Logging...

I spread my calories between two meals and a snack.

About 600 Meal 1

About 200 snack midday

About 700 for Meal 2


Split them whichever way is most comfortable and sustainable for you. There is no better or worse way to do it, only what works for you.

I do three meals, 2 snacks as I prefer more frequent meals. My dinner is normally highest calories, breakfast lowest as I'm just not that hungry in the morning.

I really have no set way. I've been logging a few years now, eat mostly the same foods (with some variation of course) so I have some idea how I need to divide up for a day. For example, tonight I'm eating chickpea curry and brown rice for dinner. I knew that my rice would be 150-250 calories, the curry itself would be 300-400. My standard breakfast is 350-400 calories depending on the weights of my oatmeal and the stuff I put in it. That means I know that my lunch and snacks will need to largely consist of raw veggies with some sort of protein.

But then, sometimes I really want pancakes for breakfast. Because pancakes are delicious. Or maybe hashbrowns. I know that those meals will likely be closer to 700-800 calories which means I need to centre the rest of my meals around veggies and lean protein. On hashbrown and egg day, I usually skip my snacks because I don't feel I need one.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is I don't have a set split. It that it gets better and easier with practice. I love breakfast more than Ron Swanson.

GamblesGurl wrote: »

Thanks all! I usually like to put more calories toward the morning and lower them towards the night and if not then at least equal them out. Although I'm hungry after dinner is like to think less calories at night is best because I am less active than I am from morning until evening. So I am debating eating an actual lunch and putting my low calories protein shake for dinner...

It doesn't matter that you are less active at night. Even if you don't eat in the evening, there is food in your digestive tract. It takes hours for your body to digest foods and your body doesn't use the energy in foods immediately after you swallow them.

But really, you can spread your calories out however you want.

I like to spread mine evenly with some options for snacks. I've found that if I skimp on a meal (ie it's not filling enough) that I just stay hungry. Some people can skip breakfast and have a bigger lunch.
I have a problem with boredom hunger (I'm not hungry, I have none of the signs of actual hunger) so I have to fight against unnecessary snacking, which may be what you're running into as well. For lunch I had to make sure I went with protein and fats or I don't feel as full, etc. etc. Or sometimes I give in to the urge and I have a snack, then I just make sure to have an appropriate calorie dinner.
Just try different things and see what works best for you!

Breakfast is 200-250 calories.

Lunch is never more than 400 calories.

Snack is 100 calories

Dinner is usually 700 calories on non-exercise days, 900 or so on exercise days.

Snack is 200 calories.

Total: usually between 1600-1800 calories. More if I have a really big exercise day (walking 9-10 miles, which burns 1K+ calories for me).

Thus far, I've lost anywhere from 1-2.5 pounds a week at this level. When the time comes to reduce caloric intake, I'll take it out of my dinner calories until I'm down to 400-600 calories for dinner, depending on exercise.

I have very long days. I'm usually up by 6am. From 6a-6pm I may only have 400-500 calories between breakfast and lunch between 6p-12 midnight is when I usually have dinner and a snack which will usually be between 800-900cals because I'm cleaning, cooking and workout late. It works for me. About the same as jaynee but My calorie goals are less bc I'm 5'2" 155