Biggest Meal of the Day????

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  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    I eat 5 meals a day all around the same amount of cals per meal. I'll time my carbs/protein cals depending on if its a training day or not and when I'm going to train that day. Eating smaller meals frequently has been more beneficial for me than trying to eat fewer big meals or lumping the majority of my cals to a certain meal.


    Epic progress is epic, sir. Well done.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    you want to make dinner the smallest meal, and ideally breakfast the biggest but like many others i cant have too much for breakfast. what i do is i have a cup of black tea with 1/2 cup of skim milk, and toast with butter or (this is my weird personal guilty pleasure) toast with sour cream. about 2 hours later ill have an apple or some fruit or nuts or something. then 2 hours after the snack i have lunch which is usually my biggest meal. 2 hours after that i have another cup of tea and then 2 hours after that i have dinner (which usually is a light soup like the v8s or progresso and if i need some sweet i have some berries). so a 'meal' every 4 hours, and a snack every 2. if it is a day that i work out my day varies a bit. if you add up your meals it should even out to about 900 cal (if you're consuming 1200 a day) and the rest should be healthy snacks.

    Why dinner small and breakfast large?

    I was wondering the same thing. Well, not really since I know that as a general rule it doesn't make any difference when you eat. I realize, however, that it can make a big difference on an individual level. I would never go for the start with a big breakfast plan, because I'm not a morning person and I simply am not hungry when in the mornings. And, for me, eating when I'm not hungry makes me gain weight.
  • iAMaPhoenix
    iAMaPhoenix Posts: 1,038 Member
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    I am not sure what is right, but this is a phrase I once heard. "Breakfast like a King, Lunch like a Prince, and Dinner like a Pauper." I am sure there are many ways to look at it, but as long as you do not go over your caloric requirement, and try not to eat late in the evening.

    E.
  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
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    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.


    False.




    Please explain your view.
  • loopylis
    loopylis Posts: 116 Member
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    I tend to eat my biggest meal at dinner time, having a family we all sit down together to eat our main meal. But I am going to start eating my main meal at lunch time. I cant handle a large breakfast, its enough for me having cereal and juice! I have heard its better to eat your main meal at lunch time, I assume this is because there are more hours in the day to burn those calories off!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.

    FACT? Do you have any reputible supporting documentation of that "fact"?

    "Gary Schwartz, a researcher with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, answered, "There's no strong data supporting either [three meals a day or six meals a day] as being more effective" for losing weight or maintaining lost weight. "Clearly there is an emphasis on reducing caloric intake overall, whether it be by decreasing meal size and/or decreasing meal frequency." (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56254)

    "March 31, 2011--Eating small meals frequently throughout the day may not help take the bite out of your hunger while you are dieting, according to a new study" (http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20110331/best-diet-plan-6-mini-meals-or-3-squares-a-day)
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Your body doesn't just stop burning calories when you sleep. I burn 800 calories a night in my sleep.
  • TK421NotAtPost
    TK421NotAtPost Posts: 512 Member
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    I would make my largest meal occur right after my workout. However, you'd be really splitting hairs and are getting into areas like calorie partitioning.

    As for the people arguing over meal frequency, my take on that is that splitting your total food intake over 6 meals per day can be beneficial in certain situations. As with most areas of nutrition, it really isn't a yes or no answer, but more of an "it depends" type of situation where you need to know the context in which you are answering the question.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    I would make my largest meal occur right after my workout. However, you'd be really splitting hairs and are getting into areas like calorie partitioning.

    As for the people arguing over meal frequency, my take on that is that splitting your total food intake over 6 meals per day can be beneficial in certain situations. As with most areas of nutrition, it really isn't a yes or no answer, but more of an "it depends" type of situation where you need to know the context in which you are answering the question.


    In a sense, yes. But claiming that it has relevance to anything outside of personal preference is just not true.


    Telling someone they have to eat 5-6 meals a day to lose and maintain weight, or even telling them they'll get better results doing that could lead to them doing it out of the feeling of necessity instead of preference. That's my biggest issue with the misinformation being spread about meal frequency/timing/size.


    Edit: I'm aware you haven't made such claims.
  • pmoriarty
    pmoriarty Posts: 18
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    This is tricky, because everyone's wired a little different. I've found that what works for me is eating about 1500 calories a day. Now, Myfitnesspal.com recommends my eating 1850 daily, though on weeks when I keep that deficit a little lower and ingest just 1500 calories, I lose weight with ease. I would assume the same is true for how much your body can handle at a meal. As a general rule, I try to keep all meals under 700 calories and Dinner is usually my most calories.

    7AM - most days, whey shake for breakfast made with a half cup or organic skim milk and a cup of coffee for 170 calories.

    10AM - I'll have a snack from 60-120 calories in the morning before lunch

    12PM - My sandwich is always about 300 calories for lunch

    3PM - i usually eat a snack of about 150ish calories in the afternoon

    7PM - Eat dinner of about 700 calories

    9PM - before bed snack 60-200 calories

    5468113.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Calorie Counter
  • RCKT82
    RCKT82 Posts: 409 Member
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    N/m
  • Mixmode
    Mixmode Posts: 332
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    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.


    False.




    Please explain your view.
    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.

    FACT? Do you have any reputible supporting documentation of that "fact"?

    "Gary Schwartz, a researcher with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, answered, "There's no strong data supporting either [three meals a day or six meals a day] as being more effective" for losing weight or maintaining lost weight. "Clearly there is an emphasis on reducing caloric intake overall, whether it be by decreasing meal size and/or decreasing meal frequency." (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56254)

    "March 31, 2011--Eating small meals frequently throughout the day may not help take the bite out of your hunger while you are dieting, according to a new study" (http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20110331/best-diet-plan-6-mini-meals-or-3-squares-a-day)

    "There is a variety of metabolic explanations for why this pattern of eating is so effective for fat loss. First, small frequent meals (SFMs) can help to stabilize both blood sugar and insulin levels throughout the day. When blood sugar levels spike, fat storage can be promoted because blood sugar will be kept under very tight control by the body. And if glycogen reserves are full, excess blood sugar will be stored as fat. These spikes will also cause for more production of insulin, leading to a potential rebound hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) effect a few hours after your meal. This can instigate hunger and cravings, cause your energy levels to crash and may slow your metabolism.

    In contrast, keeping your blood sugar levels moderate and consistent smoothes out energy levels, keeps insulin levels more constant and helps keep your metabolism humming. When you eat six nutritious, smaller meals a day, the food can be more efficiently absorbed and processed by your body than the "three squares" most Americans eat each day. You can create a metabolic environment that supports healthy fat loss and muscle gains."


    Bill Phillips - Founder of Body for LIFE www.bodyforlife.com
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.


    False.




    Please explain your view.
    Eating 5-6 small meals a day is much more beneficial to your health and weight maintenance than gourging at 2-3 meals. FACT.

    I too have heard have a big breakfast but I think that is with the understanding that you will be ACTIVE shortly after. Not going to an office to sit on your bum.

    FACT? Do you have any reputible supporting documentation of that "fact"?

    "Gary Schwartz, a researcher with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, answered, "There's no strong data supporting either [three meals a day or six meals a day] as being more effective" for losing weight or maintaining lost weight. "Clearly there is an emphasis on reducing caloric intake overall, whether it be by decreasing meal size and/or decreasing meal frequency." (http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56254)

    "March 31, 2011--Eating small meals frequently throughout the day may not help take the bite out of your hunger while you are dieting, according to a new study" (http://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20110331/best-diet-plan-6-mini-meals-or-3-squares-a-day)

    "There is a variety of metabolic explanations for why this pattern of eating is so effective for fat loss. First, small frequent meals (SFMs) can help to stabilize both blood sugar and insulin levels throughout the day. When blood sugar levels spike, fat storage can be promoted because blood sugar will be kept under very tight control by the body. And if glycogen reserves are full, excess blood sugar will be stored as fat. These spikes will also cause for more production of insulin, leading to a potential rebound hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) effect a few hours after your meal. This can instigate hunger and cravings, cause your energy levels to crash and may slow your metabolism.

    In contrast, keeping your blood sugar levels moderate and consistent smoothes out energy levels, keeps insulin levels more constant and helps keep your metabolism humming. When you eat six nutritious, smaller meals a day, the food can be more efficiently absorbed and processed by your body than the "three squares" most Americans eat each day. You can create a metabolic environment that supports healthy fat loss and muscle gains."


    Bill Phillips - Founder of Body for LIFE www.bodyforlife.com

    Well that is a nice opinion, and a plan that I'm sure will work for many simply because they can stick to it better than 3 meals a day. But I don't see any medical or scientific evidence that it is a "FACT" that this improves weight loss. If you eat the same amount of calories in 3 or 5 or 15 meals a day then you will lose or gain the same weight.

    There are a lot of people on this site desperate for help with weight loss. Opinions might be helpful, but opinions posted as "FACT" can be harmful.
  • TK421NotAtPost
    TK421NotAtPost Posts: 512 Member
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    Although this article has been shredded to bits by the IF community, particularly Alan Aragon, just thought I'd post it because I personally derive an important conclusion from this study. Namely, increased meal frequency will not help weight loss, but for SOME people, it can help curb hunger. After experimenting with IF a bit, I am one of those people for which increased meal frequency does NOT curb hunger. In fact, I get the opposite effect. Eating several small meals throughout the day keeps me hungry all the time and constantly thinking about food.

    http://www.jissn.com/content/8/1/4

    "increased meal frequency may not play a significant role in weight loss/gain when under-reporting, restrained eating, and exercise are accounted for in the statistical analyses. Furthermore, most, but not all of the existing research, fails to support the effectiveness of increased meal frequency on the thermic effect of food, resting metabolic rate, and total energy expenditure. However, when energy intake is limited, increased meal frequency may likely decrease hunger, decrease nitrogen loss, improve lipid oxidation, and improve blood markers such as total and LDL cholesterol, and insulin. Nonetheless, more well-designed research studies involving various meal frequencies, particularly in physically active/athletic populations are warranted."

    My futher comments: I've read the article as well as Aragon's critique on it and I think it is safe to ignore the article's comments on health markers improving with increased meal frequency. The methods used in determining their conclusions were dubious at best.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    I will read the above article after work, but in regards to AA, have you seen that his views on IF have changed since his inital comments? His current take on IF has changed a bit since his original review. I just didn't know if you knew this or not, and I can't tell what you believe his views are in regards to the article you posted because I haven't read it. Lol.


    I can also not agree with you more in regards to hunger control. The only reasons I implement IF is for hunger control and large meal sizes.
  • nisharae
    nisharae Posts: 204
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    Personally, I eat my biggest meal at breakfast ( I have all day to burn it off and generally work out a couple hours after I eat it) and then have 5 more smaller meals throughout the day. I try not to eat heavy at night, especially not if I am not going to work out after, I don't want that food just sitting in my stomach all night, I rather know I did something to burn it off before I sleep, but thats just my personal opinion. I have heard many places though it is important to eat something every few hours to keep your metabolism going.... So yeah. My thoughts...
  • darlat74
    darlat74 Posts: 23
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    I usually have about 300 calories for lunch and between 400-500 calories for supper. I like a bigger supper because it makes me feel satisfied and then I don't snack at night. I find that if I eat a small supper I am looking to snack at night. This is what works for me but you have to go with how you feel and when you feel satisfied.
  • mapexdrummer69
    mapexdrummer69 Posts: 445
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    Personally, I eat my biggest meal at breakfast ( I have all day to burn it off and generally work out a couple hours after I eat it) and then have 5 more smaller meals throughout the day. I try not to eat heavy at night, especially not if I am not going to work out after, I don't want that food just sitting in my stomach all night, I rather know I did something to burn it off before I sleep, but thats just my personal opinion. I have heard many places though it is important to eat something every few hours to keep your metabolism going.... So yeah. My thoughts...


    Unless you are fasting for days at a time, food will most likely always be in your GI tract. It doesn't work in this sense:


    1. Eat food
    2. "Burn" food while it's in my stomach.
    3. Try not to eat before bed because I won't have time to burn the food.


    Your body is always in a "swing" of storing and oxidizing (burning) nutrients. The time of day that you ingest the food is irrelevant. 1000 calories right before bed will be used the same as 1000 calories at 2pm.
  • sschiano
    sschiano Posts: 48 Member
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    you want to make dinner the smallest meal, and ideally breakfast the biggest but like many others i cant have too much for breakfast. what i do is i have a cup of black tea with 1/2 cup of skim milk, and toast with butter or (this is my weird personal guilty pleasure) toast with sour cream. about 2 hours later ill have an apple or some fruit or nuts or something. then 2 hours after the snack i have lunch which is usually my biggest meal. 2 hours after that i have another cup of tea and then 2 hours after that i have dinner (which usually is a light soup like the v8s or progresso and if i need some sweet i have some berries). so a 'meal' every 4 hours, and a snack every 2. if it is a day that i work out my day varies a bit. if you add up your meals it should even out to about 900 cal (if you're consuming 1200 a day) and the rest should be healthy snacks.

    Why dinner small and breakfast large?

    I was wondering the same thing. Well, not really since I know that as a general rule it doesn't make any difference when you eat. I realize, however, that it can make a big difference on an individual level. I would never go for the start with a big breakfast plan, because I'm not a morning person and I simply am not hungry when in the mornings. And, for me, eating when I'm not hungry makes me gain weight.

    because you DO things throughout the day, from smiling to running you're burning calories all day so you should eat the most at the beginning of the day and have the meals become gradually smaller throughout the day. after dinner you do little to no activity so all those food and calories are sitting in your stomach not really being used. then you go to bed and store them for another day. also if you're going to make breakfast the biggest meal of the day, having a small dinner will build hunger for the next morning so you will consume a larger meal for breakfast.

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