Hi Everyone! Just wondering if you think it matters when you have the majority of your calories? I've noticed that I'm not hungry in the mornings and afternoon, it hits be at dinner and the evening. Plus in the evening is when I eat with the family, so dinners tend to be bigger than breakfast or lunch. My calorie limit for the day is between 16-1800, which I rarely even come close to, but I'm only getting about 600 all day, and than a lot of times my dinner is 4-500, and then I usually have a snack(walnuts and yogurt) about 8, then I'm done for the night. Do you think I should be spreading them out more evenly?
I know that it is better for your metabolism to be spreading it out more evenly. You may not be making too much of a difference with gaining or losing weight since you are getting the same amount of calories... but by eating breakfast and lunch you will definitely be getting good energy boosts and lessening your chance of blood sugar spikes and such.
I feel so much physically better by eating breakfast, snack, lunch, snack and dinner.
I don't know how important it is to have them "evenly" spread out. But I do know it's important to eat something in the morning within a few hours of waking to kick start your metabolism. I'm on a 1500 calorie plan and a day for me is:
Sometimes I'm under or slightly over for a meal/snack. But that is about my guideline. I find I'm rarely hungry unless I wait to long to eat...like if I go for a really long walk with the dog before dinner, I'll be sooo hungry by the time I get dinner ready. But I still make an effort to eat slowly and really taste the food I'm eating. No mindless eating was one of the biggest hurdles for me.
If it is working for you then don't worry. It is typically only a problem for individuals that tend to lose control at night. Your balance is not that extreme.
Note that part of the reason you are not as hungry in the morning is because you are eating more the night before. As long as you eat something in the morning, that is important.
Thank you everyone.
Lorilove-night time is when I tend to lose control, I have been making healthier choices, but its really hard for me to make it until bedtime(the reason I have an 8 pm snack), if I eat more at day, do you think it would help my nighttime cravings?
startanew - A few years back my mom lost a fair amount of weight. For her night time was a big issue, she would snack uncontrollably. She realized that she wasn't hungry when the rest of the family ate. She started to fix us dinner and would sit with us, but she wouldn't eat dinner until 8 or 9 at night and with that method it eliminated her snacking. She never had an issue losing weight and made very few additional changes. Maybe strategically planning your meal times would help.
I have been trying to eat bigger meals earlier in the day and my last meal at about 6:30 is the smallest usually a lean protein with 2 - 3 servings of veggies. I find I remove fat best if I start my morning with the most calories and end my day with the least. I never used to eat breakfast either I had to change my habits to remove the weight and fat.
I also do not have starchy carbs like bread or pasta until after I exercise in the morning. Good luck to you.
See I have wondered also if eating more in the day would help me at night, but it never seems to. On the days I eat more early in the day thinking I won't be eating big at night it never works out. So personally I just keep B,S(optional),L,S(optional) all on the lighter side, D few more calories and S because I know I get munchies/sweet tooth.
Any time I have tried to balance my calories more I just end up more at night cause nighttime is when I get hungry. If anyone has experienced this and found a way around it let me know too!
There is nothing wrong with eating later in the evening and having a late night snack if it fits in with your overall plan. It is 8pm (7pm before the time change) and I just got home from the gym and will start dinner. Probably won't eat before 9pm and I am sure I was planning on fruit for desert so I probably won't have that till after 10pm
The issue is if you think you are losing control at night. In that case then it is often recommended that eat try to eat more during the day.
Hi, i noticed you mentioned you sometimes rarely get enough calories within the day...and find your dinner is the highest calorie meal...my guess is you should really try to meet your calorie intake...so you dont find you are really really hungry at the end of the day, or right before bed...I would eat a higher calorie lunch and breakfast and stick to your normal dinner plan, and maybe a snack after dinner...a healthy one ofcourse... I too snack after dinner, but I try to just have tea/coffee and a yogurt or something less than 100 calories...just to end the day on a good note! Breakfast is very important...I think so.... again, just try and increase your calories at lunch and breakfast, or atleast snack after breakfast and lunch...I found when I ate 6 times a day...i may have not been hungry....but I did it...and found I was never super duper hungry...but felt ready to eat... Good luck!
If you feel okay with the way you're doing it I wouldn't change anything. As long as you stay within your calorie limit it doesn't matter how you spread them out. However, if you are tending to overindulge at night I would try eating more throughout the day (maybe a handful of almonds or something with protein) and limiting your carbohydrate intake at dinner. I find if I have a high carb dinner without enough protein/fat I get cravings right before bed. A little is okay, but I wouldn't center any dinners around carbs even if it is within your calories.
Last edited by rockstar87; 03-10-2008 at 10:24 PM.
Balancing calories through the day?
