Eating One Meal a Day and Not Exercising

ftsolk

Lately, I've been noticing that I'm not typically hungry when I first wake up, so I don't eat. This certainly comes in handy on days where I get called into work and don't really have the luxury of taking time to eat much.

Unfortunately, I don't always eat lunch either. I don't always get a break (and it isn't required by law here), and I'm really not supposed to eat on the clock. I do on occasion, but it's a challenge, and I really don't want to get in trouble at work.

Over the past couple days, I haven't been eating much at all during the day. Monday, I had a small breakfast, but I didn't eat another bite until almost 7pm.

Tuesday, I had a GoGo Squeeze Applesauce on the way to work (was called in). I DID get a break, and I had a packet of Justin's Almond Butter and a banana at around 2pm. I had a few string cheeses at around 5 and diner was at 6:30. I didn't eat anything else after that.

Yesterday, I didn't eat anything until around 3pm (some Cheddar Bunnies). Dinner was closer to 9pm.

At this point, I'm considering that maybe I should try just eating one meal a day on most days with minimal snacking before and after. The meal will USUALLY be dinner, but it may be lunch on occasion.
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Now, regarding exercise, I'm questioning how much I really need to "work out." At my job, I am on my feet for 4-10 hours. I wear a Fitbit to track my steps, and I take around 15,000-25,000 steps a day depending on how long I work, what I do before/after work, etc. On days I don't work, my step count is usually lower (around 4,000-10,000), though I did hit 45,000 steps on Saturday.

My job also involves bending, twisting, and lifting (I had an order this week that had 100 pounds of rock salt, 60 pounds of dog food, 35 pounds of cat litter, and multiple 24-count cases of water). I'm often extremely sore after work (especially my foot- which can be helped when I get new shoes), and I'm just physically worn out. I already exceed the recommended 10,000 steps a day on average.

So, is it really necessary to exercise to be healthy and lose weight? And is there anything wrong with only eating one meal a day most days? I haven't made a decision about what kind of diet I'd follow- calorie counting, Paleo/Primal, Weight Watchers. Realistically, I imagine that I'd probably just focus on eating "real" foods (100 Days of Real Food) at home- at least to start (white flour and sugar would be allowed in moderation, but I'd avoid artificial colors, flavors, nitrates, etc.)

So, any insights? I've been struggling for months. I lost around 12-18 pounds (it fluctuates) in around 3 months and I've been maintaining that weight loss for 7-8 months. Unfortunately, I still have 40-60 pounds left to lose before I reach my goal weight.

msalamun

I would definitely recommend more than one meal a day. Remember, food is fuel! Just as you wouldn't "starve" your car of fuel and expect it to run efficiently, don't expect the same of your body! If you're trying to lose weight, you need to eat healthy and fuel your body with the right calories and macronutrients. Snacks throughout the day definitely help, but I don't think they should be the only things you eat until dinner. Without the larger meals, you may be tempted for those quick foods that ultimately are detrimental to your weight loss.

As for losing weight, all physical activity helps. The real anwer to losing weight is burning more calories than you are consuming that day. And while you are not eating very much, you are also not burning as many calories either. Yes, walking that many steps per day is a lot of activity, but that by itself and not supplemented with more exercise will probably not help you realize the results you want as quickly as you may want them.

GreatSetOfBrains

I would have to agree, one meal a day is not the best idea. Physical activity, sleep, proper nutrition are key to meeting your goals! You can meet your goal you just need a plan!

Capt_Inzane

Weight Loss is I think 70-80 percent diet.

To me eating one meal a day (and it sounds like your meals aren't meals) will cause your energy level to decrease making it difficult for you to perform your job. Also I the body isn't designed to eat one meal a day. I'm not a doctor hell I barely know what I'm doing day to day but if it doesn't seem right via common sense then it's probably not.

A lot of people try and do these ridiculous diets that are just fads and fail. Don't cut out anything just make sure it fits within your macros. If you starve yourself you'll eventually binge. If you tell yourself "no sweets at all no matter what!" then you'll gorge on sweets. It's just human nature.

Log your foods, try and plan ahead and prepare your meals on your day off. Making a huge meal in a crock-pot then dividing up portions to eat throughout the week. You're not going to lose weight unless you put in the work.

Try and find easy foods that you can eat while on the go. No matter what you can take a break for a few minutes, saying you don't get a break just sounds like an excuse. It sounds like you work retail and unless you're in some weird country you should get breaks.

If you absolutely cannot grab a meal sometime throughout the day try and eat a healthy meal replacement bar and protein shakes. These are things you can make/take quickly and eat/drink in the car.

As for working out, gaining muscle helps burn more fat (that's science). In my opinion it helps with energy levels and making it through a grueling day of physical activity. The more you work your body the stronger/responsive it'll get. There are a ton of people who have lost weight with minimal exercise but it seems the people that lose it and keep it off live a healthy lifestyle which includes exercise.

If you can get a Heart Rate Monitor and wear it while working it'd help you better understand how physical you're actually being and can judge rather or not you need to increase your physical activity instead of just guessing.

ftsolk

Wearing my HRM and having it synced to my phone will drain my phone's battery like crazy, so I'm not sure how well that will work, but I guess I can try it. I'm definitely not just guessing as to how active I am though. I'm using a Fitbit since most of my activity is step-based.

I do work in retail, but there are days when it is too busy to take a break. Some days, I can take one- at the END of my shift. If I have time- or I packed a lunch/snack, I sometimes will take my 15 minute break(s) at the end of my shift before clocking out. However, I do have a tiny shred remaining of what is known as a "life" outside of work, and I don't always have time to sit around for 15 minutes to take a break when I COULD just leave.

Now, that's not saying that if I skip my break, I can leave 15 minutes early. But there are days when I am finally free to leave at, say, 6pm (when I was scheduled to get off at 4... but someone didn't show up, so I'm covering for them). I COULD stay an extra 15 minutes to get my break in, but why bother?

My breakfasts and lunches aren't really meals. You are absolutely right about that, but dinners are. Tuesday night, I had a couple leftover fajitas (steak, onions, cheese) and jambalaya (the leftovers were from Monday night). One of my favorite meals to make at home is roasted carrots, sauteed greens (in olive and coconut oils respectively) and some protein. I love lamb, but I usually go for chicken drumsticks (I make a sauce out of honey, mustard, and a little lemon juice). I also love roasted sweet potatoes or other root veggies in place of the carrots (beets are up there), but I've become a bit of a carrot-addict lately.

It isn't that I'm necessarily trying to eat one meal a day to lose weight. It's more that this is what my current schedule/lifestyle is pushing me towards, so I'm wondering if I should just go with it rather than fight it. Does that make sense to anyone?

My best friend has been fairly successful within the past few months eating around 400-500 calories between breakfast and lunch and then eating whatever he wants for dinner. I think his normal breakfast and lunch on a work day would be something like a Quest Bar and 3 Thin and Trim Chicken Sausages. Obviously, I don't know if doing something like this would work for me, but it might. (Though, I'd probably eat more things like cheese, nuts, fruits, and vegetables if I eat before my one main meal of the day).

I do wonder how I'm expected to plan ahead when I have no way of knowing from day to day which meals I get to eat. I can pack a lunch for work, but I might not get to eat it until after I get off at 8pm. At that point, there's no use in eating the dinner I planned because I won't be hungry enough. Plus, over these past few weeks, I've been called into work on my days off. I'm actually surprised I got my day off today.

carlcopley

Eat when you're hungry; stop when you're not. There are times I may eat one-two meals per day; other times of the year I will eat 3-4. It's how many who eat paleo do it. Some days I may not even have a full meal beyond eating a piece of fruit or two, grazing on a few organic grapes here and there. Just go with the flow.

ftsolk

msalamun wrote: »

As for losing weight, all physical activity helps. The real anwer to losing weight is burning more calories than you are consuming that day. And while you are not eating very much, you are also not burning as many calories either. Yes, walking that many steps per day is a lot of activity, but that by itself and not supplemented with more exercise will probably not help you realize the results you want as quickly as you may want them.

What do you suggest I do for additional physical activity? I have Leslie Sansone walking DVDs, but there are days when I'm so sore after work (my foot especially) that I can barely walk without limping. I'm in pain and I'm physically worn out. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do at that point. Do I just continue to walk for another 30 minutes to an hour after a 6-8 hour shift on my feet?

Capt_Inzane

I'll be ... I looked up New Jersey Dept of Labor law for breaks

Q. Are breaks and lunches required by law?

A. The mandatory break law only applies to minors under the age of 18 and they must be given a thirty (30) minute meal period after five (5) consecutive hours of work. Company policy dictates break and lunch periods for anyone over the age of 18.

Damn, that sucks!!! I work at a desk but basically I can take as many breaks as I want as long as the work gets done.

Look Google may be your friend here so you can do some research but as others have mentioned food is the body's fuel. I highly recommend you eat a good breakfast packed with healthy carbs and protein and possibly some good sugars from fruit. This will help keep you full/high on energy while you work. I imagine you work 8 hours a day or something around that. Since again retail let's just say you go in at around 8am and leave around 6pm?

Something I like to do is make overnight oats it's extremely easy and ready to eat in the AM you can also mix/match a ridiculous amount of flavors so it doesn't get old quickly. Try and throw some eggs in the microwave while you get dressed/wake up and then chow down. If you find you don't have time for that then refer back to meal replacement bar (it's not the best but you need to get something in your body).

Then for lunch, you may be able to speak with your employer and let them know that you'd like to take a 15 minute break sometime between 2pm and 4pm. Let them decide the time and/or they may just say "hey we're slow go ahead and get a quick break in". During that break try and eat whatever you can. If you have lockers at your work stuff some trail mix or something else you can get your hands on.

Then eat a nicely sized dinner... It sounds like that may be your only choice. Depending on when you get home you could potentially eat at 7pm and then eat a small snack at 11pm before bed?

I don't know your schedule but don't just shove food in your body if you're not hungry but if you start eating a little bit more your body will get used to having that fuel at that time.

We all have different hurdles we have to overcome and this just seems to be another one for you.


OH and the physical activity DO NOT do anything when you're hurt/sore. Your form will be lacking and you'll probably injure yourself. How long have you been working? If this is new give it time (cpl months) your body will respond/get stronger and it won't be as difficult. Then when you feel you can make it through a full day of work with no issues gradually add some walking/running/gym (gym would probably be best so you can lift heavy).

Again goodluck!

Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like.

Yourkindagirl

You are getting some really good advice.

You need to eat more than one meal per day. If you are unable to eat traditional meals, make smoothies, drink Slim Fast, eat Greek yogurt (protein) and buy plenty of fruit and portable veggies and nuts.

Some quick breakfast ideas I use:

I don't know if you like oatmeal or not, but you can make oatmeal in 2.5 minutes for breakfast. I do on a regular basis. Take a half cup of Quaker oats, add a cup of water, (optional: throw in some berries - if you do, decrease the water to 3/4 cup), and sugar or sugar substitute, and microwave it for 2.5 minutes. I normally put this into a disposable cup with a plastic spoon, and eat it as I drive to work. Some days while I am getting ready for work, I cook my breakfast. As soon as I wake, I put my turkey sausage in the oven to bake. It takes me about 20-30 minutes to get dressed. By the time I'm ready, so is my sausage. I eat it with bread on the way out of the door. Another quick breakfast idea. Buy bagel thins or English Muffins, toast them. While these are toasting, crack an egg in a saucer. Burst the yolk, add salt and pepper. Put it in the microwave and cook for about 40 seconds. Place the cooked egg on your bagel thin or English muffin, add cheese and microwave a piece of Canadian bacon for about 15 seconds. Add it. You have a breakfast sandwich that took about 2 minutes to make. Eat this as you go to work. Try to have a piece for fruit with both breakfast and lunch.

Take fruit, nuts, Greek yogurt, and sandwiches that you prepare the night before. All of these can be eaten in 5 minutes.

Make sure your dinner is something that is more balanced. I hope this helps.

FitOldMomma

Skipping breakfast and lunch is one way I gained a lot of weight. I was too busy in the morning and just drank coffee and smoked cigs. Then, before I knew it it would be 2pm and I'd be starving! So- I'd go through the fast food drive through to get something 'to tide me over' until dinner. Lol, that would be a Big Mac and large fries. The crazy thing is then I'd be hungrier for the rest of the evening, even after eating dinner.
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Try to have easy, quick and healthy options available first thing in the morning. Bring along a healthy snack such as fruit or veggies, yogurt or even hard boiled eggs. Drink milk with a protein powder supplement in a pinch. But going hours and hours without eating isn't the greatest for you. Good luck.

ftsolk

I really don't understand why people tell me to "find a new job" as if I can just go out and find a new job overnight. It doesn't quite work that way. I was unemployed for nearly a year before I found this job (and I actually only got this job because I knew the person who did the hiring- the SECOND time I interviewed). I've looked at other positions- ones that may have more stable hours, etc. However, I am in a bit of a bind. While I would absolutely love a daycare position that would give me a Monday-Friday schedule, working in retail is actually a good thing for me right now. Eventually, I'll have my student teaching. I won't be able to work a traditional Monday-Friday job. Technically, I probably won't be able to work on weekends either, but I need to give myself the chance since I can't go 3-4 months without working. So, as much as this job is driving me insane, it really is the best place for me right now.

I used to drink smoothies more often. They were made with milk, greek yogurt, fruit, and vegetables. I had access to a fridge in my department where I could keep my smoothie until I was ready to drink it. Now, that's not really an option since the policies have changed (after a few people in my department were fired for shoplifting.) I already have a gallon jug of water and a water bottle that I keep in my cart with me. Adding a smoothie is just a bit much. It was a lot easier when I could keep the gallon of water in the fridge.

When it's slow(er), I try to take a break. There are just some days when it's pretty much impossible. Lately, those days are fairly frequent. Mondays, I often don't get a chance to take a break- and I usually work late. To complicate things, I don't eat after noon or drink anything after 2pm on Mondays because I have my weigh-in at 5, so even if I get a break, I almost never eat. It doesn't phase me anymore. If I weighed in during the mornings, I would stop eating and drinking by midnight or 10pm or something. It's just for consistency.

I've been at this job for almost 8 months now, but things have gotten busier during that time, so I haven't "adjusted" physically. I'm used to being on my feet all day, and I feel weird when I'm not, but it comes at a price. I have some issues with my feet if I stand for an extended period of time. It DOES improve when I get new shoes (my shoes are wearing out quickly), but it doesn't solve everything.

Lorleee

Those are pretty disgraceful laws in NJ. My jaw is literally on the floor. I bet the smokers in your organization take frequent breaks. Anyway, if I were you I'd bring boiled eggs and fruit and pop them on your way to the washroom (I'm hoping you're allowed to pee?) Wow, I am so mad for you. It's like reading a Dickens novel. Is this the norm in the United States or is it just your state where this is allowed?

sseqwnp

Zeroaccess wrote: »

Weight Loss is I think 70-80 percent diet.

To me eating one meal a day (and it sounds like your meals aren't meals) will cause your energy level to decrease making it difficult for you to perform your job. Also I the body isn't designed to eat one meal a day. I'm not a doctor hell I barely know what I'm doing day to day but if it doesn't seem right via common sense then it's probably not.

....

Actually the body's not even designed to eat every day. Constantly fed (6 small meals a day) is very unnatural.

lishie_rebooted

I skimmed the responses.


I see absolutely nothing wrong with eating one meal a day and maybe a snack or two. As long as you're hitting your macro and micro goals and getting all the nutrients, there's no need to eat throughout the day.

Since you've already got such a physical job, just make sure your MFP goals are taking that into account so you're not eating too little for the goal. You don't have to exercise

jamieben1824

oldmomma wrote: »

Skipping breakfast and lunch is one way I gained a lot of weight. I was too busy in the morning and just drank coffee and smoked cigs. Then, before I knew it it would be 2pm and I'd be starving! So- I'd go through the fast food drive through to get something 'to tide me over' until dinner. Lol, that would be a Big Mac and large fries. The crazy thing is then I'd be hungrier for the rest of the evening, even after eating dinner.
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Try to have easy, quick and healthy options available first thing in the morning. Bring along a healthy snack such as fruit or veggies, yogurt or even hard boiled eggs. Drink milk with a protein powder supplement in a pinch. But going hours and hours without eating isn't the greatest for you. Good luck.

^^ This is so true and all these are pretty great advice. Its really all about habit, or training yourself and your body. Even getting hungry can be something you may have to more less force yourself esp in the morning. Keep the body FUELED i dont think that everyone has to exercise and I understand the time crunches, but I am a huge advocate of it, just for overall health. Its good your keeping moving. Everyone is really saying alot of sensible things to you on this post. best of luck!

jasonmh630

In regards to weight loss, meal timing and frequency are purely personal preference. Do what makes you feel best and energized. I know some people swear on eating 3 square meals per day and others do something called intermittent fasting (like me). Those who do IF (in my experience) usually have busy schedules, so eating all of our allotted calories for the day between certain times of the day not only works for us, but it fits our individual daily schedules. Take me for instance... I have to be at work by 7am. When I wake up between 5:30-6am, I will shower/shave and get dressed and have a cup of coffee before I leave my apartment. I'm not a big breakfast person, so the coffee is usually enough for me. I go to work, come home, and consume all of my calories between 3:30-8pm... I'm not saying this will work for you because everyone's body reacts to different approaches variably. Just letting you know what works for me.

ftsolk

jamieben1824 wrote: »

Even getting hungry can be something you may have to more less force yourself esp in the morning.

Is it weird that I don't necessarily want to train myself to be hungry in the mornings?

A lot of the time, I skip breakfast if I suspect it's going to be a crazy day at work. Why? Because If I eat breakfast at, say, 9-10am, then I'm often hungry between noon and 2 at the LATEST (and this holds true whether breakfast is leftover chicken drumsticks or a bowl of cereal). However, I don't feel hungry until closer to 4pm if I skip breakfast.

Currently, there is a severe lack of balance when it comes to scheduling. Yesterday, I was scheduled to work 11-6, so I got a lunch break. Early in my shift, things were actually ahead, so I went on my 30 minute lunch break around 1pm. However, there was a point between 3pm and 5pm where there were only three people in my department. We started to fall behind at that point, and one of my co-workers even stayed an extra 30 minutes until the person who was scheduled to come in at 5pm came in JUST because if he left, I would have been the only shopper there (the other person was in charge of managing the computer aspect of the department- she wasn't shopping at the time).

I ended up taking my break at 6:15- just because I'm entitled to a break according to the union contract, and I do get paid for my 15 minute breaks. Unfortunately, I don't always have the time to take a break after work.. though if I do have the time, I'm going to start taking it so I can get paid for a extra 15 minutes while I get my things together to leave.

The way things work for me, I generally only get one break. There's definitely a better chance of me being able to take one earlier in my shift, but I really hate doing that. I don't feel like I need a rest after only one order. Plus, there is usually only a very short window of time between when I've worked at least two hours and that 2 hour span where I'm often the ONLY person in my department shopping. Sometimes, timing the shopping down to the point where I can squeeze in a break within that time is nearly impossible (assuming there is even that span). By the time more people come in, I'm usually either at the end of my shift, or things have started to fall behind because (unlike what my boss SEEMS to think based on the way she schedules) I'm not able to do the work of 3-4 other people in addition to myself.

Yesterday, however, I did eat something before work. Then, when I went to eat my lunch, I could barely eat half of it. I'm just not used to eating at work- especially that early.