would agree that meal timing can make a difference in your weight loss rate. BUT, the difference isn't great and the timing would not be the same for everyone. The optimal timing would depend on your lifestyle and schedule.

    For me, satiety and enjoyment are most important for the long haul in weight control. I like to eat most of calories at night, so I do. I don't really care if I could lose a smidge faster by eating at different times. This isn't a race for me, it's my life. I want to enjoy it.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    timing doesn't matter.

    most of the time my largest meal is lunch (mainly because we often eat out for lunch). but as far as weight loss goes, it really does not make a difference.
  • benzieboxx
    benzieboxx Posts: 253 Member
    The time of day really doesn’t matter. My schedule can be pretty hectic so sometimes I don’t eat dinner until around 8-9pm. I usually spread my meals out so I can eat a lot at dinner since I love dinner time lol. I’m only just starting out with MFP but so far this is working for me as I’m losing weight and feeling comfortable with hunger levels.
  • jrloveless
    jrloveless Posts: 45 Member
    jenniejoy07 wrote: »
    I eat most of my calories at dinner; but am still in a deficit. I've heard it's better to eat your calories during the day so you burn them off. Does it matter? I'm still losing slowly, but just wondering what everyone elses experiences are.

    I work for a company where we have a gym (now, they didnt until March this year) and they hired a personal trainer and nutritionist. I've been working with her twice a week for the last couple of months and she has said it's better to space your calories out over the day. Your body can handle only so much at one sitting. She basically drew out a diagram on a whiteboard that was showing how your body processes your calorie intake from when you wake up to when you eat and what you eat. You should always eat two types of macronutrients together, protein and carb or protein and fat. Nothing should be alone because of how it spikes your sugar levels and metabolism. You want to gradually bring it up rather than spiking. She also told me that you should never eat more than 400 to 500 calories in one sitting. Also you should eat at least five to six meals a day, so breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack.

    While you may be able to lose the weight doing it the way you are, if you go off it, you'll gain it back fast and possibly double what you lost. You're not only training your mind to eat right, you're training your body to burn the fuel you're giving it correctly.

    I have to run, but you can message me if you would like and I can give you more info on what she's told me. :) Chin up, you can do it!
  • afatpersonwholikesfood
    afatpersonwholikesfood Posts: 577 Member
    livingleanlivingclean wrote: »

    Sometimes breakfast. Decent lunch. Big dinner. Same same... But different :p

    ^ That's what I do. I would advise against hoarding calories for the end of the day because I feel it's more sustainable to feel comfortably full after lunch, but it's a habit that a lot of people have. Dinner is still my biggest meal.
  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
    dscottwiner wrote: »
    I hate to be the lone dissenting voice here BUT, I recently read the results of a published study comparing two groups, the first ate at will the second ate the majority of calories before 3 PM. All other variables being controlled the second group lost more weight than the first. Like other things in our bodies, metabolism has a baseline but is not linear. There are times it is more active. So what you eat and when you eat it does matter. By way of example, if you're going to do vigorous exercise you take your carbs at least 60 minutes before and have protein WITH carbs within 30 minutes following.

    Were all of the participant eating the same calorie deficit based on their individual starting weight and activity level? Were all of the participants weighing and logging all of their food? Did all of the participants start out needing to loose the same amount of weight? How many participants were there in the study?

    Was the researcher who did this study able to duplicate his results under the exact same circumstances using a different set of subjects?
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