Time of day for most calorie consumption.

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I am curious what everyone thinks about spreading out the calories throughout the day or saving more of them and using them up during the evening. Does it really matter as long as I'm in my calorie goal for the day when I eat them??

Replies

  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 4,995 Member
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    Meal timing is just personal preference. I eat about half of my calories for breakfast and lunch and have the other half plus any exercise calories for dinner and an evening snack.
  • macgurlnet
    macgurlnet Posts: 1,946 Member
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    Meal timing can be important for feeling full - some people do better with several small meals/snacks; others are better off with two large meals, etc.

    Whatever makes it easier to stick to your calorie goal is AOK!

    ~Lyssa
  • H_Ock12
    H_Ock12 Posts: 1,152 Member
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    I eat one meal a day, so most of my calories are consumed in the late afternoon. Whatever works for you is the best way of eating for you, but there's nothing wrong with trying out a few different ways while you decide what you're going to stick with.
  • EricaCraigie
    EricaCraigie Posts: 1,396 Member
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    I do it evenly.. but I try to eat a less volume meal before the gym
  • jenniday1229
    jenniday1229 Posts: 27 Member
    edited January 2017
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    Personally, I need more calories for breakfast than lunch (350-400, high protein and fat, low carb). It just sets my whole day up better. If I skimp on breakfast, or have a carb heavy breakfast, I never seem to catch up the rest of the day, no matter what I eat, and it leads to overeating and/or frustration.
  • rebeccah2121
    rebeccah2121 Posts: 2 Member
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    Starting your day off the right way to avoid blood sugar ups and down and cravings later is the most important :)
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
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    I run and dance in the evening, so most of my calories are usually consumed late in the day, though I generally do small frequent meals through the day.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    If I don't eat a huge breakfast I WAY over eat at night, so I always have lots of calories in the morning. But every person is different, pay attention to your own body trends to see what works for you.
  • WickAndArtoo
    WickAndArtoo Posts: 773 Member
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    @jenniday1229 yep me too! It's like clock work, and there is nothing I can do to fix my lost breakfast either, I just have to be starving all day or over eat, so I always make sure to eat a full breakfast.
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
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    Do whatever works for you! I eat a very small (or no) breakfast aside from coffee, and I have a fairly small lunch (usually under 350 calories total). Maybe a 100 calorie snack in the afternoon. Then DINNER. I love dinner. My dinner is always my largest meal, and I eat around 8pm most evenings. Eating like this works well for me because it goes with my natural hunger patterns.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    I find that eating 500 calories from 7am - 7pm then 1000-1400 at night is the easiest way for me to stay in a deficit.
  • violetta5345
    violetta5345 Posts: 33 Member
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    I eat the more at night because I work out at night and have dinner afterwards. I've never been a big breakfast fan, so I eat less calories in the morning.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    It doesn't matter...it just depends on the day for me. Millions of years of evolution have left us able to pretty much thrive regardless of meal timing, etc...
  • nowNOTthenmylife
    nowNOTthenmylife Posts: 47 Member
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    My biggest meal is lunch because it is the time I spent to most energy on and my smallest meal is dinner because I get heart burn if I eat too much
  • FreyasRebirth
    FreyasRebirth Posts: 514 Member
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    I eat most of my calories at brunch and dinner. I have a tiny breakfast, then a large brunch usually tides me over until dinner.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
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    Most days I barely have an appetite until the evening so most of my calories come after 6-7pm.