How Many Calories For Each Meal?

misstami89
misstami89 Posts: 3
edited December 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone, I'm new here and on day 3! My calorie intake is 1,200/ day. I was just wondering if I should eat a certain amount of calories per meal? (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) If so, how many should I try and stay around for each one?

Thank you!! :)

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    Hi Everyone, I'm new here and on day 3! My calorie intake is 1,200/ day. I was just wondering if I should eat a certain amount of calories per meal? (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) If so, how many should I try and stay around for each one?

    Thank you!! :)

    You can eat them in 10 meals or 1 meal, your body will metabolize them the same. Whatever you feel works for you.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    well, you *could* eat 400 calories per meal...or you could eat 300 calories per meal and 2-3 snacks at 100-150 calories each...but if you exercise, you can eat more.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Hi Everyone, I'm new here and on day 3! My calorie intake is 1,200/ day. I was just wondering if I should eat a certain amount of calories per meal? (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner) If so, how many should I try and stay around for each one?

    Thank you!! :)

    You can eat them in 10 meals or 1 meal, your body will metabolize them the same. Whatever you feel works for you.

    What he said.

    I eat 1000-1500cal in one meal 3 days a week, then eat 2700cal in 1-2 meals the other 4 days a week. Only rarely do any of these meals come before 1-2pm.
  • melissaloveshair
    melissaloveshair Posts: 19
    It can vary for each person I think. I like to stick with around 300 cals for each meal. I have 1200 allowance as well, and if I stay around 300 I have a little wiggle room to go over, as well as some extra calories for snacks/dessert. I've definitely found that in order to do this I have to eat very very clean and incorporate lots of fruits and veggies, with lean meat, and low fat dairy.
  • oldmanstauf
    oldmanstauf Posts: 202 Member
    Whatever works for you. I tend to save a majority of calories for dinner and an evening snack. But you might find that 400 for each meals works for you.
  • misstami89
    misstami89 Posts: 3
    Thank you all for the fast replies :)
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    Thank you all for the fast replies :)

    Glad to help!
  • htmlgirl
    htmlgirl Posts: 314 Member
    Eat it however you want...

    For me, it works out better if I have a light breakfast and lunch so that I don't go over for dinner.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    On a side note, i noticed you only have 15 lbs to lose. That means, you can't aim for 2 lb a week for weight loss and your body needs more information. Below is a good guideline to follow in order to reach your goal. Additionally, you should aim to eat 50-75% of your exercise calories. Or if you exercise regularly, can set your goal to maintain (zero weight loss) and just use exercise to create a deficit.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.
  • misstami89
    misstami89 Posts: 3
    Very interesting! I was thinking 2 lbs a week was a bit extreme but I wasn't too sure, I'm still new to all of this. Thank you I will change my settings to .5 lb a week now.
  • lourolfes
    lourolfes Posts: 13
    I know this is a stupid question, but what's the problem with setting that lb/week number at whatever level you'd like? As long as you don't shock your body by going crazy once you hit maintenance, what's the problem? I guess I'm asking because I had a little over 30 lbs (only 3.4 to go for my goal...yah!) to lose and went with the 2 lb/week and it has done wonders for me.

    Sorry to hijack the thread but I need clarification on this and am now a little worried with my approach....
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    You absolutely can aim for 2 lbs/week regardless of your weight. I don't think MFP will spit out a goal for you that will create that 1000/day deficit if you're small, though. So if it puts you at 1200, you know it's cutting it short. If you 'eat back' all your exercise, you're stuck losing at whatever tiny deficit is leftover. For me, it would be practically a breakeven amount, around 200 calories a day, IF I never mistracked a bite or overestimated a workout. And that's with 25 lbs. to lose. No thanks.

    I'm not saying you have to eat under 1200. But if you eat 1200 and want to lose 2 lbs/week, you can't 'add back' exercise. Nor do you have to for health purposes. Even if you want to lose 1 lb/week, you probably can't add back exercise, at least not 100%.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    You absolutely can aim for 2 lbs/week regardless of your weight. I don't think MFP will spit out a goal for you that will create that 1000/day deficit if you're small, though. So if it puts you at 1200, you know it's cutting it short. If you 'eat back' all your exercise, you're stuck losing at whatever tiny deficit is leftover. For me, it would be practically a breakeven amount, around 200 calories a day, IF I never mistracked a bite or overestimated a workout. And that's with 25 lbs. to lose. No thanks.

    I'm not saying you have to eat under 1200. But if you eat 1200 and want to lose 2 lbs/week, you can't 'add back' exercise. Nor do you have to for health purposes. Even if you want to lose 1 lb/week, you probably can't add back exercise, at least not 100%.

    Do you understand how MFP works?

    it calculates your deficit EXCLUDING exercise, so you have a 500cal defict to lose 1lb a week with no exercise at all.

    if you exercise and burn 500 calories you have made that defict 1000 calories, so you can still eat back those 500 exercise to get back to the 500 defict for the 1lb a week loss you chose.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    if you exercise and burn 500 calories you have made that defict 1000 calories, so you can still eat back those 500 exercise to get back to the 500 defict for the 1lb a week loss you chose.
    There is a problem with the 1200 minimum "robbing" people of their deficit, which is what he was getting at.

    If for example the calculated deficit took you to 1000 you would be set at 1200 and lose 200 of the deficit, so exercising 500 and eating 500 would give you 200 less deficit than you expect.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    if you exercise and burn 500 calories you have made that defict 1000 calories, so you can still eat back those 500 exercise to get back to the 500 defict for the 1lb a week loss you chose.
    There is a problem with the 1200 minimum "robbing" people of their deficit, which is what he was getting at.

    If for example the calculated deficit took you to 1000 you would be set at 1200 and lose 200 of the deficit, so exercising 500 and eating 500 would give you 200 less deficit than you expect.

    Ah I see what you mean.

    If I let MFP set my goals for 1lb a week, it gives me 1200, but tells me I would only lose 0.8lb per week, as the 1lb a week 500 deficit would take me below 1200.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    if you exercise and burn 500 calories you have made that defict 1000 calories, so you can still eat back those 500 exercise to get back to the 500 defict for the 1lb a week loss you chose.
    There is a problem with the 1200 minimum "robbing" people of their deficit, which is what he was getting at.

    If for example the calculated deficit took you to 1000 you would be set at 1200 and lose 200 of the deficit, so exercising 500 and eating 500 would give you 200 less deficit than you expect.

    Right.

    But if you add in the ignorance of setting your weight loss at 2lbs/wk...when you've relatively little to lose, you're asking for a plateau at best, and other issues at worst.

    This is why I don't use MFP's system, and don't recommend it to others. Too much confusion with calculating exercise calories etc. Find your activity level based on ALL your activities, calculate maintenance/TDEE, and subtract 10-20% depending on how close you are to your goal.

    That's another thing I think is silly. SO many people say 'oh these last 15lbs to your goal are the hardest...your body is holding onto its fat!'. Your body has no clue what YOUR goal is, and the last 15lbs before your MFP ticker reads 0 isn't going to magically become more difficult.

    Now...the last pounds before your BODIES goal lol...those can be a *****.
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ nice post.
    Too many people try to lose more then their body can cope with, then wonder why it all goes wrong...............

    OP - as someone else suggested a goal of 0.5 is much better for your goal. It doesnt matter how you divide your calories up over the day. I eat probably 75% of my calories between 1-9pm. Other people would be chewing their arms off if they hadnt had breakfast, lunch and a snack by 12pm! Its all about finding out when you are most hungry and using your cals the way that works besr for you :-)
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    but what's the problem with setting that lb/week number at whatever level you'd like
    There's a limit to the rate your fat reserves can yield fuel for your body. From memory it is 33 cals/day per lb of fat, so if you want to set a 1000 cal deficit you're going to need 30lbs of fat to provide it. Roughly speaking. Hence if you have small fat reserves you can't impose a big demand on it and succeed.
  • martyne1981
    martyne1981 Posts: 16
    Hi,

    I have been doing 1200 (just over today) and I feel that I have been having a filling breakfast yet the calories are low. IThey say to have a larger breakfast and all that- but really how do you feel?

    I need to eat as soon as I am up. Having a more filling breakfast tides me over until about 11am when i feel I need to snack.

    My breakkie is about 230 usually which I think is pretty low- gives me more to play with for the evening meals.

    What do you typically do?
  • itsjustdawn
    itsjustdawn Posts: 1,073 Member
    Don't be afraid to experiment with your daily intake. 1200 may not be enough for you, or it may be perfect. Many of us believe in eating more to lose more. You can set your own goals on MFP :-) As for meals, eat what feels right for you, when it feels right for you :-) Good luck!
  • ZambiNan
    ZambiNan Posts: 61 Member
    My breakfast is almost always under 200 calories (cereal and soy or almond milk), plus a snack of equal size around 10:30 AM.

    FWIW I was eating 1200 calories a day and eating back exercise calories and had no trouble losing 20 pounds, over the course of about 5 months, to reach my goal. Be careful with blanket statements- everyone's body is different!
  • martyne1981
    martyne1981 Posts: 16
    I have just read this thread about 3 times and am soooo confused!!! I have changed my lb marker to 0.5 after reading this and just have no idea what the heck I should be doing!! Arrghhh!!!
  • martyne1981
    martyne1981 Posts: 16
    I am really sorry to interrupt- I am so confused.

    I was set at 2lbs a week which gave me 1200. If I exercise and want to eat back what i exercise- I would/will if I fancy it. Should I lower my lb to 0.5 a week if I only want to shift about another 5lbs?

    Oh mannnnn- why do I get confused easily?!!! x
  • em9371
    em9371 Posts: 1,047 Member
    Yes. 0.5lbs is ideal if you only have a few to lose.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    To expand on what yarwell stated, the reason your body needs enough calories is simple, without enough fuel from fat stores, your body can convert the amino acids in your lean body mass in order to create energy. So instead of fat loss your have muscle loss.
  • crisanderson27
    crisanderson27 Posts: 5,343 Member
    if you exercise and burn 500 calories you have made that defict 1000 calories, so you can still eat back those 500 exercise to get back to the 500 defict for the 1lb a week loss you chose.
    There is a problem with the 1200 minimum "robbing" people of their deficit, which is what he was getting at.

    If for example the calculated deficit took you to 1000 you would be set at 1200 and lose 200 of the deficit, so exercising 500 and eating 500 would give you 200 less deficit than you expect.

    This is the most common sense, intelligent, and responsible thing I've ever seen you post.

    Well done.
    I am really sorry to interrupt- I am so confused.

    I was set at 2lbs a week which gave me 1200. If I exercise and want to eat back what i exercise- I would/will if I fancy it. Should I lower my lb to 0.5 a week if I only want to shift about another 5lbs?

    Oh mannnnn- why do I get confused easily?!!! x

    If those pictures are you, and current...yes, .5lb/wk would be a much more reasonable, not to mention effective deficit.
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