Skipping dinner - your thoughts?

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nat3rd
nat3rd Posts: 9
in Food and Nutrition
I have always been told that skipping meals is no good for you as it stalls your metabolism. I have been seeing a nutritionist for some time now and she is a firm believer in 'intermittent fasting' or skipping meals. What are your thoughts? I find that I quite often don't feel the need for dinner as I find the food I consume during the day keeps me full. Really interested to know what others think. I'm not concerned with doing this to lose weight (although I do still have a kg or 2 to lose) but more so to maintain my new weight.

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  • Blacklance36
    Blacklance36 Posts: 755 Member
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    The main thing is making sure that you hit your calorie and nutritional needs for the day.
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
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    I don't believe its bad for you...I must admit eat a late lunch(around 4) so I skip dinners, however I wake up and eat something in the middle of the night...not sure if by blood sugar does down or what, but its become a really bad habit!!
  • jrose1982
    jrose1982 Posts: 366 Member
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    I regularly eat only 2 meals a day. On sedentary days (if I'm following my carb restrictions), that's all I need.
    If I feel hungry in the evening, than I eat. But most of the time all I need is a snack, not a full meal.
    Generally, the only days I need a full meal are the days that I work out.

    I don't understand intermittent fasting. I've read a few articles about it, but for some reason the information doesn't stick. I do understand listening to your body, so that's what I do. And it amounts to the same thing anyway.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    It's totally fine... I've done it a few times after a huge lunch.
  • Derpes
    Derpes Posts: 2,033 Member
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    It is all about calories in and calories out, ultimately.

    Do what will help you sustain your desired lifestyle over the long haul.
  • zivasak
    zivasak Posts: 88
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    It is not a criminal act (to your body) but it is best to make dinner your biggest meal when cortisol is at its lowest and skip breakfast instead when it is at its highest, should you go for the fasting route of course.

    ETA: cortisol when at its highest facilitates fat metabolism for energy. More fat is burned. In addition, fasting causes a rise in growth hormone. Best to break fast after noon.

    Bottom line, if you just want to lose weight it is calories in/out but if you are looking for a healthier body and body composition, hormonal balance should be worked on too.

    My $ 0.02.
  • bm1409
    bm1409 Posts: 1,715 Member
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    I find I lose weight when I skip dinner, or eat something very light. I actually sleep better too.
  • nat3rd
    nat3rd Posts: 9
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    Thanks for the input everybody :)
  • Hikr56
    Hikr56 Posts: 128 Member
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    I never even heard of IF until I joined MFP back in September. IF has been key to my weight loss success! I can't say enough good about the effect it's had on me and I only started it about 2 months ago.

    I'm your opposite though - for me it's "breakfast" I don't need. For decades I forced myself to eat breakfast first thing in the morning "because you should NEVER skip breakfast", in spite of what my body was telling me. I would be STARVING all day afterwards and consume enormous amounts of extra calories trying to get rid of the hunger.

    Long story short, I break- fast between 11:30 and 12:30 pm. every day AFTER I do the bulk of my exercise workout. I stop eating by 6:30 - 7:00 pm. ( 16:8 daily). Now I don't have any of the extreme hunger and constant need to graze. IF works for me. I only wish I'd known about it sooner!

    Good luck with your eating plan.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
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    I do IF most days, eating from 11 am/noonish (sometimes as late as 230 pm) until 10 pm. I've never been a breakfast eater, unless someone else is making it or buying it for me, so it fits my lifestyle perfectly. Most of my workouts are fasted, as well.
  • fificrazy
    fificrazy Posts: 234
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    Eat when you're hungry, stop when you're not. Look at calories as something to get in during a 24 hour time frame. I for one could never ever skip dinner... or dessert... or a snack before bed.... The evening would drag on and on and I would have serious trouble sleeping...
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    I'm the opposite: I am more likely to be able to forgo dinner than breakfast. I don't believe there is any evidence that shows one is superior to the other.
  • Arranna1212
    Arranna1212 Posts: 143 Member
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    If'ing is great if you have a low amount of calories and want more fulfilling meals. I generally don't eat breakfast, a small lunch, and a big dinner. I love being able to come home and just devour a big plate of food and stay within my calorie limits.
  • MyChocolateDiet
    MyChocolateDiet Posts: 22,281 Member
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    eat whatever and whenever you want, just meet your cal goals and macro's
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    Skipping any meal doesn't work for me, I become grumpy and melodramatic and am inclined to eat stupid things. So bear in mind it may work for you, or it may not, and if it doesn't, don't stick to it just because someone else said it was a good idea. This stuff is quite individual.

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