When is it best time to have the main meal of the day?

[mercalia]

When I was working it had to be in the evening. But I wonder whether that was a good thing regarding putting on weight? Whether the main meal should be at midday, esp now I am retired and I can eat when I want. Opinions?

[Cyril Haearn]

Fruehstueck wie ein Koenig
Mittag wie ein Bauer
Abend wie ein Bettler
..
Breakfast like a King
Lunch like a farmer
Supper like a beggar
..
German saying recommends an "unusual" regime, makes quite a bit of sense I think
Porridge in summer too of course

[Bsteel]

Breakfast like a King
Lunch like a farmer
Supper like a beggar

Some recent research seems to support that old saying.
https://www.patreon.com/posts/18865593

[531colin]

When I was working it had to be in the evening. But I wonder whether that was a good thing regarding putting on weight? Whether the main meal should be at midday, esp now I am retired and I can eat when I want. Opinions?

If you want to put on weight, just eat more. Doesn't matter when.

[mercalia]

When I was working it had to be in the evening. But I wonder whether that was a good thing regarding putting on weight? Whether the main meal should be at midday, esp now I am retired and I can eat when I want. Opinions?

If you want to put on weight, just eat more. Doesn't matter when.

its the opposite I want to lose some weight and I dont really eat much as it is. so was wondering if it was the time of day I was eating.

[rotavator]

Fruehstueck wie ein Koenig
Mittag wie ein Bauer
Abend wie ein Bettler
..
Breakfast like a King
Lunch like a farmer
Supper like a beggar
..
German saying recommends an "unusual" regime, makes quite a bit of sense I think
Porridge in summer too of course

This scheme and cutting out snacks helped me to lose 10 kg and keep at or below 84 kg.

[foxyrider]

The thread title leaves a lot of gaps in interpretation, best for what?

Maybe the German thing is good if you are doing manual work or even 9 to 5 - not that I see many Germans o restrained!

Your calorific needs on an exercise day will be different to a 'fallow' day and your feeding pattern should respect that. Whilst a good breakfast before exercise is a reasonable idea get it wrong and you'll be using calories on digestion that you want for muscle fuel. The same with a good lunch - too much and you'll pay for it on the bike later or even sooner!

So for me, on ride days it's breakfast, light lunch then main meal early evening giving your body time to digest before bed. Non ride days start the same but have a larger lunch but lighter evening meal. I seem to keep a steady weight with this regime, I could no doubt lose a few grams if I paid more attention to calorie intake.

The one thing to avoid is eating a big meal late in the evening or even supper/snacks after mid evening.

I would never claim my way is the right and only way, it works for me delivering energy when I need it. I find that in general my body tells me what I need in energy, longer periods of inactivity act as an appetite suppressant for me, hard exercise will get a demand for more food.

[Cyril Haearn]

Fruehstueck wie ein Koenig
Mittag wie ein Bauer
Abend wie ein Bettler
..
Breakfast like a King
Lunch like a farmer
Supper like a beggar
..
German saying recommends an "unusual" regime, makes quite a bit of sense I think
Porridge in summer too of course

This scheme and cutting out snacks helped me to lose 10 kg and keep at or below 84 kg.

Would you care to briefly describe your regime? Have you changed it after stabilising weight? Diolch
At work in Germany one may have a breakfast break, 15 minutes, I found myself eating most of my sandwiches then, at lunch (30 min) I usually went for a walk

I love proverbs, often one finds that similar proverbs have arisen in different places
Very often they are true. Alternative facts welcome

[Cyril Haearn]

Maybe our TdF sporting heroes have it right, they are told exactly what to eat to optimise performance as described on another thread, or to reduce weight by 1kg so they can climb better, is there any room for preferences?

[rotavator]

Cyril Haearn asked:

Would you care to briefly describe your regime?

I always have a big bowl of porridge for breakfast. I put chopped dates in it for more flavour. That means that I rarely get hungry before 1 pm so no need for snacks..

Midday I might have a cooked meal if I'm hungry. Often soup in winter.

May be a sandwich at 6 pm. I eat more if I have been out hiking or biking.

Toast at bed time.

This allows me to stay at 84 kg which is the maximum for normal weight based on my height and BMI. (I understand that BMI is only one guide to a desirable/healthy weight).

I don't propose this as a new diet plan for losing/maintaning weight for everyone but it has worked for me and it has the advantages of no starvation, no expensive special diet foods and no calorie counting.

[Cyril Haearn]

Plus One for porridge

It is worth experimenting with different regimes

[Mick F]

Porridge!
I tried having it for breakfast, and I was hungry for lunch by ten-thirty!
Rotten stuff!

Give me a couple of rashers of bacon and a fried egg for breakfast with maybe a marmalade butty for afters. That'll keep me going all day and I can often skip lunch.

Don't give me an evening meal after 7pm as it often gives me indigestion overnight. 6pm is the latest for me.