What is your opinion on skipping meals when you aren't hungry?
alwaysbloated
Posts: 458 Member
Or saving calories from meals to eat later on, for a special occassion or cheat meal?
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Replies
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Saving calories over a day, or even over a couple days for a big meal is fine, as long as you are aren't stinting yourself too much.
As far as not eating if you aren't hungry, well if you truly aren't hungry, you probably don't need extra calories at the moment. Again as long as you aren't making yourself sick, and it's only once in a while, you are probably fine. Some people don't need as many meals in a day, some people do better eating only one or two meals, and using thier calories up at once instead of over the whole day.7 -
I don't eat until about 2pm most days as I'm naturally a night time eater.
No problem doing it as long as you get your nutrition in each day.4 -
And I save around 150 calories week days to eat out or have a few drinks at a week end.0
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alwaysbloated wrote: »Or saving calories from meals to eat later on, for a special occassion or cheat meal?
Look at your weekly goal not daily4 -
I'm all for skipping meals if you don't feel hungry. Obviously at some point your body will demand nutrients, if it doesn't feel hungry yet, I don't eat the meal. But I don't have specific meal times anyways, so sometimes my lunch would be at 12:00, sometimes at 15:30
Saving for special occasions, have never thought about that, think that would demand too much self control for me to be already in a deficit and to cut kcal out of that even more to eat something..nah1 -
If I’m not hungry then I don’t bother to eat. My appetite can be pretty fluid where it just bumps along like a flat line and the I go super not hungry and might have a day or two of super low calorie days and then back to normal and then a couple of days where I’m super hungry so I eat over calories a bit and it basically all evens out. Now that I’ve been tracking for almost a year I can see these days for what they are and just roll with it.4
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My opinion is that skipping meals and low calorie days are fine, even more often than just before an event, but with caveats:
1. It shouldn't push your overall deficit over time too high - that would be chronic undereating which isn't good
2. It shouldn't push you into an extreme hunger rollercoaster of skipping meals, feeling hungrier, loss of control, overeating
3. It shouldn't encourage an unhealthy mental perception of food like "fewer calories is better, food is my enemy", or worse, disordered thinking patterns, or even worse, eating disorder if you are prone to it.
If you do it in a calm and controlled manner and know that it's just a calorie management system, then I don't see any issues with it. In your specific case, occasionally saving up for a higher calorie meal or day, it's usually less likely to create problems, but still, be mindful and take action if you find yourself over-restricting, over-compensating, or losing control.8 -
It depends on what happens later, and over time. Does it even out or do you end up overeating?
I think "skipping meals" is vague enough to make many people panic. Eating regularly is good, but eating regularly can be anything from eating something every hour, to one meal per day.1 -
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Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.26
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I skip my snacks when I'm not hungry, then I consider those calories a bonus on the weekends or when I get snacky another day. I sometimes skip breakfast if I don't workout, but I try not to. I'll always eat lunch and dinner, but maybe only half a portion if I'm just not hungry.0
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Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
No, it doesn't.
As for not eating when you are not hungry, why force yourself to eat calories that your body doesn't want? Have a larger meal or an extra snack later in the day (or week).2 -
I look at my calories on a weekly basis. Some days I'm hungrier then others so I eat more. Other days I'm not as hungry so I'd eat a little less.
At the end of the week I'm still eating my maintenance calories so I don't lose or gain. Works great for me for when I was losing weight and while maintaining.3 -
No issues with this, but keep it in moderation. I eat a light breakfast and lunch simply because I don't want anything heavy in my gut while I'm working. I eat the majority of my calories later at night when I'm relaxing and playing with my family.1
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alwaysbloated wrote: »Or saving calories from meals to eat later on, for a special occassion or cheat meal?
My opinion is that it works for me. That's about as far as it goes though.
Some days I am hungrier than other days so I some days I eat more than other days. And some days I don't eat much even though I may be hungry because I know I'll want to splurge tomorrow (or maybe I splurged yesterday).0 -
DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
Skipping one meal here and there is not starving your body.
But that aside, I find the differences in people so interesting. I am the exact opposite. I find that if I'm eating when not hungry I'm more likely to eat purely for pleasure, which may not always be what is best for me. But if I wait until I'm really hungry just about anything will suffice so I usually make more sensible choices.2 -
I can't recall a time when I wasn't hungry come time for a meal. I've skipped on snacks because I'm not hungry, but I'm usually pretty much ready to eat come meal time.
I don't necessarily save calories from meals to eat later...but if I know I have, say a BBQ or something in the evening that I will be going to, I typically eat a bit lighter during the day and/or I may naturally eat a bit lighter the next day if it was a big feast.0 -
Assuming we're not talking about anything extreme or overly 1-sided, it's fine. Your body is constantly adjusting to conditions, and is remarkably adaptable/resilient. If things are balancing out over time, then short/finite time periods are largely irrelevant.
Don't dismiss the mental aspect though, as that can be a bigger deal for some than simply banking/balancing out calorie needs.1 -
If there was ever a time I wasn't hungry at meal time I would totally skip eating. I wish that would happen for me.2
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I think saving or budgeting calories is a good habit and one many people on MFP use. I'm currently in maintenance, and I still do it. Usually I eat several snacks/small meals throughout the day (3-5) and then eat a normal sized dinner. However, when I know that we're getting free lunch at work, I'll only eat my normal small breakfast, the lunch (which is usually large), then a small dinner or I skip it altogether. If I a holiday or special occasion is coming up, I might eat slightly less the days before and/or after. It's just another way to manage your calories.
I've also found some days I'm just less or more hungry than normal. I will eat less if I'm just not hungry (or more sedentary), although unless I'm sick, I don't eat less than 1200 calories. Then if I'm hungrier than normal (or more active), I'll eat a bit more. It usually all evens out.2 -
WickedPineapple wrote: »I think saving or budgeting calories is a good habit and one many people on MFP use. I'm currently in maintenance, and I still do it. Usually I eat several snacks/small meals throughout the day (3-5) and then eat a normal sized dinner. However, when I know that we're getting free lunch at work, I'll only eat my normal small breakfast, the lunch (which is usually large), then a small dinner or I skip it altogether. If I a holiday or special occasion is coming up, I might eat slightly less the days before and/or after. It's just another way to manage your calories.
I've also found some days I'm just less or more hungry than normal. I will eat less if I'm just not hungry (or more sedentary), although unless I'm sick, I don't eat less than 1200 calories. Then if I'm hungrier than normal (or more active), I'll eat a bit more. It usually all evens out.
This is me exactly. Even down to the free lunch at work.
Even in maintenance, I skip meals. If I'm truly not hungry, I do not see the point in eating. I'll certainly make up for it later in the day or perhaps the next day. I frequently skip lunch on Saturdays because my husband and I almost always go out to dinner Saturday night and with my husband, it's never a small meal. I'll usually just have a few small snacks throughout the day and save the bulk of my calories for the meal out.2 -
Listen- we’ve all been poorly informed about healthy eating, hunger, starvation and caloric demands.
First off- if you’re of the general population that happens to be overweight or obese- you’ve never truly encountered hunger or starvation for that matter. Most Americans have a minimum of a months worth of fat stores on their bodies which would technically keep the body and brain fed and nourished without any caloric intake for an entire month. People with extreme obesity are IMO hardcore doomsday preppers. Now obesity is the greatest health crisis that we face in this day and age, but at least you can take a positive spin on it. All that aside- fasting has many benefits and I do personally recommend doing week long fasts once or twice a year and then intermittent fasting periodically through the year. It has huge benefits to your immune system, lung health and your bodies ability to repair, restore, renew and fight cancer while detoxing and expelling the built up toxins that our fat stores continuously and without end.
A 3-4 day fast will move you through the unpleasant period of detoxing from sugars and garbage food and on into a state of ketosis and autophagy where the body really cleans itself. Maintaining a fast for a week will give your body the time to reset and renew without causing major upset to metabolism. (Metabolism isn’t as delicate as we’ve been led to believe). It’s a wonderful time to commit to a new healthy lifestyle and to really reset to optimal gut health following the clean out and commitment to cleaner eating.
The truth about meals and eating? We have been led to believe that we need constant food with high frequency in order to function at our best. Yet any person who has experience with fasting will maintain that mental clarity and acuity improves when in a fasting state. For optimal physical prowess there needs to be balance in order for one to meet physical goals. Much of eating is based more on addiction to garbage foods (namely sugars) and misconceptions of feeding demands.
Depending on how active you are- there’s the basic math of caloric requirements for weight maintenance, losses and gains. Skipping meals or having periodic short fasts can be a boon to your health in aiding in repairing insulin and blood sugar levels, regulating your feelings of hangriness, and retraining your body to eat when it needs to eat rather than eat because you were told a magic little fairy tale about 3-5 meals a day. Fasting is NOT for weight loss- though you will lose water weight, adipose and fecal mass, following a fast your body will naturally replenish its stores. Fasting is about health, control, cravings and clarity.
Meet your caloric demands. Have a loss here, have a treat there. Keep your body dynamic and fluid and able to take on variations in diet without crashing!
Also a little FYI- don’t have time to gather links but numerous studies have shown that lower calorie diets than the standard 2k we’ve been advised to follow actually promotes healthier living and considerably longer life expectancy.
Time to think outside of the box!19 -
I wish I could skip meals if I'm not hungry. I just need to eat all the time.1
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I think it's absolutely fine because in doing this you are really listening to your body, there's no point eating if you are not hungry. But the same goes the other way too.
Wish it would happen to me though, I'm constantly hungry!0 -
I have no problem skipping meals when not hungry, not that that is often, but something I do find happens is that when I "forget" to eat, I can go for most of the day without food and then the first thing I eat sends my body in to overdrive and I just want to consume everything and I don't have a "full" trigger.
This normally happens if I'm working from home and am locked away in the office working. I don't notice the time and then it's 15:00 and I haven't eaten all day.
If I then eat anything, I will become the human locus. Is this something anyone else has experienced?1 -
Skipping meals is fine if planned for ... its kind of the basis of intermittent fasting. Eat all your calories later on in the day.
Skipping can become a problem if you do it in reaction to something and can lead to food disorders though ... Ie you ate too much for breakfast when you ordered that latte and muffin and now you are panicing so decide to miss lunch even though you are hungry ... you don't want to go down this road.
But I know I have a heavy food weekend coming up, I know my next two days of training are relatively light days, so I will be Intermittent fasting over these two days and only eating in the evening, so I meet my calorie goals for the week1 -
Doing it occasionally isn't a big deal, but if it becomes recurrent, be mindful of why you're skipping meals. Is it truly lack of hunger, or are you simply distracted and forget to eat.0
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Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I always do find it astonishing how many people think that their body just shuts down all fat mobilization just because they are 5 seconds late on some fantasy schedule. Apparently, our ancestors were completely anal about eating and had amazing metabolisms that ran on sunshine and air in case they didn't get that meal in on time. (Ok, if you reduce it down all the way our energy does come from sunshine but...)
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I always do find it astonishing how many people think that their body just shuts down all fat mobilization just because they are 5 seconds late on some fantasy schedule. Apparently, our ancestors were completely anal about eating and had amazing metabolisms that ran on sunshine and air in case they didn't get that meal in on time. (Ok, if you reduce it down all the way our energy does come from sunshine but...)
That reminded me of this news report
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/swiss-women-dies-giving-water-food-thought-live-sunlight-article-1.10673590
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