One big meal a day?
Replies
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It is FINE to go longer than 3 hours between meals. Promise.
But what is ideal?
6 meals spread out works best over one huge feeding a day. Promise...lol
Comes down to personal preference & calorie goals as I said.
I used to the 6+ meals a day thing & they were generally all smallish meals as total cals were around 2500. I now prefer to fast for the morning & eat the same amount of cals in 3-4 larger meals.
I've also found personally that I sleep much better with a full stomach specifically with a high carb meal close to bed time.
As the body is still processing nutrients from the previous night's meals during fasting phase I see it making SFA difference overall. Although there are a few hormonal benefits of fasting also but I still go by the fact that cals in vs out is what matters most.
Doing IF, it is ridiculously easy to maintain weight & actually hard to gain weight (which is something I would never have thought would happen to me a few years ago). So I like it
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Given the debate on the first page of comments....here is what I know from MY experience (no medical evidence or web-magic, just what I know from personal experience). I have battled my weight my entire life. In my very early 20s I had an eating discorder. Fast forward a few years...and I am back to battling my weight. I have lived on the "one big meal a day" plan on most days for a long time - except, there was no plan, that's just how I ate. Obviously, the weight remained and I gained even more over the years. When I first decided to tackle my weight issue, I started doing the 6 Week Body Makeover. This plan consists of 5-6 small meals a day. I dropped 30 pounds in no time and never went hungry - just the opposite actually, not being used to eating, I would have to force myself to eat on this plan.
So, just from my experience, when I was eating 5-6 small meals a day is when I had the most success and the fastest results.
How many calories were you logging with your previous failed attempt at "one meal per day"?0 -
It still is just a matter of calories. My guess is that you weren't tracking your one big meal before and that it was more calories than your 5-6 are now.Given the debate on the first page of comments....here is what I know from MY experience (no medical evidence or web-magic, just what I know from personal experience). I have battled my weight my entire life. In my very early 20s I had an eating discorder. Fast forward a few years...and I am back to battling my weight. I have lived on the "one big meal a day" plan on most days for a long time - except, there was no plan, that's just how I ate. Obviously, the weight remained and I gained even more over the years. When I first decided to tackle my weight issue, I started doing the 6 Week Body Makeover. This plan consists of 5-6 small meals a day. I dropped 30 pounds in no time and never went hungry - just the opposite actually, not being used to eating, I would have to force myself to eat on this plan.
So, just from my experience, when I was eating 5-6 small meals a day is when I had the most success and the fastest results.0 -
I totally agree with you. I can' t see how anyone would lose weight by eating their total calories at dinner then 4 hrs later going to bed. In the night, yes your body is still burning calories, but at much slower rate primarily because you're at rest and no exercise is involved, and as such, it would precipitate weight gain.
As for eating smaller meals spaced out during the day. I have always had the most success with doing this for weight training and weight management. Just ask any body builder how many meals they eat a day...most of them eat 6-8 meals a day and most personal trainers recommend this to keep the body's metabolism revved up.0 -
Nobody can tell me when to eat. I eat when I'm hungry and that's it. I don't follow any eating schedule.
Someday I eat at 3PM. Other time, I get up at 6AM and my body wants me to feed her right away.
I'm not into eat 5,6 times a day tho.0 -
I totally agree with you. I can' t see how anyone would lose weight by eating their total calories at dinner then 4 hrs later going to bed. In the night, yes your body is still burning calories, but at much slower rate primarily because you're at rest and no exercise is involved, and as such, it would precipitate weight gain.
As for eating smaller meals spaced out during the day. I have always had the most success with doing this for weight training and weight management. Just ask any body builder how many meals they eat a day...most of them eat 6-8 meals a day and most personal trainers recommend this to keep the body's metabolism revved up.
I eat the largest amount of my calories later in the day. Heck, I've been known to consume 1,000 calories 2-3 hours before I go to bed.
I've lost 60lbs and have been maintaining for over a year.
It works just fine for me. I hate when people assume that eating late at night will affect EVERYONE's weight loss. Clearly, that isn't the case!0 -
I've eaten 1000ish calories in bed LOL. Not fat yet.0
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Given the debate on the first page of comments....here is what I know from MY experience (no medical evidence or web-magic, just what I know from personal experience). I have battled my weight my entire life. In my very early 20s I had an eating discorder. Fast forward a few years...and I am back to battling my weight. I have lived on the "one big meal a day" plan on most days for a long time - except, there was no plan, that's just how I ate. Obviously, the weight remained and I gained even more over the years. When I first decided to tackle my weight issue, I started doing the 6 Week Body Makeover. This plan consists of 5-6 small meals a day. I dropped 30 pounds in no time and never went hungry - just the opposite actually, not being used to eating, I would have to force myself to eat on this plan.
So, just from my experience, when I was eating 5-6 small meals a day is when I had the most success and the fastest results.
Therefore when you were just eating one meal, and you say you gained weight, you were clearly eating a calorie surplus. When you went to 5-6 meals a day you found it easier to track your calories and make sure you had a deficit. THAT was why one way worked for you, and the other didn't. It has nothing to do with the actual metabolism or when you ate. You found that you personally find it easier to lose weight eating 5-6 meals a day! Good for you! Stick with it! Others in this thread found that way much harder, and they lose their weight using IF. And they should stick with it too! The bottom line is that neither way is better or worse for everyone. There is very little difference either way, but some find it easier to get their calorie deficit one way or the other.0 -
I've been thinking about looking into IF.. I'm not big on breakfast and most days i dont get hungry until well after noon.
also - i ate about 1600 calories between dinner (8pm) and dessert/snacking last night before i went to bed (3am)...and i was actually down two pounds (from yesterday) this morning0 -
They call breakfast BREAK-THE-FAST for a reason. Your body has no food for 9-12 hours. The metablism slows to a standstill once it has digested the food and then goes into a rest period. When you break-the-fast in the morning, you start it back up again and start it working. If you ate every 2 hours, that would be preferable to eating large meals 3 times a day. Keeps your metabolism going at a stead rate all the time.
As to eating one meal - if you are diabetic, or have ups and downs, this type of eating will be HORRIBLE for your body. You're going to eat one meal - your insulin levels, amino acids, not to mention all the other things that your body produces when you eat - are going to go crazy for that one meal.
Additionally, I don't know how you can sit and eat 1500-2000 cals at one sitting. I suppose a burger, fries and a milk shake could do it, but it amazes me to think of one meal and that many cals.
Re: fasting. Yes, we can fast. It's good for the mind, spirit and body. Occasionally. I don't think a nutritionist would tell you that fasting every day is good - and then gorging one meal a day. That's basically what you're doing - gorging.
Lastly - I know that your mind and body significantly slow down when it's hungry and wanting food/nutrition. I can't imaging that eating one meal late in the day is going to be good for your body OR your mind.
Sorry - I just don't think this is good at all. But hey - your bod, your choice.
AllI know is, when I do the fast and big meal, I feel great. I wouldn't do it every day,but I might do it once a week. Maybe more.I like feeling great.0 -
It is FINE to go longer than 3 hours between meals. Promise.
But what is ideal?
6 meals spread out works best over one huge feeding a day. Promise...lol
I love how you make stuff up and never support your claims;
Title
Bellisle F et. al. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. (1997) 77 (Suppl 1):S57-70.
Abstract
Several epidemiological studies have observed an inverse relationship between people’s habitual frequency of eating and body weight, leading to the suggestion that a ‘nibbling’ meal pattern may help in the avoidance of obesity. A review of all pertinent studies shows that, although many fail to find any significant relationship, the relationship is consistently inverse in those that do observe a relationship.
However, this finding is highly vulnerable to the probable confounding effects of post hoc changes in dietary patterns as a consequence of weight gain and to dietary under-reporting which undoubtedly invalidates some of the studies
We conclude that the epidemiological evidence is at best very weak, and almost certainly represents an artefact. A detailed review of the possible mechanistic explanations for a metabolic advantage of nibbling meal patterns failed to reveal significant benefits in respect of energy expenditure.
Although some short-term studies suggest that the thermic effect of feeding is higher when an isoenergetic test load is divided into multiple small meals, other studies refute this, and most are neutral. More importantly, studies using whole-body calorimetry and doubly-labelled water to assess total 24 h energy expenditure find no difference between nibbling and gorging. Finally, with the exception of a single study, there is no evidence that weight loss on hypoenergetic regimens is altered by meal frequency. We conclude that any effects of meal pattern on the regulation of body weight are likely to be mediated through effects on the food intake side of the energy balance equation.0 -
It is FINE to go longer than 3 hours between meals. Promise.
But what is ideal?
6 meals spread out works best over one huge feeding a day. Promise...lol
I love how you make stuff up and never support your claims;
Title
Bellisle F et. al. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. (1997) 77 (Suppl 1):S57-70.
Abstract
Several epidemiological studies have observed an inverse relationship between people’s habitual frequency of eating and body weight, leading to the suggestion that a ‘nibbling’ meal pattern may help in the avoidance of obesity. A review of all pertinent studies shows that, although many fail to find any significant relationship, the relationship is consistently inverse in those that do observe a relationship.
However, this finding is highly vulnerable to the probable confounding effects of post hoc changes in dietary patterns as a consequence of weight gain and to dietary under-reporting which undoubtedly invalidates some of the studies
We conclude that the epidemiological evidence is at best very weak, and almost certainly represents an artefact. A detailed review of the possible mechanistic explanations for a metabolic advantage of nibbling meal patterns failed to reveal significant benefits in respect of energy expenditure.
Although some short-term studies suggest that the thermic effect of feeding is higher when an isoenergetic test load is divided into multiple small meals, other studies refute this, and most are neutral. More importantly, studies using whole-body calorimetry and doubly-labelled water to assess total 24 h energy expenditure find no difference between nibbling and gorging. Finally, with the exception of a single study, there is no evidence that weight loss on hypoenergetic regimens is altered by meal frequency. We conclude that any effects of meal pattern on the regulation of body weight are likely to be mediated through effects on the food intake side of the energy balance equation.
I haven't read this entire thread, but I'd bet money that I can correctly identify the individual you quoted here. Believe it.0 -
Given the debate on the first page of comments....here is what I know from MY experience (no medical evidence or web-magic, just what I know from personal experience). I have battled my weight my entire life. In my very early 20s I had an eating discorder. Fast forward a few years...and I am back to battling my weight. I have lived on the "one big meal a day" plan on most days for a long time - except, there was no plan, that's just how I ate. Obviously, the weight remained and I gained even more over the years. When I first decided to tackle my weight issue, I started doing the 6 Week Body Makeover. This plan consists of 5-6 small meals a day. I dropped 30 pounds in no time and never went hungry - just the opposite actually, not being used to eating, I would have to force myself to eat on this plan.
So, just from my experience, when I was eating 5-6 small meals a day is when I had the most success and the fastest results.
How many calories were you logging with your previous failed attempt at "one meal per day"?
Well, since it wasn't an "attempt" (again, no plan - just how I ate), I was not logging calories and this was over the course of years. And again, no scientific, medical, or web evidence involved...just noting MY experience. Currently I am not doing the 5-6 meals due to time constraints (eating that often and on plan 6WBMO, requires lots of preparation), but I can say that I did have more energy when I was eating more often and again, I saw results faster during that time. To each his own though - not trying to convert, just sharing.0 -
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Doing IF, it is ridiculously easy to maintain weight & actually hard to gain weight (which is something I would never have thought would happen to me a few years ago). So I like it
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This strikes a chord with me, because for my entire adult life I have always just eaten when I get hungry, which happens to always be way late in the day. Lo and behold, never any weight problems whatsoever. I ate whatever I wanted and didn't think twice about it, and I always maintained a normal, healthy weight that looked good on me.
Enter last fall. For some reason, I started getting up much earlier and eating breakfast. After a little while, I was hungry for breakfast, which was new. I didn't even notice the pounds creeping on, but creep on they did. I had never had to weigh myself and didn't even own a scale, so I was horrified as I realized I was gaining weight for the first time in my adult life.
I'm not BLAMING breakfast, really. But for me, it really didn't work. Not only did I not feel any more energetic, but I would eat even more throughout the day. Currently, I don't think about or want food at all during the day.
I didn't know what I have been doing is IF, but I do now. And now that I know it's perfectly healthy, I can let go of any nagging doubt or guilt and just be glad I have an eating pattern that works really well for me!0 -
Will have to disagree here. There isn't scientific evidence to show this to be true.This is not a good idea, it wll drastically slow your metabolism, which will initially cause you to gain weight, and will causeyu to lose weight at a drastically slower rate. Plus once you start eating normally again, youill gaineight back, bcuz ur of ur slow metabolism, and your body storing fat. also your body needs fuel to run the day. think of your body like a car, you couldn't rip and run all day on an empty tank, with the intention to fill up at the end of the day. you wouldn't make it
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
I ain't one of them! This is a myth. Studies have been done and debunked it. As for bodybuilders (I used to compete) the reason they eat so much is TO NOT LOSE WEIGHT. The muscle they have is very active and many bodybuilder keep trying to put on mass. To do that they eat calorie surplus. Most people here aren't trying to achieve that.I totally agree with you. I can' t see how anyone would lose weight by eating their total calories at dinner then 4 hrs later going to bed. In the night, yes your body is still burning calories, but at much slower rate primarily because you're at rest and no exercise is involved, and as such, it would precipitate weight gain.
As for eating smaller meals spaced out during the day. I have always had the most success with doing this for weight training and weight management. Just ask any body builder how many meals they eat a day...most of them eat 6-8 meals a day and most personal trainers recommend this to keep the body's metabolism revved up.
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
So much broscience!
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It is FINE to go longer than 3 hours between meals. Promise.
But what is ideal?
6 meals spread out works best over one huge feeding a day. Promise...lol
Um...you can't say 'promise' unless you're actually going to support it with something. I'm pretty sure I just illustrated exactly how that DOESN'T work best,0 -
My first day of trying the 24-hour IF. I ate dinner at 7 PM last night so won't be eating until 7 PM tonight. So far I'm fine, a little hungry but I'm sipping warm water to compensate.
Seems I could mix this with spike/zig zag dieting. Anyone have any advice on this?0 -
Seems I could mix this with spike/zig zag dieting. Anyone have any advice on this?
My advice would be to not complicate things unless it will make a substantial difference. Unless you are already lean (haven't checked your stats so I have no idea) then it's very likely that you can just set up a steady intake and go with it. As long as you have an appropriate intake and "reasonable" macros you'll do just fine.
I'd also consider 16/8 fasting since you're just starting this idea (give it a shot at some point).0 -
Seems I could mix this with spike/zig zag dieting. Anyone have any advice on this?
My advice would be to not complicate things unless it will make a substantial difference. Unless you are already lean (haven't checked your stats so I have no idea) then it's very likely that you can just set up a steady intake and go with it. As long as you have an appropriate intake and "reasonable" macros you'll do just fine.
I'd also consider 16/8 fasting since you're just starting this idea (give it a shot at some point).
What's 16/8? noted about the zig zagging. If my weight still stalls while fasting twice a week (I'll try this for a month) I will consider doing Spike at the same time.
Although if you think about it, if you fast three times a week that's already zigzagging calories anyway. I don't plan on consuming my MFP set value of 1380 in one sitting...0 -
What's 16/8? noted about the zig zagging. If my weight still stalls while fasting twice a week (I'll try this for a month) I will consider doing Spike at the same time.
Although if you think about it, if you fast three times a week that's already zigzagging calories anyway. I don't plan on consuming my MFP set value of 1380 in one sitting...
16/8 is 16h fast 8h feed window. And yes, if you're doing 24h fasts a couple of times per week you're already zig-zagging.0 -
Nobody can tell me when to eat. I eat when I'm hungry and that's it. I don't follow any eating schedule.
I agree completely. My life it scheduled enough. I'm not going to further complicate it by saying I must eat, or I can't eat, at any certain time.0 -
It's a personal choice really. Do what is best for your body. The human body is far too complex for anyone to fully understand it honestly. I personally prefer to eat 5-6 meals throughout the day instead of all in one sitting because like others have said I feel the hunger pangs if I don't. I start getting lightheaded and lack the energy. I end up thinking about food the entire day instead of focusing on other things going on.
But everyone is different and if you're eating enough calories for your body, then it should be fine. Your body goes into starvation mode when you don't eat enough (I've been there and done that).
Some people like eating all their calories in one meal and some don't because it messes with their blood sugar level and the ability to focus and be energized. I don't even have set times I eat. I eat when I'm hungry (which happens to be every 3-4 hours in my case on most days). I listen to my body and that is the most important thing to do. Your body knows what it needs.0 -
I'd rather eat several small meals a day and not get used to eating so much in one sitting. My digestive system does not like big meals at all. Plus I think I can eat more nutritiously eating small meals because I would be having a wider variety of foods.
Sumo wrestlers usually eat once a day.0 -
Either way, it is only preference. As long as you're at or within your calorie goals, weight loss will continue to happen...one meal a day or eating one tiny meal per hour. Just because you eat more in one sitting doesn't mean it has to be one type of food and does not make it more nutritious by default. Preference...nothing more than that....zero effect on weight loss(unless one method causes you to eat too much, but that is still calories, not meal timing).I'd rather eat several small meals a day and not get used to eating so much in one sitting. My digestive system does not like big meals at all. Plus I think I can eat more nutritiously eating small meals because I would be having a wider variety of foods.
Sumo wrestlers usually eat once a day.0 -
If you want to do it because you can not stop eating, I say it's a bad idea. You need to learn to let the food go. Do you live to eat? Or do you eat to live? Its up to you0
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Did you even read this post? Hmm. :huh:If you want to do it because you can not stop eating, I say it's a bad idea. You need to learn to let the food go. Do you live to eat? Or do you eat to live? Its up to you0 -
IMO the most important part of these studies on meal frequency is it allows us to eat the way we want.
It's doesn't matter if we have 6 meals, 3 meals, or one meal. You can skip breakfast, you can eat right before bed.
This is flippin liberating!
Find your 24 hour calorie goal, and choose the way you want your meals structured.
I too eat around 75& of my daily calories after 6pm, because I prefer to have a large dinner and I'm not hungry in the morning.0 -
I ain't one of them! This is a myth. Studies have been done and debunked it. As for bodybuilders (I used to compete) the reason they eat so much is TO NOT LOSE WEIGHT. The muscle they have is very active and many bodybuilder keep trying to put on mass. To do that they eat calorie surplus. Most people here aren't trying to achieve that.I totally agree with you. I can' t see how anyone would lose weight by eating their total calories at dinner then 4 hrs later going to bed. In the night, yes your body is still burning calories, but at much slower rate primarily because you're at rest and no exercise is involved, and as such, it would precipitate weight gain.
As for eating smaller meals spaced out during the day. I have always had the most success with doing this for weight training and weight management. Just ask any body builder how many meals they eat a day...most of them eat 6-8 meals a day and most personal trainers recommend this to keep the body's metabolism revved up.
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
They promote 6 meals a day because it's what we've been told for years. There are many thing most PT promote that are flat out wrong because the medical community is wrong. The textbooks are all out of date and full of bad information.
I was just going to say this, bodybuilders eat all day to build muscle, when they cut it's usually some form of no carb daily + carb refeed weekly approach. When they do this they are not all eating several times daily.
Each calorie we eat has to be metabolized, whether is 2,000 calories over 6 meals or one huge one, our metabolism is boosted either way.0
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