I only eat dinner...good or bad?

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  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    I haven't weighed myself in over a week but yes, I've lost about 15 pounds since August. I don't really keep track of when I eat breakfast and when I don't but lately I haven't been eating til dinner. I guess I'm just worried that if I eat during the day I'll be so hungry at night that I'll just pig out. Losing weight in college is seriously harder than it sounds because everything is buffet styled and I have terrible foods to choose from. Thankfully, I've mostly managed to stay away from the bad stuff. Also...if you don't allow yourself to eat at least some foods that you like once in a while, you're more likely to cheat and binge. this isn't scientific, it's common sense. So when I only eat dinner I feel better knowing that if I happen to eat something that's less than completely healthy, as long as I'm under 1200 calories for the day then I don't hate myself for it. I'm sure a lot of people losing weight have a problem with feeling guilty no matter what they eat. Well that's me.

    If you eat the correct things during the day, you won't feel like your starving by dinner. Protein keeps you full. If you try eating something during the day I would suggest portable protein snacks like nuts or protein bars. Not eating all day won't put your body into starvation but it does keep your metabolism lower. If you want to raise your metabolism then you need to eat every few hours.
  • bhavyamounisha
    bhavyamounisha Posts: 1
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    I am trying to loose 25 pounds. And For that I have to eat 1200 calories and same with me, when I eat a healthy food all throughout the day, I just get of them and want to eat tasty food, and the next morn I hv no energy to run my *kitten* off. So I decided to eat only dinner. The next morning I have so much energy to do stuff, and I feel lighter and awesome and not worry about my weight gain or food.
  • Sharkington
    Sharkington Posts: 485
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    What do you eat if you're eating 1200 calories in one sitting? I'm not trying to be snarky or rude, I'm just genuinely curious to what a 1200 meal for you consists of.
  • SteelySunshine
    SteelySunshine Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I kind of wish I could still eat 1200 calories all at once. But, that was so 2011. Anyway, I don't think it's bad to do that. I just can't anymore because I have been gradually changing what I eat over the last couple of years and now it's drastically different. It's easy for me to eat that many calories in bread and cheese (pizza) or whatever. But, now I eat a lot of foods that are high in fiber, I am pushing it to eat 700 in a meal.

    So, if it works for you I am rooting for you. Whatever works as long as it fits your macros. But, if it does stop working then I wouldn't make a drastic change. Maybe have one smallish meal in the day and save 900 for whatever meal you need to feel the most full.
  • squatsandlipgloss
    squatsandlipgloss Posts: 595 Member
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    What do you eat if you're eating 1200 calories in one sitting? I'm not trying to be snarky or rude, I'm just genuinely curious to what a 1200 meal for you consists of.

    I also want to know. I get SO full even eating 500 calories of proteins, carbs and healthy fat in 1 meal, let alone 1,200. I don't see how you can eat a healthy balanced meal in 1 sitting that is 1,200 cals.
  • IFlover90
    IFlover90 Posts: 62
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    I can eat way more that 1200 calories of HEALTHY FOOD at once.
  • FlowersInTheDirt
    FlowersInTheDirt Posts: 124 Member
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    Maybe if you can't eat in the morning/afternoon make yourself a great fruit smoothie/skimmed-milk shake?
    That might help avoid putting your body into starvation and may help speed up your metabolism.
  • jessicae1aine
    jessicae1aine Posts: 885
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    You don't need to eat breakfast to kick start your metabolism. That's Just what the breakfast cereal companies want you to believe. If you eat your calories and hit your macros in one sitting, you don't find yourself hungry then you have nothing to worry about.

    I never eat breakfast anymore. I eat all of my calories in an 8 hour window more or less, I have tons of energy. I'm getting stronger at the gym and I'm losing weight at 1.5 to 2.5 pounds a weak.

    I don't know when I've ever felt better in my life.

    This is all pretty much correct. I eat 1-2 meals a day, and when I do eat 2 they're about 4-5 hours apart, depending on what time I get off work. I'm losing about 4 pounds a week now that I've started IPOARM, simply by watching my calorie intake.
  • CamManMV
    CamManMV Posts: 1
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    I joined this site just to respond to this topic. I've lost 30 pounds and kept it off for years by waiting until the late afternoon to start eating. My experience is just like Annemarie's a few posts above this. It took me about a week to get used to not eating in the day. Then after about a month, I wasn't eating as much in the evening, probably due to my shrinking belly. For me it works GANGBUSTERS, and I never feel deprived.

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10151311850825988&set=pb.521610987.-2207520000.1368034725.&type=3&theater
  • weinbagel
    weinbagel Posts: 337 Member
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    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intermittent_fasting

    do what works for your body.
  • teagin2002
    teagin2002 Posts: 1,901 Member
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    You don't need to eat breakfast to kick start your metabolism. That's Just what the breakfast cereal companies want you to believe. If you eat your calories and hit your macros in one sitting, you don't find yourself hungry then you have nothing to worry about.

    I never eat breakfast anymore. I eat all of my calories in an 8 hour window more or less, I have tons of energy. I'm getting stronger at the gym and I'm losing weight at 1.5 to 2.5 pounds a weak.

    I don't know when I've ever felt better in my life.

    ^^ He is absolutely right luv. Losing weight and being healthy starts with the mind. If you are happy and are in a healthy plan you can stick with and not feel deprived then keep at it. I lost over a 100 lbs and kept over 100 of it off even two years later. I change things up frequently and am very happy. It has to do with cals in vs cals out and make sure your are feeding your body properly so it doesn't feel deprived and start storing. good luck and keep it healthy :flowerforyou:
  • rajendra82
    rajendra82 Posts: 20
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    If you get your calories and macros in one sitting it's fine. Your body can handle not eating for 23 hours just fine. It won't go into stravation mode, because it is not starving. If you don't get your calories for a few days, then you start starvation.
  • carlytenney
    carlytenney Posts: 31 Member
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    Nothing wrong with one meal a day. Alot of the fasts are like that. I would eat my meal earlier in the day tho. Like lunch or in between lunch and dinner.
  • LoveAthena
    LoveAthena Posts: 6
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    Many people do it, it's called intermittent fasting. Just be sure your body is getting enough protein and you'll be fine. Your body can only process about 20-30 grams of protein an hour, maybe if you could break dinner up into two meals and a snack spread over 4 hours, that would be great.

    But if eating during dinner hours is working for you, why on earth would you stop? No body loses weight the same, nobody gains weight the same, so why do people believe that the approach to weight loss has to be the same?
  • winchestervol63
    winchestervol63 Posts: 47 Member
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    I eat breakfast after a day when I've lifted hard or otherwise exerted myself significantly. Otherwise, I don't eat until noon.

    I've lost 26 lbs so far, feel great, Dr says things are great and to not change a thing, and I'm getting significantly stronger lifting (have gone from repping 225 three times when I started this to seven times, just last night, for instance. Doesn't seem like I'm losing any muscle to speak of).

    Now, obviously the details of everything else determine whether you'll have success or not (deficits, macros, etc), but how often you eat is not a factor at all, for me. Sometimes I eat 4 or 5 times a day, sometimes 2. Just depends on the day and my needs. I eat more often near heavy workouts than resting days.

    A lot depends on how well your hunger is controlled and I think that varies a ton for a particular eating plan between people. Agree with the poster who made the point to be sure you're getting plenty of protein - that's a major point for me. But make no mistake, I'm not on Atkins and haven't counted the first carb. They are naturally limited to some extent just by virtue of having a caloric deficit and being vigilant to have enough protein, but I definitely don't count them per se.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 9,970 Member
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    Now that's the OP has reduced her calories to the 800 level, one meal a day and is too busy to eat, is an ideal formula considering she at 1400 calories ate 2 meals.....yup makes perfect sense.
  • iysha03
    iysha03 Posts: 1
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    Eating one meal a day isn't good or bad...its just the way you eat. Intermittent Fasting is what you're doing and it isn't for everyone. Some people like grazing all day and feel better doing it. I for sure hate grazing. I would do that and always felt hungry and lethargic and was more likely to opt for poor food choices. I have been eating one square meal a day and don't feel hungry all the time, I don't have cravings throughout the day, and feel more alert. I do get sleepy after my meal but I eat late by conventional standards. I feel "Thanksgiving full" and want to go into a food coma. 7:30pm-9:30pm is my feeding window. IF is great for fat loss because you allow your body to burn energy from your glycogen stores (fat) before burning energy from the food you just ate. I have read numerous articles supporting Intermittent Fasting for not just weight loss but, Longevity, better health, and just good ol' convenience.

    weather you decide to eat 6 meals a day or 1 meal a day, just make sure your calories are coming from good whole food sources and not empty calories. Pretty basic.
  • AidaLott
    AidaLott Posts: 13 Member
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    Let your own body tell you what its comfort level is. I f you listen to all the "experts" out there you will make your self crazy. For every guideline, theory, and suggestion they propose, another school of thought comes along comes along and totally contradicts everything the first group said.

    I don't care what anybody tells me, if I'm not hungry at a particular time of day, I'm not going force myself to eat-Period! I will also not allow any diet "guru" to dictate what I eat. We all realize that an egg white omelet with veggies or a bowl of steel cut oatmeal with berries and walnuts is healthier than a huge white flour bagel smothered with cream cheese. But how long is a diet going to last if I'm just eating what I believe is healthy and avoiding all the foods I really love and desire? What's the point? It won't be long before I miss my favorite foods so much I'll be ready to eat Brooklyn.

    So my point is that it may be better to eat when we are truly hungry and to eat what we truly like in moderation until we satisfy that junger. Each and every time I've tried a very low carb diet I failed miserably and wound up bingeing on everything in sight when I went off it. But when I started having a bagel with peanut butter in the morning, I loved my diet. I looked forward to getting up in the morning, and I actually enjoyed my protein and veggie lunches and dinners. I went on to lose a great deal of weight and kept it off.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    "Kickstarting metabolism" is a myth. Eat when you want. your body doesn't really care what the clock says.
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    Now that's the OP has reduced her calories to the 800 level, one meal a day and is too busy to eat, is an ideal formula considering she at 1400 calories ate 2 meals.....yup makes perfect sense.

    800 calories?

    Ok, OP, eat when you want, but friggin' EAT!!!!!!!!! 800 calories is a enough for an infant, maybe, not an adult.

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