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Calculation and calorie requirements for the different meals of the day
How do you calculate your daily calorie intake per meal based on your height, weight and sex? When is the best time to consume most of your calories? How many calories should you eat per meal whether you’re a man or a woman?
Use the tool below to calculate your optimal calorie requirements for an ideal day! Depending on whether you’re a man or a woman, and on your morphology, the result will tell you the perfect percentage and ration in kilo calories.
How do you calculate your daily calorie intake for each meal of the day?
Although there are very few studies on the subject, it is strongly recommended that we include a higher ration in our diet in the first half of the day. In this way, we logically consume the calories we need during the busiest part of the day, thus avoiding nibbling and storage.
Why regular eating and sleeping patterns are key for good health?
Dividing meals into 3 main meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner), with a snack at around 5:00 p.m., also helps to avoid feelings of hunger and prevent snacking. It’s worth remembering that a person with a good sleep/wake cycle and a healthy diet has a healthy lifestyle, which in turn improves long-term health. Numerous studies have shown the link between sleep deprivation and weight gain, or snacking and weight gain. Regularity and routine are your best allies for a healthy life!
How should you divide your calories between 3 or 4 meals?
The division into 3 or 4 meals depends on your age. Whether you’re an adult man or woman, your calorie intake will be divided differently from that of your children.
Example of a calorie distribution meal plan for adult males and females:
For adults, a snack is not essential, but it does help to spread out the intake for the 2nd half of the day, and avoids end-of-day nibbling.
- Breakfast: 25% of daily intake
- Lunch: 40% of meal
- Afternoon snack: 5% Lunch: 5% Dinner: 30
- Dinner: 30% of daily intake
In the absence of a late afternoon snack, this ration can be carried over to dinner.
Example of a calorie distribution meal plan for children:
In the case of children, but this may also be the case for the elderly or pregnant or breast-feeding women, the caloric intake of the afternoon snack should be higher than that of adults, with a portion representing around 10% of TEA (Total Energy Intake for a day).
- Breakfast: 25% of total energy intake
- Lunch: 35
- Snack: 10% of AET
- Dinner: 30% of total
See also: Calculating daily energy expenditure
See also: Basal Metabolic Rate