Eating Once a Day

quitter1973
quitter1973 Posts: 35 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I know there is always an arguement over this but wanted to see what you guys thought. I'm currently on day 4 of eating one meal per day. I eat nothing all day until dinner time when I make dinner for my kids. I decided to do this because I am always hungry regardless of if i eat lunch or not and I haven't been a breakfast eater most of my adult life. What do you guys think is 1000- to 1500 calories a day enough. I'm a male 39 years old 5'9" 178lbs currently. I would like to lose my belly and then focus on exercise after I've lost the weight.
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Replies

  • lady6starlight
    lady6starlight Posts: 127 Member
    I don't know about you, but I get moody if I don't eat. If I only were to eat one meal a day, I would be difficult to be around.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    The idea is to start how you mean to go on. Do you plan on eating one meal a day for the rest of your life? If not, then it's probably not the right plan for you.

    Secondly, a 2,000-calorie meal at the end of the day seems like a bad idea. Why not eat breakfast with your kids? Eat a sensible lunch and try not to pig out during dinner? That seems to be like a better plan. You can also have snacks, too, you just have to stay in your caloric target.
  • kpeck40
    kpeck40 Posts: 9 Member
    At my heaviest, this was my way of life. Too busy to eat all day, and was never a breakfast type of guy, and then eat in the evening hours. My doctor told me that it had messed up my metabolism something fierce, and as he put it, "your body continues to eat whether you do or not", meaning it will find the nutrition it can in your body, and that usually means loss of muscle mass, and chemical imbalances that cause mood swings.

    One thing I do for two or three weeks every other month is the 5:2 diet though. Pseudo fasting two days a week and moderate eating the rest of it. Really helped me break my plateau. I don't recommend it with anyone that has blood sugar issues though, and it is a very short term solution. The upside is that it does work, and there are pretty decent studies that show the body could use that type of cleanse from time to time. Again, just a reset tool, and not a permanent part of my lifestyle changes.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    Eating all your calories at 1 time is not ideal for weight loss, you are just throwing everything into your body at 1 time, your metabolism will be slow. Food is to fuel your body, and eating 1 meal a day is not properly fueling your body. 5-6 small meals a day is ideal.

    Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, at first I had a hard time with this but now it's become easy to eat a good breakfast. I find I can face my day better, I'm in a better mood, I have energy to keep up with my kids, and I feel great.
  • msarro
    msarro Posts: 2,748 Member
    The biggest problem is that when you take in a lot of calories at once, it causes your blood sugar level to spike.

    When your blood sugar spikes, your body releases a chemical which takes that sugar and stores it as fat in tissues. That chemical is insulin. This keeps you from going into a diabetic coma because the excess blood sugar keeps your body from working correctly. If insulin doesn't get released, you go into diabetic shock, a diabetic coma, and in extreme cases, you can die. If you are trying to lose bodyfat, insulin response is one of your worst enemies; you are doing a disservice to yourself by stacking everything into a single meal.

    When you graze or at least split your meals, you have little peaks and valleys in your blood sugar level through the day, but never quite enough to cause insulin to be released (or at least not much). That's why in a perfect world, you'd graze throughout the day.

    Also, if your blood sugar level drops too low, you can have moodiness, or in some cases, lightheadedness and even passing out.

    If you want to see what I'm talking about first hand, become friends with a diabetic who has to test their blood sugar, and see if they'll let you test about 30 minutes after your "one big meal," and 20 hours later and see how the levels vary, and ask them to explain healthy blood sugar levels to you.

    Then try grazing and take your blood sugar 2-3x across the period of a day. You'll notice very different numbers.
  • SJVZEE
    SJVZEE Posts: 451 Member
    I know there is always an arguement over this but wanted to see what you guys thought. I'm currently on day 4 of eating one meal per day. I eat nothing all day until dinner time when I make dinner for my kids. I decided to do this because I am always hungry regardless of if i eat lunch or not and I haven't been a breakfast eater most of my adult life. What do you guys think is 1000- to 1500 calories a day enough. I'm a male 39 years old 5'9" 178lbs currently. I would like to lose my belly and then focus on exercise after I've lost the weight.

    Give it a try and see how it works for you, if you like it then sure, why not :) However, your calorie numbers are way to low, so work on getting more in (things like a handful of nuts, whole milk Greek yogurt or some evoo when your cooking are easy ways to get the calories in).
    I currently eat two meals a day and one of those is a massive green smoothie, so technically I only 'eat' once a day. Works great for me.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I know there is always an arguement over this but wanted to see what you guys thought. I'm currently on day 4 of eating one meal per day. I eat nothing all day until dinner time when I make dinner for my kids. I decided to do this because I am always hungry regardless of if i eat lunch or not and I haven't been a breakfast eater most of my adult life. What do you guys think is 1000- to 1500 calories a day enough. I'm a male 39 years old 5'9" 178lbs currently. I would like to lose my belly and then focus on exercise after I've lost the weight.

    1000-1500 calories sounds like too little for you. In contrast, I'm a 5'8" woman eating about 1700 calories a day to lose. I've always seen 1800 as the bare minimum calories for men, and more if you're tall or active.

    Personally, I don't see a problem with eating only one meal a day if it works for you. Take a look at the research out there and decide for yourself.
  • 08kat
    08kat Posts: 51
    Think of your metabolism in terms of buidling a fire. You would never try to start a fire with ond great big log on it and expect it to burn. You would probably use several smaller pieces of kindling to start the fire and keep it going. I understand being hungry all day, but I would suggest up to 6 small meals a day rather than one big meal. Best of luck to you!! :happy:
  • aaronrlindemann
    aaronrlindemann Posts: 25 Member
    Blood sugar and insulin play a HUGE role in hunger. Decide to become a breakfast person. "Eat breakfast like a king and dinner like a peasant." Everything else will take care of itself.
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    Different diets work for different people, so if this style of eating works for you then stick with it. I for example eat only 2 meals a day, but I also exercise 2 times a day and eat immediately afterwards. It works for me...
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,021 Member
    So much crap in this thread. You are not going to lose muscle mass because you save all your calories for an evening meal. Your body does not digest food so quickly that it burns through a huge dinner and starts eating your muscle in less than 24 hours. And your metabolism is not a furnace that needs to be stoked at regular intervals. As long as your heart is beating in your chest, your metabolism is working.

    I eat one meal a day. At night. 1700 calories. I'm losing fat and maintaining muscle just fine.

    There's an intermittent fasting group on here if you're interested (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting), or you can read Leangains.com.

    I would add that, at first glance, I think 1500 is way too low for you, OP, but it depends on your goals.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    So much crap in this thread. You are not going to lose muscle mass because you save all your calories for an evening meal. Your body does not digest food so quickly that it burns through a huge dinner and starts eating your muscle in less than 24 hours. And your metabolism is not a furnace that needs to be stoked at regular intervals. As long as your heart is beating in your chest, your metabolism is working.

    I eat one meal a day. At night. 1700 calories. I'm losing fat and maintaining muscle just fine.

    There's an intermittent fasting group on here if you're interested (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting), or you can read Leangains.com.

    If you eat all of your calories at night, how does your body process all that food, since essentially your metabolism shuts down while you're sleeping?
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    There is nothing wrong with eating once a day. It will not have any adverse effects on your metabolism, despite the claims of some previous posters. There's really nothing to back that up.

    I'm not sure the 1000 to 1500 calories is going to be enough, but if you're losing weight, go for about a 20% deficit from your maintenance calories. I wouldn't go lower than that.

    As long as you are hitting your calorie goals every day, there is no difference between 1 or 13 meals in the day. I personally enjoy the freedom of essentially "skipping breakfast" and eating 2 meals a day. They are bigger, satisfying meals, and I rarely have any kind of issues with feeling super starving.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    If you eat all of your calories at night, how does your body process all that food, since essentially your metabolism shuts down while you're sleeping?

    Your metabolism NEVER shuts down, unless you are dead.
  • RockinTerri
    RockinTerri Posts: 499 Member
    My recommendation on this would be to change your eating habits to eating multiple small meals each day. You won't mess up your metabolism, and your body will absorb the nutrients you eat properly.
  • HealthyBodySickMind
    HealthyBodySickMind Posts: 1,207 Member
    I have an older (40-something, male) cousin that does this, and has for years. He doesn't do it as a diet (he's not overweight), that's just how he eats. He's a confirmed bachelor, and kind of a hermit, and that's just what works best for him. It's not a hard, fast rule for him, he just generally eats one meal in the evening.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    If you eat all of your calories at night, how does your body process all that food, since essentially your metabolism shuts down while you're sleeping?

    tumblr_m8wq4hoArt1r2n19do1_400.jpg
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    My doctor told me that it had messed up my metabolism something fierce, and as he put it, "your body continues to eat whether you do or not", meaning it will find the nutrition it can in your body, and that usually means loss of muscle mass, and chemical imbalances that cause mood swings.

    If my body continues to eat even when I do not, I would take that to mean primarily fat loss.
  • homeyjosey
    homeyjosey Posts: 138 Member
    1 meal a day?

    I do it.

    I love it
  • j75j75
    j75j75 Posts: 854 Member
    So much crap in this thread. You are not going to lose muscle mass because you save all your calories for an evening meal. Your body does not digest food so quickly that it burns through a huge dinner and starts eating your muscle in less than 24 hours. And your metabolism is not a furnace that needs to be stoked at regular intervals. As long as your heart is beating in your chest, your metabolism is working.

    I eat one meal a day. At night. 1700 calories. I'm losing fat and maintaining muscle just fine.

    There's an intermittent fasting group on here if you're interested (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting), or you can read Leangains.com.



    If you eat all of your calories at night, how does your body process all that food, since essentially your metabolism shuts down while you're sleeping?

    HUH???
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    There is nothing wrong with eating once a day. It will not have any adverse effects on your metabolism, despite the claims of some previous posters. There's really nothing to back that up.

    I'm not sure the 1000 to 1500 calories is going to be enough, but if you're losing weight, go for about a 20% deficit from your maintenance calories. I wouldn't go lower than that.

    As long as you are hitting your calorie goals every day, there is no difference between 1 or 13 meals in the day. I personally enjoy the freedom of essentially "skipping breakfast" and eating 2 meals a day. They are bigger, satisfying meals, and I rarely have any kind of issues with feeling super starving.

    This!
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    So much crap in this thread. You are not going to lose muscle mass because you save all your calories for an evening meal. Your body does not digest food so quickly that it burns through a huge dinner and starts eating your muscle in less than 24 hours. And your metabolism is not a furnace that needs to be stoked at regular intervals. As long as your heart is beating in your chest, your metabolism is working.

    I eat one meal a day. At night. 1700 calories. I'm losing fat and maintaining muscle just fine.

    There's an intermittent fasting group on here if you're interested (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting), or you can read Leangains.com.

    I would add that, at first glance, I think 1500 is way too low for you, OP, but it depends on your goals.

    ^This.

    It is completely personal preference on how many meals and what time you eat them. There is no need to worry about your metabolism from doing this.

    Eating too large a deficit on the other hand can lead to metabolic slowing over the long term so try to keep it at a moderate level.
  • laughingdani
    laughingdani Posts: 2,275 Member
    So much crap in this thread. You are not going to lose muscle mass because you save all your calories for an evening meal. Your body does not digest food so quickly that it burns through a huge dinner and starts eating your muscle in less than 24 hours. And your metabolism is not a furnace that needs to be stoked at regular intervals. As long as your heart is beating in your chest, your metabolism is working.

    I eat one meal a day. At night. 1700 calories. I'm losing fat and maintaining muscle just fine.

    There's an intermittent fasting group on here if you're interested (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting), or you can read Leangains.com.

    I would add that, at first glance, I think 1500 is way too low for you, OP, but it depends on your goals.

    Yes. This.
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    :
    So much crap in this thread. You are not going to lose muscle mass because you save all your calories for an evening meal. Your body does not digest food so quickly that it burns through a huge dinner and starts eating your muscle in less than 24 hours. And your metabolism is not a furnace that needs to be stoked at regular intervals. As long as your heart is beating in your chest, your metabolism is working.

    I eat one meal a day. At night. 1700 calories. I'm losing fat and maintaining muscle just fine.

    There's an intermittent fasting group on here if you're interested (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting), or you can read Leangains.com.

    If you eat all of your calories at night, how does your body process all that food, since essentially your metabolism shuts down while you're sleeping?

    True Story.

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • CaffeineIsMyGod
    CaffeineIsMyGod Posts: 5
    I have a habit of only eating one meal a day and it's horrific. Once it was habit I literally would forget to eat breakfast and lunch. It's pretty self destructive. I had and still have extreme pains in my stomach, I was literally starving my body, I can't participant in sporting activities because I just don't have the energy to. I know it sounds stupid but try not to make your dinner the highest calorie meal of the day as it is difficult for your body to burn before going to bed. It's really not ideal to be eating that many calories in one meal though.
  • purpleiris82
    purpleiris82 Posts: 22 Member
    Talk to a doctor, you need to eat more than once a day.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Talk to a doctor, you need to eat more than once a day.

    No.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    I know there is always an arguement over this but wanted to see what you guys thought. I'm currently on day 4 of eating one meal per day. I eat nothing all day until dinner time when I make dinner for my kids. I decided to do this because I am always hungry regardless of if i eat lunch or not and I haven't been a breakfast eater most of my adult life. What do you guys think is 1000- to 1500 calories a day enough. I'm a male 39 years old 5'9" 178lbs currently. I would like to lose my belly and then focus on exercise after I've lost the weight.

    No problem with eating all your food in 1 meal, 3 meals or 6 meals. Whatever suits you best.

    Your calories are very low, too low I would say. Why not start higher and adjust depending on what results you get?

    Really don't think waiting to exercise until you have lost weight is a good idea at all - exercise now for health and to preserve muscle mass while you are at a deficit. Mix of both strength and cardio would be best.

    PS - ignore all the nonsense about metabolism stopping/starting when you sleep/wake and lighting fires - what on earth do they teach in schools these days?
  • taylorreisiger
    taylorreisiger Posts: 6 Member
    That sounds unhealthy.. If I'm not eating at least every hour I get so moody it's not even funny. And I'm 5'4 and 118 pounds.
  • MG_Fit
    MG_Fit Posts: 1,143 Member
    This keeps getting better and better.

    OP just listen to jq, she knows what she's talking about.

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