Calorie Distribution

Counting calories is a must for anyone trying to lose or maintain their current weight. As a general rule of thumb, you must take in as many calories that you burn in a day to maintain your current weight, or take in less calories than you burn in a day to lose weight.

 

Calorie distribution is very important as well as keeping an account of calories in and calories burned. Calorie distribution is the calorie content of the food that you consume and when it is consumed. What you eat at certain times of the day is important to consider, but it more complicated for this particular article.

 

So, I will give you an example of two day's worth of my own menus to show you how I try to distribute my own calories based upon my calorie needs and exercise to maintain my current weight.

 

I weigh around 113 pounds. I do not need to eat any more than around 1145 calories if I laid in bed all day and did nothing. However, for the sake of the fact that I at least burn off 100 calories per day in aerobic exercise alone, and the fact that I carry about two pounds of muscle and not very much body fat, I estimate my calorie need to be around 1400 per day. If I eat more than 1400 calories, I feel like I'm gaining weight; it's as simple as that!

 

I try to eat plenty of protein throughout the day and my carbs are tapered off as the day comes to a close. Here's what a typical day's diet for me looks like:

 

Breakfast 6:00 a.m.

 

Vanilla crème crepe made with ½ cup Egg Beaters, 1 scoop protein shake mix, ¼ cup dried, unsweetened figs and ½ tbsp milled flax seed = 275 calories

2 cups coffee = 50 calories

Total for breakfast = 325

 

9:30 AM mini-meal = yoghurt cup with one pack almonds = 150 calories

 

12 Noon

mixed green salad with fresh kale, mushrooms, about 6 cups shredded leaf lettuce and a calorie-free salad dressing = 100 calories

1 fresh tuna steak (4 oz) = 125 calories

Total lunch calories = 225

 

3 p.m.

¼ cup trail mix 150 calories

 

Dinner: 5:30 p.m.

 

Vegan Boca burger on round bun with fat-free slice of cheese, 1 piece of lettuce, 1 tbsp reduced-sugar catsup and 1 tsp yellow mustard (no mayonnaise or tomato) = 200 calories

 

½ bag of asparagus stir-fry (steamed with no oil) = 65 calories

1 cup of cooked spinach = 35 calories

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened) with 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa and Truvia = 50 calories

 

Total dinner calories = 350 calories

 

Total daily calories: 1200

 

Total protein intake for the day: 110 grams

With limited carbohydrates and lots of fibre

 

Today, my diet was for my cardio and strength/weight training day and is planned as thus:

 

6:00 a.m. Breakfast:

¾ Uncle Sam cereal with 1 scoop protein shake, 1 tbsp cocoa and 5 oz water = 300 calories

3 cups coffee and all the green tea I can drink = 60 calories (for the creamer in the coffee)

Total breakfast calories: 360

 

9:30 a.m.

1 rice cake with ½ tbsp peanut butter made with ½ tbsp non-fat, dry milk, ½ tbsp cocoa and Truvia spread on top = 180 calories

 

12 Noon

1 tuna steak (broiled in no oil, with garlic, pepper, herbs and ginger) on a low-carb, whole grain flatbread = 215 calories

½ bag asparagus stir fry and 1 cup shredded kale " steamed in no oil, with a little vinegar, pepper and dill weed = 100 calories

1 almond pack = 100 calories

Total lunch calories: 415 calories

 

3:00 p.m. snack = low-fat, sugar-control, low-calorie, low-carb yoghurt cup = 50 calories

 

5:30 dinner:

Boca burger on low-carb flatbread with 1 piece of leaf lettuce, 1 tbsp catsup, mustard, 1 tbsp low-fat mayonnaise and 1 slice of fat-free cheese " 210 calories

1 small sweet potato (about four inches long and 1 ½ inches in diameter) with one Truvia packet and cinnamon (NO BUTTER OR FAT ADDED) = 120 calories

6 baby Brussels sprouts = 45 calories

Total dinner calories: 375

 

Total daily calorie intake = 1380

 

I might treat myself later to a cup of almond milk with a tbsp cocoa for another 50 calories at around 7: 30 p.m. for a total of 1430 and hope not to gain any weight.

 

That's pretty much how I eat … every day. Not the same thing ever day, but never any big calorie differential. I take in on average about 1350 to 1450 per day. On a big day, I might eat 1500, but that is rare anymore. I try to stay around 1380 if I can help it.

Reviews

[Sara Mercury]

lol ... 113 pounds! OMG ... can you believe I now weigh 106 and look even FATTER in the tummy? I had less body fat percentage at 130 than I do now! I'm borderline OVERFAT according to my waist-to-hip ratio and waist measurements, and UNDERWEIGHT at the same time! I also have well-defined muscles in my arms, legs and abs (of course the abs have loose skin hiding the muscle, except for right below the ribcage). My ribs are showing like a SKELETON on my chest, and yet according to my measurements around my middle, I'm 5 points away from being OVERFAT! How can this possibly be? But when I look in the mirror at myself, then I know it is possible. I hate the shape I've become.