Eating once per day

Ambrogio1

Fasting is for TARTS!!



I just happen to be one of them. Hour 19 of my 24 hour today. I shall then eat steaks, shrimp, healthy pizza, sweet potatos, asparagus and a big OLD FAT SLICE OF CH CAKE!

Knocking on single digit body fat thanks to fasting
and somehow I get stronger weekly

DOH.

Phrak

Knocking on single digit body fat thanks to fasting
and somehow I get stronger weekly
DOH.

Not quite single digit bodyfat, but i did manage to deadlift 750lbs last week. Fasting makes you weak i guess.

Thriceshy

I am very interested in hearing from those who fast during the day and only eat at night, or eat most or all of your calories as one larger meal each day. I would like to know real accounts from people who eat this way, including why you do it, benefits vs. costs of this eating style, what your meals look like, effects on your weight/muscle mass, etc.

Now to sit back and wade through all of the "Don't do this, because you'll be fat and die" comments to get to the answers I am looking for.... Thanks in advance! :flowerforyou:

I guess this is what I do--I have a bar and a piece of fruit for breakfast, then a bar and maybe some Planter's nuts mix or more fruit for lunch, and then I have a largish dinner. Heavy on the veggies, of course: tonight, I"m having Dreamfields pasta with parmesan-garlic sauce and clams with salad, julienned carrots and squash, and fresh grated asiago and parmesan. Last night was lightly breaded, baked fish (homemade breading), steamed snow peas, baked (no oil) butternut squash, salad, and spinach. It's how I do most days because I don't tend to be very hungry earlier in the day--dinner is both about food and about being with my family, so we make it the big one.

Seems to be working for me just fine, and it's in keeping with my natural tendencies anyway--again, I'm more an evening eater. I like being not full during the day, which makes me more likely to climb on the bike or go walking. Won't work for everyone, but it does the job for me.

narrington77

I didn't realize there was a name for what i did!.. intriguing!.. and if it is called Intermittent Fasting, i have to admit that i do feel better getting a nice healthy meal later in the day.. i've never been a breakfast eater and it was hard doing it after i initially started dieting a few years ago... now i feel i'm going to eat when i'm hungry.. i have coffee in the AM, a Slimfast shake for lunch, a snack between and a really yummy healthy meal for dinner... its worked... what can i say?

snaus70

I am so glad to read these posts about eating during a 6hr period or so. I haven't been doing this on purpose, but since tracking my food have found that I am hungry from around 7am-noon, eat constantly for those 5 hours (about 1000 cal total) and then have a light snack every few hours the rest of the day. Cardio in the evenings and I net around1200 cal so I was worried that I was being a very unhealthy binge eater by eating mostly during a 5 hr period.

escloflowneCHANGED

If you are like most of us (probably all of us here) it is not just "unhealthy" (whatever that is) eating habits, it is because of too many calories in a day eating habits. There is not any reason a person who is Intermittent Fasting would not eat "healthy" From what I have seen the vast majority eat as healthy as anyone here on MFP. It is simply recognizing two facts, 1) When you eat, that is meal frequency, is pretty much irrelevant in terms of metabolism (eating more or less frequently doesn't effect your overall metabolism for the day at all), weight loss, or much else 2) What is important is that you feel satisfied with what you are eating so you can maintain that eating plan. Yes, IF is not for everyone, although there are hormonal benefits from short term periods of fasting like 18-24 or ever 36 hours, but you can lose weight and fat without those just as well. Yet, for people like me who cannot be satisfied with a bunch of 200-300 calorie meals throughout the day without constantly feeling hungry, or those who cannot fit that sort of eating into their schedule, or those who find the 5-6 meals a day thing unsustainable for other reasons, IF may be just the ticket to a lifelong way of eating that allows them to keep their calories where they need them for weight loss or maintenance.

For me it works, and works well. It is when, due to outside pressure, I go back to 3 meals a day with a traditional morning breakfast, that I find I struggle against the urge to eat constantly through the day. That doesn't mean it will work for everyone, but it is not "unhealthy" or "unsustainable" in and of itself.

Unhealthy eating habits would be eating fast food 3 times a week even if you stay in your calories...it would still be unhealthy!

InvidiaXII

Curious bump. I eat small meals throughout the day and it's working well for me, but I find it fascinating to hear what works for others.

rileysowner

If you are like most of us (probably all of us here) it is not just "unhealthy" (whatever that is) eating habits, it is because of too many calories in a day eating habits.

Unhealthy eating habits would be eating fast food 3 times a week even if you stay in your calories...it would still be unhealthy!

Just curious, why is 3 times a week somehow unhealthy as opposed to say 2 times? I think the documentary Fat Heads pretty much shows you can even eat healthy at fast food restaurants.

LA723

Fasting is very bad. It's dangerous. It serves no purpose. It does not help your health, weight loss or anything else. As to eating once a day = that's just stupid. The human body is designed to eat a number of times throughout the day. Small, healthy meals. This keeps the blood sugar and the metabolism is good working order. Eating once a day will screw up your system and do a good deal of damage.

The only thing stupid here is this post

The body isn't designed to graze like we do. Back in the day we'd kill and eat once or twice a day at most and grab the odd berry/vegetable that was growing wild.

A few thousand years isn't enough to change human evolution.

We also died in our 20s and 30s. :bigsmile:

I'm not saying that LF is bad or unhealthy, but we don't live AT ALL like cave men did. So why should we model their diet?

They lived a much harder life, that was physically more taxing on their systems compared to what we live today. Access to proper amounts of food wasnt available, healthcare etc etc etc. The way they ate probably had little to do with how long they lived.

Maybe, maybe not. I'm not an archaeologist. I just think defending a lifestyle choice by citing the lives of cavemen and/or people in third world countries isn't an altogether prudent way of going about such decisions.

Jenny_MSW

I didn't read everyone's post so hopefully no one already said this, but there is a book called the Warrior Diet that is about this. It's based on early humans who were hunter/gatherers and prepared one meal in the evening after hunting and everything all day. This was not an obese society, but of course they were very active... Anyway, my husband eats like this a lot or he will juice fast during the days and eat a meal at night for a variation on that. Just throwing it out there.

sarahgilmore

Yes i do think this is sustainable for life because it is what my body naturally wants. It was only forcing the 5-6 meals a day that got me constantly craving food and gaining weight, as i explained earlier in the thread.

Imo if youre hungry through the fast like someone saud their friends are, then youre doing it wrong. I also dont feel that eating a small breakfast and kunch and then a big dinner is IF but in the end the main thing is doing what works for you and who gives a toss what its 'called'.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

yeah i think its good ....I really think half the time people eat out of habit rather than need, I would rather NOT eat a big night time meal because I would go to bed feeling uncomfortable . a decent meal early in the day then just a very very light evening meal is better for digestion i think, Oh and I DONT believe in the starvation mode thing, Nor do I belive in eating back calories that you have burnt off. I do belive in Quality not Quantity.

ashley67203

When I was a teenager I was stupid and made a pact with two other girls to stop eating breakfast and lunch. I was also in track so I worked out vigorously 3 hours a day. I lost a lot of weight but ended up giving myself all kinds of health problems, including anemia and "lady health" issues. I got to the point where I was too tired to eat and just slept the entire time I wasn't at school. It was ugly but I wore a size 3.

I did it again college but to save money instead of to lose weight. I stayed thin (size 6) but I attribute that more to all of the walking across campus and less to the eating only once a day. I wasn't really eating less, just eating all my calories all at once during the free dinner at my mom's house.

Now, if I end up only eating one meal it's because I'm too busy to eat. It always makes me feel sick like I need to throw up.

Virginia90

I've been doing this unintentionally. I will not eat anything until about 2 in the afternoon, then I just don't really stop eating until I run outta calories or go to bed, whichever comes first. If I don't eat anything in the morning, I don't get hungry until much later. I had tried eating a breakfast each morning, but found I was hungrier during the day. It's like once I open the "food gates" I can't get them closed until I go to sleep. lol

HonkyTonks

I tried this once for a few weeks and ended up getting really sick, so just be careful! There's no reason to do this

You were doing it wrong.

The IF method that I use (there are several) is Eat Stop Eat. In this method, I fast for 2 x 24 hour periods a week. In those periods I do not consume any food, just black coffee and water. I do this from 7pm one night to the next, so I really never go a day without eating a meal.

There are a couple of reasons I take this approach:

- it creates a caloric deficit.. if I fast for two days a week then I create a deficit of about 3000-3500 calories a week (which is a half kilogram loss each week)
- it means I can stress less about dieting the other days of the week. I can eat to maintenance and still lose half a kilo a week (I can go out and eat chips and drink beer if I feel like it and not worry about it so much)
- taking a break from eating actually feels good and helps me feel more focused and relaxed, I do not get hungry for the most part because I have adapted to it.

There are also increased benefits to fast for weight loss in terms of losing body fat. Being in a fasted state increases growth hormone (helps burn fat preserve muscle mass), increases adrenaline (also helps burn bodyfat). Fasting gives you energy because you're not wasting energy digesting food. Eating actually slows down the body, through the parasympathetic nervous system. Essentially, this means you have a higher metabolic rate throughout the day when you are in a fasted state.

There are also studies that show increased health benefits to fasting (including possible longer life span in general). I suggest you look into them before saying that fasting is bad for you.

HonkyTonks

I've been doing this unintentionally. I will not eat anything until about 2 in the afternoon, then I just don't really stop eating until I run outta calories or go to bed, whichever comes first. If I don't eat anything in the morning, I don't get hungry until much later. I had tried eating a breakfast each morning, but found I was hungrier during the day. It's like once I open the "food gates" I can't get them closed until I go to sleep. lol

This is how I am.. I feel like the more I eat the more I want to eat. I like to fast to take a break from eating as well, digesting food all the time can make me feel a bit lethargic.

I didn't realize there was a name for what i did!.. intriguing!.. and if it is called Intermittent Fasting, i have to admit that i do feel better getting a nice healthy meal later in the day.. i've never been a breakfast eater and it was hard doing it after i initially started dieting a few years ago... now i feel i'm going to eat when i'm hungry.. i have coffee in the AM, a Slimfast shake for lunch, a snack between and a really yummy healthy meal for dinner... its worked... what can i say?

And this is what bothers me about the whole 'eat 6 meals a day to boost your metabolism' thing. People seem to take this at face value, and think they have to ditch their more natural way of eating (eg. eating only when hungry) and start feeding constantly in order to lose weight. In reality if people are eating only 1 or 2 meals in a day, and still overweight, it's their food choices and quantity they eat at those meal times rather than the frequency at which they eat. I wish all these misconceptions about starvation mode, eating frequently, skipping breakfast etc would go away already . I literally had one person at work tell me if I didn't eat for TWO HOURS my body would go into starvation mode.

sammanchester

I found this website but haven't had chance to read through properly yet. http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html Thought it may be of help x

dumb_blondes_rock

This may sound weird to ask, but why do you guys eat all your cals at night? why can't you eat them all in the morning, and not eat at night? Is there some scientific reason behind fasting until night and not fasting through the night?

Cold_Steel

I am very interested in hearing from those who fast during the day and only eat at night, or eat most or all of your calories as one larger meal each day. I would like to know real accounts from people who eat this way, including why you do it, benefits vs. costs of this eating style, what your meals look like, effects on your weight/muscle mass, etc.

Now to sit back and wade through all of the "Don't do this, because you'll be fat and die" comments to get to the answers I am looking for.... Thanks in advance! :flowerforyou:

Dont do this because you'll be fat and die..... oh wait

ummm sorry I got nothing

HonkyTonks

This may sound weird to ask, but why do you guys eat all your cals at night? why can't you eat them all in the morning, and not eat at night? Is there some scientific reason behind fasting until night and not fasting through the night?

Personally this is my preference, I prefer to eat at night because I like having a meal with my partner after work. I find if I am busy during the day with work I do not think about eating or need to eat anyway, this just works for me.

I don't think there is a scientific reason for doing it this way, but late night eating is no different to eating in the morning in terms of weight loss/gain

TurnLeftNow

I prefer to eat the majority of my calories later on in the night. I am a night time eater/snacker so I figured I might as well adjust my calories accordingly instead of setting myself up to binge later on in the night when nothing is going on.

I eat most of my calories late night and so far I have lost weight successfully. I am a firm believer in the saying that it doesn't matter when you eat your calories during the day, just that you stay within your calorie limits. I am not going to gain weight because I am eating a 900 calorie dinner and then a 300 calorie dessert or something.

I don't have any real advice to add, other than I eat a couple bigger meals and I go long periods without eating during the day and it works for me. I think you should do whatever is best for your body. it's all about listening to your body. If you need to eat multiple times through out the day, then do it... if you don't, then don't do it. Everyone is different.

maryjay51

when i was going through my eating once a day habits, i was fat ... i eat six times a day now and im in way better shape and not fatty looking any more

amiles21693

I used to work the overnight shift at fedex, and Im also a full time college student. I would wake up around 3pm on days I didnt have school, eat a small lunch/breakfast (Banana, bowl of Special K, maybe a snack to make it to dinner) then before I would go to work I would eat a large dinner just to make it through the shift. I now work as a cook at a country club so my breakfast is the same from lack of time, but I actually eat lunch. But pass out before dinner. So, I fast somewhat, but its more of an unintentional, I have no time deal. However, it has not hindered my weight loss. I just have to be careful at work because there are a LOT of temptations.

HonkyTonks

when i was going through my eating once a day habits, i was fat ... i eat six times a day now and im in way better shape and not fatty looking any more

Have you changed other habits though, like what types of food you're eating, the quantity that you're eating? Eating 6 times a day or once or twice doesn't matter, it's calories in vs calories out and macronutrient breakdown that counts

IndigoVA

The thinnest I have ever been in my adult life was reached by eating only one meal a day. For me it was lunch, and I wasn't doing it intentionally. I was working full-time during the day and going to grad school full time at night. I'm not saying it's the healthiest way to live, and I can't do it now that I'm older and not as on the go. But I can say from 2 years of experience with it, that it won't make you fat or dead.

When you only ate one meal a day did you have anything else other than water the rest of the day? Like small snacks or like a protein shake (Slim fast or special K)? And did you eat healthy and clean on your one meal a day?

I kept Cliff bars in my car, so if I got really hungry I could have a night-time snack. I used to be in class until 10PM, and often didn't get home until close to midnight. But normally I just had coffee. Lots of coffee!

Also, I'm not advocating doing this. I was just pointing out that it won't make you fat of dead. I was in my late 20s at the time. I'm 40 now, and there's no way I could live on one meal a day.

Ambrogio1

Knocking on single digit body fat thanks to fasting
and somehow I get stronger weekly
DOH.

Not quite single digit bodyfat, but i did manage to deadlift 750lbs last week. Fasting makes you weak i guess.

Y u are not in my network is beyond me! YOUR A GOSH DARN BEAST BROOOOOOOOOOO
750!! I am trying to go from maybe 365 max to 405 in 8 weeks. Deadlifts are my weakness. doing sets of 5 reps with 335 starting tomorrow and every other week Iwill go up 2o lbs

lilojoke

I tried having my window at night but I did not sleep well eating my calories over 8 hours then going to bed with 1700 calories in more or more!

I usually have my 8 hour window from my first bite then put on timer then eat until its over. I usually eat every 2-3 hours within this window too!

lilojoke

The more I eat the more I want and the fatter I get period. Food stimulates hunger in me so controlling my calories within a window helps!

lilojoke

Have you changed other habits though, like what types of food you're eating, the quantity that you're eating? Eating 6 times a day or once or twice doesn't matter, it's calories in vs calories out and macronutrient breakdown that counts

BINGO!!! I love this!

rileysowner

This may sound weird to ask, but why do you guys eat all your cals at night? why can't you eat them all in the morning, and not eat at night? Is there some scientific reason behind fasting until night and not fasting through the night?

A big part is personal preference. I personally can't sleep when I am hungry. The other part is it makes a fairly big part of the fast happen while asleep when we all fast anyway. Thus 8 or so hours of my 16 hour fast is while I am asleep, so there is no temptation to eat. At its core it really has to do with personal preference though.