How and when do you eat your calories?

HikeCyclist
HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
edited August 2015 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey all. I have decided to take a different approach to eating my calories today by eating a higher calorie breakfast, a medium calorie lunch, an even lower calorie dinner... Only because I feel that I skimp on my calories sometimes during the day and because of that, get extra hungry at night. This does not work with me, it works against me.

Out of curiosity, does anyone else do this? If not, when do you eat the bulk of your calories? Or do you spread them out evenly across the day? Or just eat as much as you feel that you need to, whenever you need to? And most importantly, why do you do this? Thank you!
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Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I have found that I am happiest and most energetic with a light breakfast and lunch and eating the majority of my calories at night.
  • jakedavies180
    jakedavies180 Posts: 23 Member
    To be honest, I just eat then see what it comes up with XD I've been on diets before and this way worked. :tongue:
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I have found that I am happiest and most energetic with a light breakfast and lunch and eating the majority of my calories at night.
    This is the same for me.
  • karyabc
    karyabc Posts: 830 Member
    Oatmeal and pb in the morning, most of my calories I eat them at lunch, by 4 a snack; usually a granola and then by the time dinner comes I'm not that hungry and could eat a light dinner.

    The more calorie I eat while the day keep passing the less I eat later on, and that works for me
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    I eat more at night. Save calories for much needed alcohol.
  • franfran1821
    franfran1821 Posts: 288 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I have found that I am happiest and most energetic with a light breakfast and lunch and eating the majority of my calories at night.

    This for me
  • MonkeyMel21
    MonkeyMel21 Posts: 2,396 Member
    I eat a light breakfast and lunch and eat like half my calories at dinner. If I lived alone, I'd probably be happier doing what you're doing and just have a bowl of cereal for dinner every night, lol. But that is not the case and I want to enjoy my dinner with my family.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Depends on the day. If it's a weekday, then I know I'd better have eaten 600-900 calories by the time I leave work. If I don't? Then I will make poor decisions about dinner and be hungry all night no matter what I eat. But even if I eat 900 at work, that leaves me with something like 700 for dinner or dinner+snack (if needed). Totally do-able if I'm not ravenous from not eating all day.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    The majority of my calories are eaten in the evening or night.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    When I'm hungry, but typically I've eaten 2/3 of my calories by 1pm.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    How? Mostly with a fork. Sometimes a spoon. Rarely bare hands.

    When? When I'm hungry.
  • bbontheb
    bbontheb Posts: 718 Member
    I eat oatmeal with psyllium husk (added fiber) with fruit in the Am for about 230-250 calories. My lunch and dinner are both fairly big meals (450-520 cals) but Ive been snacking and hungry in the evenings as well and don't have enough calories left for later. I tried to try to eat bigger in the am but it didn't work-I move more later on, get hungrier. I do think that I have to cut a bit of calories off my lunch to make for a mini-meal in the evening after dinner because I'm noshing on everything lately.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    yep, I am in for the booze.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited August 2015
    I spread mine out pretty evenly, over 3 meals. They are weighed a bit higher toward the evening, though.

    I've gradually increased the size of my breakfast since I started (up to about 450 calories) and have just started experimenting this week with eating a bit less for breakfast (but still around 250-300 calories), mostly because my breakfast and lunch are much closer together than lunch and dinner (I eat dinner around 9) and I've been trying adding in a planned snack around 5 pm without cutting my dinner calories too low.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    If you eat a small breakfast, you'll normally get more hungry later in the day; if you eat the majority of your calories late, you'll be less hungry in the morning. But this pattern isn't always totally logical. Some people do some kind of intermittent fasting with good results. Eat in a way that suits you and your lifestyle.

    I prefer dinner to be the largest meal of the day. That's because it's what I'm used to, and what I eat for dinner are things I like to eat in large quantities.
  • ohmscheeks
    ohmscheeks Posts: 840 Member
    I tried that before (eating heavy to light). It made me sad, lol. I "save" most of my calories for dinner now. The other two meals are typically at work. While dinner is when I am freeeee :)
  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    How? Mostly with a fork. Sometimes a spoon. Rarely bare hands.

    When? When I'm hungry.

    Hardy har har lol
  • Altagracia220
    Altagracia220 Posts: 876 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    I have found that I am happiest and most energetic with a light breakfast and lunch and eating the majority of my calories at night.

    Same here.
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    I eat a small lunch and a big dinner. With the occasional after dinner snack. That's it. Nice & simple
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    I tend to eat a smaller breakfast (about 200 calories), a medium lunch (around 500 calories), a medium to large dinner (500-700 calories) and 1-2 snacks in the afternoon/night (about 200 calories). I don't always eat those particular amounts but it often works out that way.
  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
    Thanks for your responses. It's interesting to see how different things work for different people.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
    HikeCyclist wrote: »
    Thanks for your responses. It's interesting to see how different things work for different people.

    All things work for all people, as long as The Deficit remains.

  • slowrollem
    slowrollem Posts: 55 Member
    I try to eat the same at all three meals leaving enough extra calories for two snacks, one before lunch and one before dinner.
  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    HikeCyclist wrote: »
    Thanks for your responses. It's interesting to see how different things work for different people.

    All things work for all people, as long as The Deficit remains.

    I meant when it comes to dealing with being overly hungry and cravings. People do different things to manage them. And not all things work for everybody. What I'm saying is, I think that if I eat too little in the mornings, I want to eat more at night to the point that it puts me at risk of wanting to over eat. When it comes to being able to stay within your calorie limit, some people find it easier to stick to those calories when eating less in the mornings and more at night, and some people can't.....
  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
    edited August 2015
    I didn't ask about whether people put themselves in a deficit or not. It was about how they spread out their calories during the day in a way that helps them stay within their calorie goal. ;)

    Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.
  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
    I just eat when I am hungry. Its is typically every few hours.... but I don't really set my watch by it or anything.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Just depends on the day really. I mostly have a light breakfast (protein shake with fruit) because I workout in the morning and can't do it with anything heavier, even with the shake I have to wait at least an hour! (Working out fasted is just not a thing for me). Then my appetite is suppressed by the workout so it could be late afternoon before I'm hungry, I may have a snack then or just have late lunch/early dinner. I always leave room for a treat later in the evening.

    At weekends, my rest days, it's all over the place depending on when I drag myself out of bed, if I'm working etc.

    So, in short, I eat when I'm hungry, which is always different.
  • robspot
    robspot Posts: 130 Member
    HikeCyclist wrote: »
    I didn't ask about whether people put themselves in a deficit or not. It was about how they spread out their calories during the day in a way that helps them stay within their calorie goal. ;)

    Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

    Doesn't matter what question you ask round here, people will answer whatever they want anyway ;)
  • accidentalpancake
    accidentalpancake Posts: 484 Member
    Orally. In the evening.
  • HikeCyclist
    HikeCyclist Posts: 153 Member
    edited August 2015
    robspot wrote: »
    HikeCyclist wrote: »
    I didn't ask about whether people put themselves in a deficit or not. It was about how they spread out their calories during the day in a way that helps them stay within their calorie goal. ;)

    Sorry if I wasn't clear enough.

    Doesn't matter what question you ask round here, people will answer whatever they want anyway ;)

    deleted because I didn't respond to this properly

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