Saving all my calories for one meal

SparkPoints: (4,491)
Fitness Minutes: (3,121)
Posts: 2
6/18/12 7:02 P

Thanks for everyone's input! This was my first post so I'm really loving how helpful everyone is here. Also, IAMLOVEDBYYOU, I am totally in the same boat as you in that I usually have dinner with my family and it's usually my only sit-down meal of the day. I guess i'll keep it up unless it starts to be a problem. Thanks again everyone!

Pounds lost: 35.4

0 16 32 48

64

Posts: 2,007
6/18/12 6:18 P

I tend to eat lighter breakfast and lunch, and a more substantial dinner. It hasn't been a problem for me.

Body Fat %: 27.6

44 39 34 29

24

SparkPoints: (118)
Fitness Minutes: (85)
Posts: 10
6/18/12 1:39 P

Melissalorraine - I'm with you, a big part of why dinner is my biggest meal, I just enjoy sitting down to that meal.

There have been times I'm hungrier in the morning. So, I go with it and have more of my calories in the am. As long as I stay honest and TRACK, I don't worry about the "when" of my meals.

current weight: 198.0

198 184.75 171.5 158.25

145

Posts: 240
6/18/12 1:37 P

I do the same thing and often wonder if it's unhealthy. I skip breakfast, have a fruit/veggie smoothie for lunch, eat a small snack in the afternoon (usually an apple, a cheese stick, or some carrots), and have a large dinner. I also generally end up eating a big snack after dinner too. I am always within my calorie range. I think I am not hungry for breakfast because I eat the big snack after dinner. I do sometimes get very hungry right before dinner, but just wait it out.

While I can see that this can lead to disordered eating, my reasons are entirely social. I live with my parents (I am finishing up college) and my mom cooks dinner every night. It is generally relatively healthy, but I want to be able to eat with them, enjoy the meal that my mom prepared, and not be counting calories. I am often out and about in the evenings, and want to be able to eat to enjoy myself with friends or have popcorn with my family as we watch TV and not have to miss out.

Food and eating together is a social function. I want to be able to participate fully in these social functions. I don't binge. I choose the healthiest options available, but find that this eating schedule works best for my lifestyle.

current weight: 175.0

215 202.5 190 177.5

165

Posts: 58
6/18/12 1:01 P

I'd say do whatever is easiest for you to stick with your goal calorie intake. I personally do the same thing. I eat oatmeal for breakfast, salad for lunch and then I have a big supper. I just enjoy sitting down after work and having something nice to eat. Not only that, but for me personally, if I ate a itty bitty supper I'd feel deprived and then later on in the evening I'd start to snack which I don't want to do... All the best; I'm sure you'll do great !

current weight: 137.0

165 158 151 144

137

Posts: 1,209
6/18/12 12:55 P

I used to do the same thing, until I started seeing a registered dietitian. She told me that I should spread my calories as equally among my meals as possible and that I should also stop snacking, especially in the evenings (after dinner). I had to work a lot to do this and succeeded in making breakfast and lunch about 400 calories and dinner about 600 calories. I actually feel much better this way.

I think that saving calories to have one large meal is a form of disordered eating. It's almost like I was saving calories so I could binge at one large meal or, if you don't want to think of it as binging, I would at least call it overeating to consume 1000+ calories for dinner, which is what I was doing. I was holding on to the overeating...keeping ONE meal where I could continue doing it and not eating during the day to save calories so I could eat a lot during one meal...dinner. I also did not feel hungry during the day, preferred to eat this way, was losing weight doing this, and thought I was doing perfectly fine. I was pretty upset when the RD suggested that I stop. I was upset because I didn't want to give up the overeating...the big meal...being able to consume a large amount of food at once. I was very certain, though, that it was going to make me miserable, that I would feel deprived, get hungry at night, end up needing to eat/snack in the evenings, get hungry in the middle of the night, etc., etc., etc. I didn't say anything to the RD about my feelings on the matter, but I took her advice, even though it was hard for me, because I knew that she was there to help me. I'm really glad I did take her advice and stop. I feel better now and I have a healthier relationship with food now that I've just let go of the need to eat so much at a time (the need to be able to eat a lot at once or, to call it what it actually was, the need to have a daily mini-binge).

Edited by: LOVE4KITTIES at: 6/18/2012 (13:05)

Total SparkPoints: 11,468

	10,000 11,249 12,499 13,749	14,999
SparkPoints Level 11

SparkPoints: (25,428)
Fitness Minutes: (9,960)
Posts: 1,763
6/18/12 11:46 A

I guess if it works for you, go for it. Personally, I need energy throughout the day to keep me going. It also would not be good for me because I am not good at portion control and the way you describe would not teach me that.

Pounds lost: 17.0

0 16.25 32.5 48.75

65

Posts: 1,416
6/18/12 10:51 A

As others have said, as long as you get enough calories in day your body will be fine.

My concern is that eating in such a manner seems like there's potential for falling into disordered eating. It sounds like there could be a pattern of restrict-then-binge there...or at least the potential for that to become a pattern. Just something to consider...

current weight: 132.0

350 295.5 241 186.5

132

SparkPoints: (42,076)
Fitness Minutes: (12,476)
Posts: 7,880
6/18/12 10:24 A

Your body doesn't really care when you eat your calories. It won't burn them differently at different times of day. If you are comfortable eating in that way, then you're not going to hurt yourself, although many people find that they need to eat more frequently to keep the fire burning, and to avoid binges. (I'm one of those.)

It's what works for you. No eating schedule is going to alter your fat loss.

current weight: 186.0

211 197 183 169

155

SparkPoints: (118)
Fitness Minutes: (85)
Posts: 10
6/18/12 9:29 A

I much prefer to eat lighter throughout the day and eat a bigger dinner. Dinner is a shared meal (typically) with the significant other, so that's a big part of the reason. I do eat throughout the day, otherwise I'll have no energy and likely heartburn. This works for me though. My energy level stays up and I feel fine.

current weight: 198.0

198 184.75 171.5 158.25

145

SparkPoints: (2,066)
Fitness Minutes: (1,140)
Posts: 351
6/18/12 9:16 A

When I started my weight loss journey, I read everywhere that you were "supposed" to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and supper like a pauper. That just doesn't work for me, although I did give it my best shot.

I have never been a big breakfast eater and when I do eat it, I have to usually force myself. Supper is our biggest family meal because that is when the kids are out of school and the whole family is home and can sit at the table. Plus, all my workouts are in the late afternoon so I'm ravenous by the time I get home for supper.

Right now I'm in a plateau, but as someone else here said, my weight at least has been stable, I have been slowly decreasing my calories though, as I had let them get away from me.

I think you have to do what works for you and your family.

Blessings, Michelle

current weight: 179.8

200 186.25 172.5 158.75

145

Posts: 2,100
6/18/12 7:47 A

many people eat lightly through the day and have a large meal in the evening.

many people do it in the opposite manner.

It would depend, as the previous poster said,

- how it makes you feel
- how well your weight loss is going
- if you're ravenous for that large meal, so that you're eating more than you would if you were choosing differently

Posts: 33,301
6/18/12 12:58 A

Weight is mostly about total calories in and out all day, or over weeks at a time, not just one day or by the hour.

That said, most people find it a little easier to stay within their limits with a more spread out day.

Studies tend to show spreading calories offers a higher chance of success.

It won't necessarily kill you, it won't necessarily stop you losing weight. Maybe you can lose more if you spread it out more. Maybe not. Everything works for someone... :)

How is your weight loss going? Are you satisfied with what you're losing week to week and how hungry or not you feel each day?

SparkPoints: (4,491)
Fitness Minutes: (3,121)
Posts: 2
6/17/12 11:50 P

Hi everyone! I just wanted to get everyone's feedback about a habit I have fallen into. Everyday I tend to eat a really small fraction of my daily calories for breakfast and lunch and save most of my calories for dinner. It's not really on purpose, it's just that I'm not really as hungry earlier in the day. Is this going to decrease my weight loss or is it okay since I still stay in my range? Thanks!

Pounds lost: 35.4

0 16 32 48

64