Does anyone else "save calories" for dinner (or another meal)?

Options
ElJefeChief
ElJefeChief Posts: 650 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've found out I actually don't really need much to get through the day. Usually a bowl of high-protein cereal with skim milk and berries for breakfast plus black coffee. Then lunch is salad and maybe some cheesesticks. Once my exercise is factored in, I typically have 1500-2000 calories to play with by dinnertime.

A couple days ago I took advantage of this and had KFC for dinner (my absolute favorite). I may actually indulge in one of those calorie-dense "chicken bakes" from Costco tonight, and have calories left over for a snack / dessert later.

It's nice to be able to have the room to indulge. Just takes a little planning ahead.
«13

Replies

  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
    Options
    DrEnalg wrote: »
    I've found out I actually don't really need much to get through the day. Usually a bowl of high-protein cereal with skim milk and berries for breakfast plus black coffee. Then lunch is salad and maybe some cheesesticks. Once my exercise is factored in, I typically have 1500-2000 calories to play with by dinnertime.

    A couple days ago I took advantage of this and had KFC for dinner (my absolute favorite). I may actually indulge in one of those calorie-dense "chicken bakes" from Costco tonight, and have calories left over for a snack / dessert later.

    It's nice to be able to have the room to indulge. Just takes a little planning ahead.

    I do this on both a daily and weekly basis. It was awesome for me when I realized I didn't HAVE to have a big breakfast or eat every few hours. I also try to get my hard-to-hit macros and micros early on so I can indulge a little more at night. Yay calorie counting!!
  • boogiewookie
    boogiewookie Posts: 206 Member
    Options
    I do the same thing :-) first, I love dinner and used to have huuuuuge servings so I'm used to dinner being my main meal. also since I eat, put my baby to sleep, and head straight to the weight room I've discovered my workouts are so much more effective if I've recently had some carbs. today I had 1 egg+ 2 whites for breakfast, 1/2 grilled chicken breast and 1/2 cup corn for lunch. so I'm having Tacos for dinner :-) mmmmmm
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
    Options
    yes
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    Options
    I actually just wrote a post about that this morning in this group:http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/107669-calories-in-calories-out
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    Options
    For sure. Dinner (or at least late lunch) is typically my largest meal of the day.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    I wish. I'm typically hungrier in the day, personally.
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
    Options
    Yep. Skipping breakfast was the best thing I've done. Actually have a real dinner now.
  • VanillaGorillaUK
    VanillaGorillaUK Posts: 342 Member
    Options
    I do this.
  • Pearsquared
    Pearsquared Posts: 1,656 Member
    Options
    Yep, I do the same. I like to have lots to eat at night. Tonight was an excellent example - I wanted some alcohol and pizza, so I saved up.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    Options
    I do. I can't work right if I'm too full so I save the most of my calories for dinner.
  • astraldr0p
    astraldr0p Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    yep, all the time. I am terrible at seeing what calories would be for dinner so I figure that it would be easier to allocate what I can. I dont eat much for the other meals anyway
  • happysquidmuffin
    happysquidmuffin Posts: 651 Member
    Options
    I totally do this too! It's kind of a mental thing. If I eat more than 1K calories by the time I get home after work (4pm) I don't have enough calories left for a decent dinner. So if I really cut back on breakfast and lunch and eat 700-900 calories, I know I have enough left for either one good-size dinner or a medium dinner and late night snack.
  • pumpkinpocalypse
    pumpkinpocalypse Posts: 104 Member
    edited July 2015
    Options
    I used to do that, as i loved having huuuge dinners....but eating in such large quantities/so many calories at once made me feel physically sick everytime. So i stopped.
    I'm actually very very hungry all day anyway, so no way i could possibly not have a large breakfast AND lunch as well, otherwise i have no energy at all and blah. Dinner is still my most caloric meal a lot of the time, but just by 100 or 200 calories i guess. I feel a lot better since i started doing it that way, especially since I workout either around noon, or in the late afternoon, i need my load of carbs...But that's just me. I know a lot of people who just *actually* can't feel hungry in the morning or during the day, that's yay for them i guess! :')
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,121 Member
    Options
    In a way, I guess.

    I eat up to a certain number of calories by about 5 pm, which usually works out to less than half, sometimes as low as 1/3. And then the rest are for dinner and evening snacks. :)
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
    Options
    Yep, I save calories every day, especially if I want my snacks. So I usually skip breakfast--(and yes I know I am not supposed to do that)--but I am never hungry in the morning, and I am not going to force myself to eat. I'll get hungry around 11 a.m.--and then it's lunch to me. Then I love my snacks at night, which is a little ice cream, some fruit and a low fat yogurt. It worked for me, I am at goal weight now.
  • scastor27
    scastor27 Posts: 204 Member
    Options
    Yep! I like to have more room in the evening. It's when I'm the hungriest and like someone else said I can't work right either when I'm too full at work. I usually have a decent breakfast and then some light snacks through out the day to hold me over.
  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    Options
    I hoard calories for after dinner dessert and snacks every day. Id rather have a small dinner and a big (still healthy-ish macro friendly dessert than have extra meats or potatoes with dinner. Sweet>savoury for me
  • joolieb1
    joolieb1 Posts: 140 Member
    Options
    I prefer a small breakfast and then I plan what I want for dinner including meat, potato and vegetables plus pudding. I then enter my cups of tea for the day (I use half sugar), then see what's left and plan lunch - could just b fruit if I have a high calorie dinner planned - or a salad! Don't eat snacks as I feel full most of the time!'
  • Katzedernacht
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
    Options
    I try to hit half my intake by half day :P well by lunch you could say,but I try to make one bigger food,the next smaller,so the dinner can be really light and i can sleep sound
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    annette_15 wrote: »
    I hoard calories for after dinner dessert and snacks every day. Id rather have a small dinner and a big (still healthy-ish macro friendly dessert than have extra meats or potatoes with dinner. Sweet>savoury for me

    Yeah I hear you there. Last night I had 200 extra calories and had to think if I wanted a 4th taco or some ice cream. Ice cream won. Then I was hungry one hour later.

    So much harder for me to fit in sweets now that I'm closer to my goal. It sucks.

    But yeah, I'm like @Katzedernacht I typically hit half my calories by lunch time, usually more. It's a miracle when I have more than 500 calories left for dinner. Really wish I was the 'not hungry during the day' type.

Categories