Meal portion break down useful or waste of time?!

Best to do what will keep you on track....I IF for the autophagy and fewer insulin hits, it works for me. Each of us is different, stayed focused on what you find works for you. Best wishes for success!

BobVaj wrote: »

Starting last week, I decided to portion all my four meals close to the same calorie count in terms of reaching 40grams of protein; I know it could be tedious, but with my fitnesspal, it's a great way to start. My question is, do y'all find it beneficial to break down your meal size into equal portions when it comes to reaching your body goal?
For example, my meal in the past would look something like 700 calories in the morning, 800 calories at lunch, 300 for snacks, and 600 dinners with protein ranging from 30-70grams.

Personally, I prefer the fewest rules and restrictions that let me accomplish health, energy, and fitness goals. (Exactly what that is would differ by person, of course.)

For me, it's sufficient to hit nutritional minimums on a day to day basis, without fretting much over what's in which meal, though I do know that I need a solid breakfast with a good jolt of protein, and I need to get some decent protein in each meal/snack or I won't hit my target by end of day. Sometimes I eat 2 meals, sometimes 3, occasionally 4. Sometimes I have snacks, sometimes I don't. The meal sizes (in calorie terms) vary. For me, doesn't matter, as long as I average out OK on calories, and get decent daily nutrition.

I'm old (65) and I've read some research that suggests that as we age, spreading protein through the day is beneficial, because we absorb it less well. Frankly, I'd have trouble hitting my goal (100g, in maintenance) if I did anything other than spread it through the day, particularly since I'm vegetarian.

I try to get about 0.8g protein minimum per pound of goal body weight (roughly equivalent to 1g per pound of lean body mass), 0.35-0.45g fats minimum (men might get by with a little less), and at least 5+ 80g servings of varied, colorful veggies and fruits, ideally 10+. But that's just me. 🤷‍♀️

I can't really see setting a meal/calorie/nutrient subdivision abstractly (such as the "evenly" thing you're describing). I'd be biased toward experimenting, figuring out as individual what breakdowns help you stay energetic, hit nutrition targets, are practical with your life schedule, and help you comfortably stay within a calorie goal. I think most of that stuff is very individual and idiosyncratic.