Time of calorie consumption, important?

schokofan
schokofan Posts: 37
edited 5:46AM in Health and Weight Loss
I was just wondering how important the time of calorie consumption is? I eat about 5 meals a day. Breakfast is usually around 300 - 350cal, and then I eat to small snacks 100 cal each, during my sedentary day, then when I get home I eat my 'lunch' this is however usually around 3.30pm and 300 cal. After this I watch tv, then do my workout (approx 300 cal burn) and spend the rest of the nigt sitting on the couch, and then I have dinner maybe 400 cal or so.

Am I eating too much, too late? Or does it not matter as long as I'm in my calorie range?

Replies

  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    This is one of those topics where everyone will give you a different answer as to what is "right".
    My personal opinion is that it doesn't matter when you eat, it's much more important to pay attention to what you eat. And make sure your meals fit in with your lifestyle, so you have the energy you need to go to work, complete your workout and do the other things that make up your day.
  • W0zzie
    W0zzie Posts: 262 Member
    What the general consensus is I don't know and I have no valid (as in researched or scientific) basis to back my opinion - so purely my opinion and in my experience - deosn't matter.

    I workout in the evenings 8pm-9pm then dinner and then very often a snack later, anywhere around 10.30/11pm - all in all - 700+/- cal in the evenings. It hasn't been detrimental to my progress yet :)

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  • ralissar
    ralissar Posts: 3
    i work at night at a hospital so i was wondering the same thing!
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    no its not important
  • minxblack
    minxblack Posts: 40
    Time of day is not important but time between and when you start eating is. According to a Fitness competitor friend, you should eat breakfast within 90 minutes of waking or your body thinks its going to starve and hits starvation mode. She suggests at leastone whole egg and one egg white cooked however you want it, along with 1/2 C oatmeal. I know that when I follow this rule, I tend to eat less over the day and lose weight faster. 5 meals within your calorie range is fine, just eat steadily throughout the day. Hope it helps.
  • Blackthorne99
    Blackthorne99 Posts: 250 Member
    I think the timing of consumption does make a difference, however, I think YOUR timing works. The aspects that are affected are:

    1) Eating multiple times a day stimulates the metabolism, so eating 5x a day is better than eating the same # of calories in fewer meals. (Personally I eat 6x a day to regulate blood sugars).

    2) The body needs all three versions of energy, and it needs energy to get started, so eating breakfast that has both carbs & protein is good. The carbs helps to get you moving right away by supplying you with a quicker form of energy. The protein helps give you longer lasting energy so that you don't crash & start craving sugar or other quick carbs.

    3) Energy that you don't use in a timely fashion is converted to fat so it's a good idea to have the majority of your calories in the first half of your day. A decent breakfast, a decent lunch, and a light dinner.

    4) But you also need to make sure that you have eaten fairly soon before a workout (within an hour) and immediately after (within half an hour) so that your body has energy & building blocks to use while working out & for repair of the muscles that were used. The process of building muscle involves tearing them down & rebuilding them, and that takes both energy (calories) and nutrients.

    So yes, I believe timing is important, but your timing seems to work well with your schedule and your workout routine. Make sure you're getting plenty of protein in that post-workout meal.
  • schokofan
    schokofan Posts: 37
    Thanks for all the replies!! :))
  • Kathy_Noring
    Kathy_Noring Posts: 143 Member
    Personally I think it is more about calories in / calories out, but I think cutting off eating at a certain time every night works for a lot of people because they are eating fewer calories by doing so. It puts an end to a lot of the mindless snacking people engage in at night.
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    a lot of people say not eating after a certain time works, but ive also read that if youre the kind of person that often binges or wants to snack on rubbish in the evenings, sometimes just having your evening meal an hour or so later can curb this
  • W0zzie
    W0zzie Posts: 262 Member
    @suzycreamcheese - yep agree. I read it somewhere as well (not MFP) that it is more to do with the tendency to snack on high fat luxuries late rather than the time itself.
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