skipping meals - OK or BAD

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LisaY76
LisaY76 Posts: 76 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Ok so I skipped lunch today because I knew I was having a very high calorie dinner and no time to exercise. IS THIS BAD TO DO? I don't do this very often but I let the kids pick tonight's dinner and they of course picked pizza. Since I am the one who does the grocery shopping, I am only buying healthy food options and I think they are feeling a little deprived of junk food.

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  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
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    Perfectly fine. It's actually smart you count your daily calories in advance (at least in general) and realize you need to do this. I did the same thing, occasionally, and lost over 50 pounds in six months.

    So don't worry.

    --P
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    I do it on and off. If I'm going to a party or wedding, I will eat breakfast but may cut it down a bit, and then skip lunch. I may also skip lunch the next day.

    Sometimes, I'm just not that hungry and may skip lunch, if I get hungry after eating dinner, I would eat some more.

    I'm sure you will get a lot of post that you should never do this.
  • bulbadoof
    bulbadoof Posts: 1,058 Member
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    Nothing wrong with a little treat once in a while. I'd say you didn't even have to skip lunch if it happens less than once a month.
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
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    I think there is a big difference between skipping meals to lose weight, especially when your body is hungry, and skipping a meal occasionally because you know you will have a high calorie dinner.

    --P
  • SlinkyPinkyBunsOfSteel
    SlinkyPinkyBunsOfSteel Posts: 661 Member
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    As long as your getting the right amount of calories at the end of the day, it's fine! ;)
  • originalcookiemonster
    originalcookiemonster Posts: 278
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    You will benefit much more from eating smaller meals more frequently. However, skipping meals has a negative effect on your metabolism. Though I understand that there are times, like other posters have said, that you're going to some special event or something, I get it happens, it happens to me too from time to time. But it should not be a habit. Eat small things throughout the day to keep your metabolism going so that you get the most benefits from your day.

    FINAL NOTE: As long as you are consuming calories UNDER your TDEE and (PLEASE PLEASE) above 1200 calories, you will lose weight. So don't sweat.
  • georgie181
    georgie181 Posts: 68
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    I skip if I am short of time and yesterday I skipped in trade for pizza! but today I plan on eating clean and working out hard. I think I have lost as my clothes are looser and I bought a size 8(uk) friday! :) I did over eat on 1 day during the week, but I have trained sooo hard this week I am not going to sweat it! and saturdays are my days off, I just figured it out and as long as I work out hhard and be good today my deficit should still be over 6000. This week I plan on being alot more behaved midweek! lol, its ups and downs, I just try not to let things get to me and just keep moving, these extreme workouts are giving me the shape I hhave always wanted :)
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    I do it. It's a fine idea as long as you aren't absolutely starving and miserable and can't function.
  • Bob314159
    Bob314159 Posts: 1,178 Member
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    I used to believe that 5 smaller meals a day was better - now I do not. For some people it may help keep their total intake down, but there is no difference from calorie/weight loss effec

    http://www.fitday.com/fitness-articles/nutrition/healthy-eating/myth-or-fact-many-meals-throughout-the-day-are-better-than-just-three.html
    There is no magic number of meals to eat or combination of food that will make you lose weight.

    http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=56254
    Gary Schwartz, a researcher with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, answered, "There's no strong data supporting either [three meals a day or six meals a day] as being more effective" for losing weight or maintaining lost weight.

    In a recent American Journal of Clinical Nutrition editorial, a team of nutrition researchers concluded that whether you are practicing the "three" or "six" meal daily dietary pattern, weight loss ultimately comes down to "how much energy (or calories) is consumed as opposed to how often or how regularly one eats."

    The truth is, the more times a day you sit down to eat a meal or snack, the more opportunities you have to overeat; this can be a serious problem for some people
  • jeme3
    jeme3 Posts: 355 Member
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    If it's an occasional thing because of how you day goes and you stay within your calories for the day, no big deal.

    For me, personally, I feel better and eat less if I eat more often, but sometimes life gets in the way.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,280 Member
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    Meal frequency and timing have no impact on weight loss or metabolic rate.
  • LisaY76
    LisaY76 Posts: 76 Member
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    Thanks for all your input. I getting the general concensus is that it's OK to do only if it's not a habit. I definately don't make this a habit. In fact this is the only time I have done this since I started my weight loss journey in July 2012.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
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    Thanks for all your input. I getting the general concensus is that it's OK to do only if it's not a habit. I definately don't make this a habit. In fact this is the only time I have done this since I started my weight loss journey in July 2012.

    You can actually do it habitually provided that your total daily intake is reasonable.

    Continual underconsumption of nutrients and excessive calorie deficits are not good. Skipping a meal does not create that condition if the remainder of your days intake is appropriate.
  • adelitas_star
    adelitas_star Posts: 91
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    It's been proven that eating smaller meals more often doesn't really do anything to benefit the metabolism whatsoever. It doesn't change anything. All that matters is the total amount of calories you eat per day. If you eat all of your calories in one meal (which is ridiculous!), you'll still lose weight, as long as you keep yourself at a deficit.

    Maybe for some people eating less but more often can help keep their appetite down so they're not so hungry at meals and eat too much, but it makes no difference on your metabolism. Were this true, we could eat a tiny little bit (even just 100 calories) every 15 minutes and be burning fat 24/7.

    Skipping meals aren't bad. If I ended up reaching my calorie goals before dinner, I won't eat dinner. If you're having a high calorie dinner, then skipping lunch isn't a bad idea, though it isn't necessary. You could always just have the pizza as a reward.

    Do what works for you. As long as you keep at that calorie deficit (if you choose not to make this a little treat), you'll be fine :)

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