How do you distribute your calories?

alice74
alice74 Posts: 28
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
Does anyone have any good advice on how to divide up your calories for the day? I find myself getting hungry in between meals, but even a small snack seems to push my calories beyond my daily goal. I'd love to know what people's thoughts.

Replies

  • bmw4deb
    bmw4deb Posts: 1,324 Member
    I eat about every 2 hrs, I try and eat around 300-400 cal for brkfst,lunch and
    dinner and keep my snacks between 50-100.
    with the calories i have been burning i have a hard time using them all.
  • Andie122
    Andie122 Posts: 36 Member
    If I don't have time to exercise, I try to keep my breakfast and lunch calories low (200 or so) so that I can have snacks, because I HAVE to have snacks. And on the days I just need to eat more than I'm allotted, I exercise more. No joke. Sometimes I go out and run a couple of miles because I'm so hungry and I know I need to earn the calories.

    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my food journal. I NEVER skip a snack :)
  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
    I've been keeping my meals small 250-300 cal, and having better snacks 150-200 cal. I try to have a little protein and carbs at each meal.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
    I eat one large meal at noon and another around 8pm. I find that I stay very full eating two large meals a day.
  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
    I eat every 3 hours, and am rarely hungry. The key is to get a mix of carbs and protein in every meal. I get as close to this as possible:
    7am - 375
    10am - 300
    1pm - 300
    4pm - 300
    7pm - 225
    Total - 1,500
  • marybsalmon
    marybsalmon Posts: 46 Member
    I've only been tracking calories for about 3 weeks, but I've found that I'm not as hungry as I used to be. I try to eat 300 for breakfast, 400 for lunch, and 500 for dinner. My snack is usually around 200. So even though that's 1400 calories a day, I try to do enough cardio or strength training to burn those extra 200 calories. It's been working out well and as I said, I'm not as hungry as I was when I first started.
  • tssa
    tssa Posts: 93 Member
    I read one of Bob Greene's books " The Best Life Diet" and he used the idea of "eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper" because then you are eating more of calories in the morning - late afternoon time therefore you are burning more of calories during the day since you are usually moving around during the day. Your dinner should have the least calories since your metabolism tends to slow down when you are sleeping.

    Hope this helps....:happy:
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
    Sorry, forgot to post calories.


    Noon-600
    8pm-1500
    Right before bed-200 (sometimes just comined with second meal)
  • BohemianDestiny
    BohemianDestiny Posts: 47 Member
    I'm very similar to Andie. If I find that I'm going to eat more than I'm allotted thus far in the day, I exercise more. I find aerobics works really well for me, especially since I own an xbox kinect. Dance Central is a game I strongly recommend to anyone on here with a kinect.
    I basically try to stay as low as I can but still have a "meal" 3 times a day, and then when I make a mistake it doesn't impact me so badly and I can work it off in 30-45 minutes of dancing.

    As for advice? Find a way that works for YOU, and run with it. No one is exactly the same, and you will find your balance. Hope that helps a little.
  • onehecticmom
    onehecticmom Posts: 299 Member
    If I don't have time to exercise, I try to keep my breakfast and lunch calories low (200 or so) so that I can have snacks, because I HAVE to have snacks. And on the days I just need to eat more than I'm allotted, I exercise more. No joke. Sometimes I go out and run a couple of miles because I'm so hungry and I know I need to earn the calories.

    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my food journal. I NEVER skip a snack :)

    OMG, this is me. Actually, I do take a brisk walk most every night... but it is typically to get me out of the hole for the day.

    I just eat when I am hungry. I am in the same boat as the original poster. Good info given. Thanks
  • queen_bea
    queen_bea Posts: 118
    If I don't have time to exercise, I try to keep my breakfast and lunch calories low (200 or so) so that I can have snacks, because I HAVE to have snacks. And on the days I just need to eat more than I'm allotted, I exercise more. No joke. Sometimes I go out and run a couple of miles because I'm so hungry and I know I need to earn the calories.

    Feel free to add me as a friend and check out my food journal. I NEVER skip a snack :)

    OMG, this is me. Actually, I do take a brisk walk most every night... but it is typically to get me out of the hole for the day.

    I just eat when I am hungry. I am in the same boat as the original poster. Good info given. Thanks

    LOL me too!!! the other day i went over my 1200 by lunch time. so i went for a 20min walk. lol.
  • mandyschalk
    mandyschalk Posts: 93 Member
    I eat every 2-3 hours, eat more frequently helps to kick in your metabolisim. Ive made my "meals" smaller to leave room for snacks. When Im really hungry I reach for something protein filled, fills me up and keeps me full.
  • AlexzKT
    AlexzKT Posts: 131 Member
    I think it's also important to remember that when you're hungry, your body is telling you that it isn't getting enough to eat. If you're eating smaller meals and still getting hungry, you may need to increase your caloric intake.

    Remember that MFP is just a rough estimate of the calories your need, but you may require more energy than other people similar to your age/weight.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.
  • Ilovepeppers
    Ilovepeppers Posts: 396 Member
    I wake up around 9 and go to sleep around 1am but this is what I do:
    I eat breakfast around 1pm AFTER I get the kids ready/fed and clean. I keep breakfast to 300-400 (a salad, dressing, and 2 boiled eggs OR oatmeal with sugar, a fruit and milk)
    Then I eat lunch around 5pm after some exercise OR cleaning/chores around 400 (pasta or sandwhich or salad)
    Then dinner around 9 or 10 (400 - 500 cals) and have an under 200 cal snack around 12am

    I'm allowed 1500/day. its been working so far! best wishes!
  • Super23
    Super23 Posts: 3
    I make breakfast my biggest meal. That really helps me stay full longer.
  • BigBoneSista
    BigBoneSista Posts: 2,389 Member
    All of my meals including snacks fall between 200-300 calories. I might go slightly over sometimes but not often. I don't keep them there on purpose. The foods that I like to eat aren't that high in calories but keep me full and satisfied. I eat 2.5 to 3 hours apart.
  • lmr9
    lmr9 Posts: 628 Member
    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.

    No offense, but I 100% disagree with this statement.
  • vlc1979
    vlc1979 Posts: 227
    I eat every 2-3 hours.. I try not to have more then 300-400 calories at a meal. Snack are usually a lot of veggies or a piece of fruit. When I get home from work I am always starving so I have some nuts or cottage cheese to carry me till supper so that i don't eat too much at supper.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.

    No offense, but I 100% disagree with this statement.


    Why is that?



    *I should disclaim that my statement was not intended for anyone with diabetes or another metabolic disorder.
  • kate2004rock
    kate2004rock Posts: 223 Member
    I try to keep Breakfast and Lunch between 300 to 400; Snacks are between 150-200. I ususally have ALOT left at dinner and never eat them all back. Snacks are almost always veggies, fruit, and some reduced fat wheat thins. I find I need to load my carbs early in the day or else my stomach growls alll darn day.
  • applepie
    applepie Posts: 105 Member
    I am up early (am)..so my breakfast is at 6. Then at 9, I have a homemade fruit smoothie. (strawberries, blueberries, vanilla yogurt..that kind of mix). Between 11-noon, I have lunch, which is usually a salad with chicken, or an open faced sandwich, with veggies and fruit. Around 2, another snack. Dinner at 6. Some days, this works really well for me..other days, I have a hard time making through the day.

    I really like this topic and question, but now I'm wondering..."what do you all eat?" I'm always on the lookout for new snacks and meal ideas that are healthy, filling and won't break my 'calorie bank'. Do you have any go-to foods that you eat often because they are safe foods? What about your meals..what do they consist of? Again..always looking for foods to try, that will keep me feeling satisfied longer. :)
    Thanks for posting this topic..it's a good one. :D
  • meggers123
    meggers123 Posts: 711 Member
    I agree with everyone whose snacks make up half of their calories. That's me! I usually eat 300 calorie meals (sometimes one meal is up to 500), and snack all day long. lol. For me the work out is the most important so I can earn "extra calories"... when I do this, I don't meet the daily allotment... I'm on Day 3 though, so I'll let you know if it works. lol.
  • Fochizzy
    Fochizzy Posts: 505 Member
    I find annoyed with truly small snacks I am on a 1600 calorie diet:

    400-breakfast
    400-lunch
    400-after work
    400-dinner

    AND! When I work out for 500 calories (3-5 days a week depending on how well behaved I am) I get an extra big dinner, dessert OR I only eat back some of it (ensuring I am over 1200 and not miserable) and go to sleep for the night
  • Schwiggity
    Schwiggity Posts: 1,449 Member
    I tend to eat more at night, but I try to have something every 3-4 hours. The morning sometimes is the only exception for me.
  • katt742
    katt742 Posts: 196 Member
    you can look at my diary, its open! I also eat about every 2 hours. Breakfast at 7, Snack at 10, another snack (protein bar) before my 11:30 run, lunch at noon, snack at 2, snack at 4, workout at 5, protein shake at 6 or 7, dinner at 7:30-8 and another snack (if I have enough calories) at 9-9:30. I find Im always looking foward to that next snack lol!!
  • haileyco
    haileyco Posts: 68
    I try to eat the majority of my calories during the day, having lunch be the most heavily caloric. I eat snacks in between as well (eat about every3 hours). The key is to make sure you have enough PROTEIN with every meal/snack. Protein takes longer to break down and therefore keeps you feeling dull longer. Plus protein is great food for the muscles!!. You can friend me and look at my food diary.

    Hope this helps.
  • maureensm
    maureensm Posts: 183 Member
    Meal timing, size, and frequency have no benefits in regards to your metabolic rate. You can eat all of your calories in ONE sitting vs. 6 sittings and total daily energy expenditure would be the same. Eating small frequent meals does not "boost" your metabolism.

    No offense, but I 100% disagree with this statement.


    Why is that?



    *I should disclaim that my statement was not intended for anyone with diabetes or another metabolic disorder.

    I'm actually inclined to agree with the first statement. I think more research shows that it doesn't matter what time your eat or how much you eat in one sitting, etc. You could consume your totall allotment of calories at 2am only every day and still come out the same as someone dividing the same amout of calories up over a period of a day. I personally prefer to eat mine over the course of the day but it's pretty much this: Whatever timing that you find works best for you is probably best.

    However....I would also point out that a strenuous workout on an empty stomach is not a good idea. It's also smart to eat something right after working out - particularly protein after lifting weights, etc. to best repair your muscles.
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