I am having trouble keeping my intake at the level I want, and also the 6 small meals concept (even though I know everyone doesn't do that). For any of you that count calories, would you mind sharing a a full day's diary just so I can see how people are going about it?

Also do you generally eat at the same times everyday?

I eat 6 times a day, not 6 meals 6 times...
Breakfast
Snack
Lunch
Snack
Dinner
Snack
I keep snacks to 100 calories or less.
I eat something about every 3 hours and I do try to eat at about the same time every day.

Breakfast:~200-300 calories
Option 1: Oatmeal with protein powder and fruit
Option 2: Egg whites on whole grain toast with a little bit of butter, tomato and avocado
Option 3: Lox on half a whole wheat bagel with cream cheese.

Lunch:~400 calories
Spring baby green salad with broccoli, baby carrots, cauliflower and 1/4 or 1/2 avocado (depends on price, other things I'm eating and how ripe my batch is) with 1 can of low calorie soup and fruit. This is the entire lunch and it's usually around ~400 calories. I've had some variation of soup salad and fruit for nearly a year and it makes me feel great.

Snack:~150-200 calories
Option 1: Greek Yogurt
Option 2: Whole Wheat bread with natural peanut butter and jam
Option 3: Protein Shake

If I am working out that day:~150 calories
Post workout meal is a protein shake

Dinner:~500 calories
Varies but whatever it is half of my plate is vegetables, 1 serving of a starch or carbs (rice of potatoes), 1 serving of my protein or meat.

Dessert:
I'm not a big sweets person but I do love my wine and beer. I usually forgo dessert for a glass.

I'm pretty much never hungry.

Edit: I usually eat at the same time everyday except during the weekend.

I eat 2 times a day because it is easier to control calories that way, for me.

I am not currently counting calories but when I was I would consume on average 2000 a day.

I eat three traditional meals and three snacks a day.

I do portion control - I've estimated my calories at about 2000, but not seriously sure.

I eat anywhere from 1200-1600 calories per day and workout seven days a week.

Breakfast: After my workout, I have coffee with nonfat milk & Splenda
Around 9:30 or 10: string cheese

Lunch: salad with chicken and Walden Farms zero calorie dressing

Dinner is salad with the zero cal dressing and Amy's organic Enchilada (320 calories for both enchiladas)

I snack on the following type of items: homemade muffins that are 100 calories each, PB2 with celery, apple, Arctic Zero ice cream, Luna protein bars, kale chips, cottage cheese singles with crackers and salsa, fage 0% greek yogurt, etc.

I hope that helps!

Since this is the mens forum your calories are probably going to be higher than mine, but that can be adjusted with portion sizes:

Breakfast 250 cals
High-fiber cereal, skim milk, cheddar cheese

Snack 100 cals
Greek yogurt

Lunch 300-350 cals
Varies - today was turkey chili with guacamole

Snack 100 cals
Almonds
(I add a small granola bar if I'm going to be working out that evening)

Dinner 3-400 cals
Varies - today was tacos (I use a Flatout wrap instead of tortillas, plain yogurt instead of sour cream, and lots of lettuce)

Snack 100 cals
Ice cream

Breakfast (around 300 cal)
Frosted mini wheats, low fat milk, cheese stick or 1 whole egg and 1 egg white scrambled
Lunch varies but its between 300-400 cal. Its usually leftovers from the previous night, but a smaller portion, or a pb&j on wheat bread
Dinner around 500-600 cal
Usually 8 oz chicken breast our fish with a vegetable and brown rice, or chicken burgers with light swiss on a sandwich thin
I also eat 2 or 3 snacks in between, fiber 1 bar/brownie, fruit usually
I feel like I'm always eating and I'm never really hungry and only eat about 1600-1700 calories, I just measure everything

I try to stay under 2000 calories and I work out 5-6 days a week.

Breakfast -- 400 calories
2 egg whites, 1 whole egg, 2 pieces of whole grain toast. 1 serving Brummel & Brown (yogurt based spread).

Lunch --
Choose 1:

6" subway grilled chicken on wheat, baked chips. 450 calories
Grilled chicken wrap and side ceasar salad 400 calories

Dinner: 500

I have a large variety of stuff I eat here, but mostly whole grain, baked stuff, chicken, and fish, sometimes lean beef. Try not to each too much pork, but on occasion I will.

Snacks:

Greek yogurt and some prepacked Nutrilite nutrition bars and shakes. Ranges from 100-200 calories. I always have this stuff available so I know what I'm eating. It typically has more sugar than I like and I will likely give them up as I get closer to goal, but for now they work remarkably well. At night I will often have a scoop of EAS Whey chocolate protein in 10 oz of skim milk if I need something late and I can fit the calories in.

BREAKFAST: eggwich (egg + chz + wg tst) + fruit (ie banana or orange); OR porridge/cereal + tst + fruit; OR omelette & 1 tst + fruit; coffee (2)

LUNCH: lean meat or egg sandwich on whole grain + soup; OR leftovers; OR veggie pita pizza + soup or salad; small glass milk

DINNER: lean meat (chicken, beef, fish, pork) + 1/2 cup brown rice or beans OR small new potato OR pasta (1 cup cooked); have 2 veggies or a salad. Sometimes, a lean chicken burger + salad OR slice of pizza + salad (only once a week though).

SNAX: apple, yogurt, cheeze (slice) or babybell, wg soda crackers + pb, celery boats/chz, bran cereal, banana or other fruit, nsa pudding, hard-boiled egg, a few UNsalted nuts only occasionally; tst & pb if low on cals.

Everything whole grain and measured. Yes, I eat the same time each day: usually 3 meals + 2-3 snacks. Goal = 1800 daily; 2000 cap

When you say your having trouble keeping it at the level you want I assume your going to high? It took me awhile to get used to smaller meals, I fill up on protein shakes so splitting the recommended dose into 2 different servings a day helps keep me full in between meals along with making sure I am chugging water all day (I use Mio Energy to still get a little caffeine kick mid day since I cut out all sodas and juice).

I keep my daily calories between 1200-1800 and try to take in 100-150g of protein, I do an hr of cardio 6 days a week and a weight routine 4 days a week.

Breakfast I have a shake: (chocolate banana was my favorite ice cream shake and this is how I still indulge)
8oz skim milk
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1 banana

Snack:
Cottage Cheese and tuna on whole grain saltines
or
Greek Yogurt with flax seed

Lunch:
salad from chick-fil-a
or
pack a lettuce wrap sandwich of some sort (I use the Buddig lunch meat)

Snack:
1 scoop protein shake and some nuts of some sort

Dinner:
Lean meat (turkey burger or chicken usually)
frozen veggies
rice or whole wheat toast

And my daily supplements are.....
- Multi Vitamin
- 100% Whey Protein Isolate (I use Isopure's Dutch Chocolate)
- Fish Oil

Hey man. I'm doin the same as you; keepin to 5-6 small meals a day to control my hunger / binging and also to keep my blood sugar constant. I am on a highly restricted caloric intake (1300-1500 calories) and workout on the elliptical an hour a day... It really works, half lb a day weight loss on average, and I take an off day once a week which usually includes binge drinking and a couple good meals.

Anyway, my typical day goes like this

Slimfast for break

Can of soup (200 cal) and an apple in 3 hours

Some fish and cooked veggies and an apple next

Another slimfast, and an orange

An apple and an orange

Small snack for dinner, maybe noodles, or peice of cheese and a couple crackers and a salad w fat free vinegrette.


I have lost 30 lbs already since i started the diet and working out. Down to 205. A couple more months to go.

I guess i am a little different, i tack calories sometimes religiouly but sometimes just in my head, my routine changes slightly depending on my activity levels.

The base for my consumption tends to be 2 or 3 small snack breaks, with a moderate lunch and a large supper, i try to stay around 2400 cals, when i was fighting hard to lose weight i aimed for 2000, some days i have 3000 -3500 though, i try not to have a lot of bad days like that and to offset those with a few of restriction.

I find by eating whole and fresh foods and limit liquid cals and processed junk cals one can eat a little more.