Eating only once a day - What are your thoughts

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Replies

  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    Nooo this is not healthy! you can make yourself ill doing this, mess up your metabolism and gain it all back when you eat normal. You will lose muscle which is important in weight loss, and possibly develop an eating disorder. I done this years ago and it completely messed me up! you need breakfast, Eat clean and healthy and add healthy snacks and keep doing what your doing with the exercise and your body will thank you for it, add some resistance training to build muscle and your a winner xx

    Tell that to this guy....

    DSC00316.JPG

    IF done properly is perfectly fine...my guess is you didn't do it properly.

    OP, it really depends on what you're eating in that window...You need to be getting enough calories as well as proper nutrition. Most people who practice IF have about a 4 hour window or so.

    http://www.leangains.com/
    Breakfast cereal lobbyists hate him
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
    Binge eating is not healthy, from a biological or mental perspective.
    Nor does it mean people are eating less.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23244741
    Double trouble: restrained eaters do not eat less and feel worse
    "high levels of dietary restraint do not appear to reflect actual caloric restraint, it has been found to be a risk factor for a wide array of maladaptive eating patterns. ... restrained eaters do not eat less than they intend to do"

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18325547
    "We examine the comfort food preferences and consumption patterns of women with highly versus less developed schemas for cognitive restraint, emotional and situational eating ... complex eating schemas weaken biological signals and produce maladaptive patterns... High schematics reported a lesser post-consumption increase in fullness than low schematics. Low schematics favoured low and high calorie foods equally, their choice motivated by pleasure and positive emotions."

    your body will not start detoxing itself if you do this OP.
    The body "detoxes" all on its own, and if it doesn't then nothing you can do yourself will have any effect.
    If your liver &/or kidneys are not working, you'll be very sick and needs lots of skilled medical help to live.


    Eat breakfast. In fact, have about half your calories for breakfast.

    "Breakfast is associated with lower body weight ... "
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24898236

    This study compared eating a small breakfast, medium lunch, and large dinner, [200, 500, 700 cal]
    with eating a large breakfast, medium lunch, and small dinner [700, 500, 200 cal].
    "The [large breakfast] group showed greater weight loss and waist circumference reduction ... fasting glucose, insulin [&] triglycerides ... decreased significantly to a greater extent in the [large breakfast] group."
    In addition, hunger was less and satiety was greater.
    Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512957
    Full text:
    http://genetics.doctorsonly.co.il/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Jakubowicz-at-al-Obesity-2013-oby20460.pdf

    "subjects assigned to high caloric intake during breakfast lost significantly more weight than those assigned to high caloric intake during the dinner"
    Abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24467926
    Full text: http://www.tradewindsports.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Nutrient-Timing-and-Obesity-2014.pdf

    "data suggest that a low-calorie Mediterranean diet with a higher amount of calories in the first part of the day could establish a greater reduction in fat mass and improved insulin sensitivity than a typical daily diet."
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24809437


    But if you can exercise before breakfast, you're going to be burning more fat, because your glucose & glycogen stores are already depleted.
    "findings suggest that there may be an advantage for body fat regulation and lipid metabolism in exercising before compared with after breakfast."
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23167985
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Fit4eva, why do you ( general) need breakfast?

    I need it myself or I get too hungry later in the morning but that's me - lots of people manage fine without it.
    Because you have not eaten all night, where are you gonna have the energy to take on the day and do your exercises? Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and stops you from being starving later on in the day and overeating.
    Nope
    YES

    There is ZERO science to back this claim.

    If you feel better doing it, then do it... that's your personal preference, and that's perfectly fine.

    BUT... it's not required. "where are you going to get the energy" is actually really easy to answer... most people are on this site to lose some of the energy they have to take on the day... it's called body fat, you know, stored energy... yeah.

    I feel that your heart is in the right place, but you are misinformed here :frown:
    I spent years starving myself trying to lose weight! once i started eating properly and clean and having breakfast the weight fell off> I have spent most of my 20's in the gym with different pt and researching every thing going! losing weight is simple, eat clean and move. don't starve and don't overeat! it is common sense that starving all day and then eating a big meal is not good! what about your sugar levels, your digestive system. Ask a doctor, Ask a pt, Ask a nutritionist? I answered this question because i have starved myself and made myself ill. I now eat clean and train and feel good. I would never recommend to anyone to starve all day

    How many calories were you eating? If you were only eating 600-800 calories at that one meal...then yes...I think that you might very possibly could have felt as if you were starving and created several problems for yourself.

    I am not sure that only having one meal a day would suffice for me but I also don't think that it is necessary to have 3 meals and 2 snacks either. I could however probably get by with 2 meals over a specified number of hours. I think it is entirely doable and can be healthy at the same time...no...I don't have scientific evidence...but...I think that my body would be okay with just two meals and maybe a light snack in between.

    I have considered this plan in the past. I might try it to see how it works for me.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    Whatever works for you as long as you hit your calorie and macro targets. I can't do it, I need 5-6 small meals scattered throughout the day.
  • cingle87
    cingle87 Posts: 717 Member
    Look at my ticker, 90% of that loss has been achieved eating most of my calories within a couple of hours. Like you I didnt set out to eat everything in a small window due to my time table Its just worked out like this.
  • reeyonce
    reeyonce Posts: 43 Member
    Not for me, I love eating breakfast. In fact I need it, can't cope without it. Back when I was fat I could go all day without eating, then in the evenings I'd have a huge blow out. I NEVER wanna go back to that. I like to eat three meals a day and three meals a day only. I don't snack, my meals are enough to keep me from going hungry. That's just me though, I'm very happy with my diet.

    I would say though...is this something you can keep up forever? Cus if not, be careful when you start to eat three meals again, the weight would probably pile back on!
  • ghosthackexe
    ghosthackexe Posts: 181 Member
    Hi I typically only eat one meal a day usually in the eve it's not so much as I think its better for weight loss because you'll achieve the same loss no matter when you eat in the day but for me its easier just because I normally have a packed day get up in the early AM's to run/workout then straight to work and I choose to avoid eating at work since everything everywhere is filled with junk food so its easier to just wait till I get home where I can prep my own meal and know exactly what calories and macro's are going into it thats just my take on it not being in an eating mood at work helps me not to be tempted to eat crap.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    Not for me, I love eating breakfast. In fact I need it, can't cope without it. Back when I was fat I could go all day without eating, then in the evenings I'd have a huge blow out. I NEVER wanna go back to that. I like to eat three meals a day and three meals a day only. I don't snack, my meals are enough to keep me from going hungry. That's just me though, I'm very happy with my diet.

    I would say though...is this something you can keep up forever? Cus if not, be careful when you start to eat three meals again, the weight would probably pile back on!
    How about ...no.
  • LeonCX
    LeonCX Posts: 862 Member
    I'm surprised someone hasn't posted that eating one meal a day caused cancer in laboratory rats. I say as long as it works for you, that's all that matters.
  • nosebag1212
    nosebag1212 Posts: 621 Member
    it's fine, IF for me is the only way to diet, eating tiny rabit sized meals that never makes you full throughout the day is just depressing imo, meal timing doesn't mean **** so long as you're hitting your calories/macros each day that's all that matters. Anyone who says it's bad or will 'slow down your metabolism' has no idea what they're talking about, a slowed metabolism happens over a period of months with a severe deficit, and is never as extreme as many people think.
  • TestingFun01
    TestingFun01 Posts: 89 Member
    I enjoy eating one meal a day. That is dinner. I eat a big ol' plate of food. I get a glass of milk with it, and also any dessert I'd like. I love it. Lots of freedom. :)
  • reeyonce
    reeyonce Posts: 43 Member
    I just think it's unrealistic long term. I highly doubt this person is gonna keep this up forever. I reckon they will do it for a few weeks/months etc and then go back to eating normally. Like they said themselves the whole thing was pretty much accidental. When their circumstances/lifestyle changes, their diet probably will too. They haven't intentionally adopted this way of eating to achieve a goal, I mean they don't even count calories and they eat what they want. Comparing this situation to people who have intentionally set out a structural way to eat one meal a day, eating all their required calories and whatnot is just ridiculous.

    Do it for now if that's what is working for you. But long term I just don't think it's realistic.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    Fit4eva, why do you ( general) need breakfast?

    I need it myself or I get too hungry later in the morning but that's me - lots of people manage fine without it.
    Because you have not eaten all night, where are you gonna have the energy to take on the day and do your exercises? Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and stops you from being starving later on in the day and overeating.

    Nope.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    LOL..I posted the above not realizing that others had already said no.

    The whole 'you need breakfast' thing is pure crap
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I spent years starving myself trying to lose weight! once i started eating properly and clean and having breakfast the weight fell off> I have spent most of my 20's in the gym with different pt and researching every thing going! losing weight is simple, eat clean and move. don't starve and don't overeat! it is common sense that starving all day and then eating a big meal is not good! what about your sugar levels, your digestive system. Ask a doctor, Ask a pt, Ask a nutritionist? I answered this question because i have starved myself and made myself ill. I now eat clean and train and feel good. I would never recommend to anyone to starve all day
    Hmm I don't 'Eat Clean' so I wonder how I lost that 145 pounds. I know magic.
  • Curtruns
    Curtruns Posts: 510 Member
    I would post your question on a public forum and let others debate the pro's and con's of your actions and laugh at how animated they get in their disagreements.

    Then I would do a google/bing/goduckgo search on your question and base your decision on the source that makes the most sense to you.

    after all, opinions are like _________ and MFP is full of them :tongue:
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
    Eating 3 square meals a day is a recent concept.

    http://www.alternet.org/story/152486/there_is_no_biological_reason_to_eat_three_meals_a_day_--_so_why_do_we_do_it?page=0,0
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    If your nutritional requirements are being met in one meal a day, have at it, absolutely nothing wrong with it.

    :drinker:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Fit4eva, why do you ( general) need breakfast?

    I need it myself or I get too hungry later in the morning but that's me - lots of people manage fine without it.
    Because you have not eaten all night, where are you gonna have the energy to take on the day and do your exercises? Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and stops you from being starving later on in the day and overeating.
    Nope
    YES

    There is ZERO science to back this claim.

    If you feel better doing it, then do it... that's your personal preference, and that's perfectly fine.

    BUT... it's not required. "where are you going to get the energy" is actually really easy to answer... most people are on this site to lose some of the energy they have to take on the day... it's called body fat, you know, stored energy... yeah.

    I feel that your heart is in the right place, but you are misinformed here :frown:
    I spent years starving myself trying to lose weight! once i started eating properly and clean and having breakfast the weight fell off> I have spent most of my 20's in the gym with different pt and researching every thing going! losing weight is simple, eat clean and move. don't starve and don't overeat! it is common sense that starving all day and then eating a big meal is not good! what about your sugar levels, your digestive system. Ask a doctor, Ask a pt, Ask a nutritionist? I answered this question because i have starved myself and made myself ill. I now eat clean and train and feel good. I would never recommend to anyone to starve all day
    I think you might be missing the point. The OP is not starving himself, he's choosing to eat his calories in a bigger daily meal. 1200 is too low for him, so all he needs to do is increase his calories. While eating one meal a day would not work for me, and it did not work for you, it does work for others.

    Also, clean eating has nothing to do with weight loss, and neither does meal frequency.
  • paomiamifl
    paomiamifl Posts: 61 Member
    I just think it's unrealistic long term. I highly doubt this person is gonna keep this up forever. I reckon they will do it for a few weeks/months etc and then go back to eating normally. Like they said themselves the whole thing was pretty much accidental. When their circumstances/lifestyle changes, their diet probably will too. They haven't intentionally adopted this way of eating to achieve a goal, I mean they don't even count calories and they eat what they want. Comparing this situation to people who have intentionally set out a structural way to eat one meal a day, eating all their required calories and whatnot is just ridiculous.

    Do it for now if that's what is working for you. But long term I just don't think it's realistic.
    It may sound unrealistic; however, I've been living (and clearly healthily surviving) eating one meal a day since around June/July 2013 (around 13 months or so)
    If the OP feels better, I support the idea because if they didn't have "excess energy" (in the form of fat reserves), it wouldn't cause weight loss AND the reported surge of energy the OP (and myself) is claiming. If I eat breakfast, I feel sick. It's always been true for me. I didn't get obese by not eating breakfast but rather eating surplus energy my body obviously didn't need.
    Eating one meal a day - in my case - has resulted in going from 226 to 134.2 (today's weight). I'm 5'1, wheelchair bound, DO NOT count calories, enjoy my one meal a day immensely, do not think about food all day, eat chocolate, ice cream, and delicious healthy recipes my husband and I cook once a day. Today, we are eating leftovers from yesterday around 5pm. And we won't eat until 5 pm tomorrow, with the exception of a coffee here or there (with real sugar AND creamer) and the rest of the time, water.
    Would I tell EVERYONE to do it? No. Mostly because I honestly believe people should find what helps them, and stick with it day after day. At the end of the day, it's calories in vs calories out. HOWEVER one gets that message to their bodies across is fine in my book.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    I don't see how it matters that OP may not do this for rest of his life.

    If he is eating, say, 1500 calories in one meal now and then later decides to eat 750 calories in 2 meals or 500 calories in 3 meals or 300 calories in 5 meals or any other way of dividing 1500 throughout the day,why should weight pile back on???
  • reeyonce
    reeyonce Posts: 43 Member
    But that's the whole point of what I'm trying to say. He clearly stated himself that he doesn't even COUNT CALORIES! Which is why it is unrealistic! For all he knows he could be eating only 1000 calories a day. When he starts to eat normally again, he'll probably eat a lot more calories, thus gaining weight. There is no overall structure to this 'diet' or 'lifestyle change' or whatever he wants to call it...it's just really a matter of convenience and circumstance which we can ALL relate to I'm sure. However if he actually sat down and worked out a plan where he is eating only one meal per day and getting all he needs from it, then THAT would be perfectly fine! Plenty of people do it!!!!!! My point is very simple. It's not hard to understand :/

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