Fasting...Is there anything wrong with waiting till dinner?

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  • outofworkpediatrician
    outofworkpediatrician Posts: 43 Member
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    Fasting for a meal or two once a month or two is good for you. It gives your digestive system a little break. OTOH doing it regularly (like skipping breakfast daily) makes you prone to ulcers. You produce enzymes to digest proteins no matter what, and if there are no proteins to digest it will eat away at your organs. Hence, ulcers.
    that is not entirely the case. our digestive track has strong defensive system like mucosal barrier and auto regulation of digestive secretions to prevent it digesting our own body. if a persons mucosal barrier is damaged, or genetically ulcer prone, or takes some medications or food that weakens these defenses, they are prone to get ulcers. increase amount of stomach acid or pancreatic secretion when one is fasting can cause ulcers, but the person will feel hunger, stomach pain, discomfort etc well before it start damaging the digestive track like causing ulcers. people who fast daily for a month for religious reasons do not develop ulcers, unless they have ulcer causing predisposing factors.
  • Sun_Wukong
    Sun_Wukong Posts: 131
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    What matters the most in weight loss is total calories at the end of the day. How one gets there doesn't matter much. If one isn't suffering from diabetes or any other health issue that requires continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels, then eating just one meal a day is fine if one can tolerate that.
    QFT

    Also one may have to consider if you are incorporating exercise into your daily life, as exercising on an empty stomach (empty tank) can affect gym performance.

    Nutritional timing is often taken into consideration by people that lift and many other forms of exercise.

    I don't think you have to obsess over nutritional timing just that as practical application exercising with low energy reserves could result in a negative impact on performance.

    It is a bit lengthy but here is a link: http://www.jissn.com/content/pdf/1550-2783-10-5.pdf.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    There is nothing wrong with it unless you have medical issues that would make it harmful. If you are diabetic/pre-diabetic or have cortisol issues you should stay away. It would make your blood sugar too high/low throughout the day then you get a huge spike after the huge evening meal.

    Other than that it could be a way to regulate your intake, if it works for you.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
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    There's nothing wrong with eating all your calories for a day at once, medical issues withstanding. If it works for you, do it.
  • bmqbonnie
    bmqbonnie Posts: 836 Member
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    Fasting for a meal or two once a month or two is good for you. It gives your digestive system a little break. OTOH doing it regularly (like skipping breakfast daily) makes you prone to ulcers. You produce enzymes to digest proteins no matter what, and if there are no proteins to digest it will eat away at your organs. Hence, ulcers.
    that is not entirely the case. our digestive track has strong defensive system like mucosal barrier and auto regulation of digestive secretions to prevent it digesting our own body. if a persons mucosal barrier is damaged, or genetically ulcer prone, or takes some medications or food that weakens these defenses, they are prone to get ulcers. increase amount of stomach acid or pancreatic secretion when one is fasting can cause ulcers, but the person will feel hunger, stomach pain, discomfort etc well before it start damaging the digestive track like causing ulcers. people who fast daily for a month for religious reasons do not develop ulcers, unless they have ulcer causing predisposing factors.

    Meh. It increases risk, it's not a guarantee. No one would deny that smoking is bad for you, yet there are people that smoke like a chimney and live to be unusually old. So there are other factors for sure, but just because it isn't a guaranteed death sentence doesn't make it okay for everybody.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    I've spoken to many Registered Dieticians and Nutritionists as well as taking many courses for both Nutrition and Health - EVERYONE says the same thing. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day, as well as starting the day with 16-20 oz of water. It gets your metabolism started. Not eating breakfast will slow down your metabolism a lot and by lunch time you are working against yourself.

    Good luck.
    I was so busy on Saturday that I skipped both breakfast and lunch. I have been skipping breakfast fairly regularly as I noticed it actually making me hungrier once I ate it. But skipping lunch was not typical. I was then able to eat some foods I would typically have refused and still stayed within my goals. I'm wondering if there is any true detriment to fasting/eating this way, particularly on occasion, so that I can indulge on the weekends. I can't imagine doing it during the week at work but the weekends...definitely!

    Is there much truth behind the "breakfast is the most important meal" thing? Or "eat every few hours"? Or is that only if you need help regulating blood sugar levels and if cravings are an issue?

    Wrong. EVERYONE does NOT say breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
    It will not slow down your metabolism.

    Look up the research and studies.
    For every one "expert" who says it is you can easily find one that says it is not.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
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    I would see no problem with skipping meals as long as you aren't feeling hungry and are staying hydrated. (Refusing to eat while your stomach is trying to leap out of your body to find its own damn meal would be bad.) I would carry a meal replacement bar as a "just in case" so if you're out and about and you suddenly realize you are hungry NOW you don't make poor choices (vending machine, fast food, etc.).

    I don't do "breakfast" in the morning in the traditional sense. I do have a protein shake that is 200 calories and then a coffee at my desk. If I tried to have actual food I'd feel sick.
  • GreatDepression
    GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
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    Intermittent fasting can be a GREAT way to control/manage your daily calorie intake. I tried doing this and did pretty well on it but it required more self-control and motivation than I could muster up long term, unfortunately.
  • Strokingdiction
    Strokingdiction Posts: 1,164 Member
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    I've spoken to many Registered Dieticians and Nutritionists as well as taking many courses for both Nutrition and Health - EVERYONE says the same thing. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day, as well as starting the day with 16-20 oz of water. It gets your metabolism started. Not eating breakfast will slow down your metabolism a lot and by lunch time you are working against yourself.

    Good luck.

    Guess what, I don't believe you talked to all those people and that ALL of them told you that. This is an idea that was debunked some time ago. Only professionals that don't rely on current information would spout that misinformation. Do you know why? Your metabolism never stops. It doesn't go to sleep when you do. The metabolism does not slow down just because food has not passed through the system in 12, 16, 18 or 24 hours.

    Please never post this misinformation again.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    If you can get all your work done, if you can maintain a smile, if you can get along with your colleagues, friends and family and so on then there is nothing wrong with waiting until dinner to eat. Recently, I have been skipping breakfast and lunch - only have a few hundred calories - and have the majority of my calories for dinner. As long as you get enough protein and you are lifting progressively heavy weight or weight that is heavy enough to stimulate growth or maintain muscle and strength then eat whatever and however you like.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    I've spoken to many Registered Dieticians and Nutritionists as well as taking many courses for both Nutrition and Health - EVERYONE says the same thing. Breakfast IS the most important meal of the day, as well as starting the day with 16-20 oz of water. It gets your metabolism started. Not eating breakfast will slow down your metabolism a lot and by lunch time you are working against yourself.

    Good luck.

    Guess what, I don't believe you talked to all those people and that ALL of them told you that. This is an idea that was debunked some time ago. Only professionals that don't rely on current information would spout that misinformation. Do you know why? Your metabolism never stops. It doesn't go to sleep when you do. The metabolism does not slow down just because food has not passed through the system in 12, 16, 18 or 24 hours.

    Please never post this misinformation again.
    Exactly.

    The slow down in metabolism doesnt start until around the 70 hour mark of fasting.
    The breakfast idea has long been debunked.

    and all break fast is really is, as the name says, a break from your fast. Typicallly the longest people go from eating is from dinner to the morning meal.

    My break in my fast is at 7pm on my fast days.
  • belgerian
    belgerian Posts: 1,059 Member
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    I dont think so I am not even hungry till 1030 am sometimes I dont even eat till noon. Occassionaly if im really busy maybe not even till 2 or 3. Do what is right for you if you are happy with your progress then thats all you need to be concerened with. Of course providing you do not suffer from any eating disordors. (my disclaimer).
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
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    Skipping Breakfast and Lunch is what worked best for me.
    Read more behind the science and logic of Intermittent Fasting
    www.fast-5.org
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    I do intermittent fasting everyday, eating from 11 am to 10 pm. If you begin this protocol, be sure to check and see how you're feeling after a few weeks. As a woman, too long an extended period of fasting for more than 14 hours/day, day after day, can start to mess with your hormones. I used to do a 16:8 window and had issues until I moved it to 13:11.

    Here's a good read: www.leangains.com
    i have a hard time calling this fasting. To me this looks like eating a late breakfast. No offense, but when I think of fasting this is not it.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    I do intermittent fasting everyday, eating from 11 am to 10 pm. If you begin this protocol, be sure to check and see how you're feeling after a few weeks. As a woman, too long an extended period of fasting for more than 14 hours/day, day after day, can start to mess with your hormones. I used to do a 16:8 window and had issues until I moved it to 13:11.

    Here's a good read: www.leangains.com
    i have a hard time calling this fasting. To me this looks like eating a late breakfast. No offense, but when I think of fasting this is not it.
    Agreed 100%.
    Someone in the fasting forum was talking about fasting for 14 hours, eating 10 and blasted how fasting doesnt work.

    Um, that is just like a normal eating cycle such as eating dinner at 6pm and breakfast around 8am.
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    Fasting for a meal or two once a month or two is good for you. It gives your digestive system a little break. OTOH doing it regularly (like skipping breakfast daily) makes you prone to ulcers. You produce enzymes to digest proteins no matter what, and if there are no proteins to digest it will eat away at your organs. Hence, ulcers.
    that is not entirely the case. our digestive track has strong defensive system like mucosal barrier and auto regulation of digestive secretions to prevent it digesting our own body. if a persons mucosal barrier is damaged, or genetically ulcer prone, or takes some medications or food that weakens these defenses, they are prone to get ulcers. increase amount of stomach acid or pancreatic secretion when one is fasting can cause ulcers, but the person will feel hunger, stomach pain, discomfort etc well before it start damaging the digestive track like causing ulcers. people who fast daily for a month for religious reasons do not develop ulcers, unless they have ulcer causing predisposing factors.

    I think the OP would be better served by not taking nutritional advice from someone who refers to the "digestive track," knowledge of the word "mucosal" notwithstanding. In my opinion, the OP would be better off consulting with a dietician for dietary advice. Eating only once a day might be fine for my dogs, but I don't think I'd advise a person to do it on a consistent basis. How is that practice a sustainable lifestyle? I know that faithful Muslims do do during Ramadan--but that practice occurs for only one month out of the year and is not intended to be a permanent lifestyle change.
  • bpotts44
    bpotts44 Posts: 1,066 Member
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    I was so busy on Saturday that I skipped both breakfast and lunch. I have been skipping breakfast fairly regularly as I noticed it actually making me hungrier once I ate it. But skipping lunch was not typical. I was then able to eat some foods I would typically have refused and still stayed within my goals. I'm wondering if there is any true detriment to fasting/eating this way, particularly on occasion, so that I can indulge on the weekends. I can't imagine doing it during the week at work but the weekends...definitely!

    Is there much truth behind the "breakfast is the most important meal" thing? Or "eat every few hours"? Or is that only if you need help regulating blood sugar levels and if cravings are an issue?

    Fasting up to 24 hrs will have no detrimental effect on metabolism. You have to watch IF a little bit as a woman, but if you are not having any hormone issues you should be fine.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Options
    Fasting for a meal or two once a month or two is good for you. It gives your digestive system a little break. OTOH doing it regularly (like skipping breakfast daily) makes you prone to ulcers. You produce enzymes to digest proteins no matter what, and if there are no proteins to digest it will eat away at your organs. Hence, ulcers.
    that is not entirely the case. our digestive track has strong defensive system like mucosal barrier and auto regulation of digestive secretions to prevent it digesting our own body. if a persons mucosal barrier is damaged, or genetically ulcer prone, or takes some medications or food that weakens these defenses, they are prone to get ulcers. increase amount of stomach acid or pancreatic secretion when one is fasting can cause ulcers, but the person will feel hunger, stomach pain, discomfort etc well before it start damaging the digestive track like causing ulcers. people who fast daily for a month for religious reasons do not develop ulcers, unless they have ulcer causing predisposing factors.

    I think the OP would be better served by not taking nutritional advice from someone who refers to the "digestive track," knowledge of the word "mucosal" notwithstanding. In my opinion, the OP would be better off consulting with a dietician for dietary advice. Eating only once a day might be fine for my dogs, but I don't think I'd advise a person to do it on a consistent basis. How is that practice a sustainable lifestyle? I know that faithful Muslims do do during Ramadan--but that practice occurs for only one month out of the year and is not intended to be a permanent lifestyle change.
    That is why many brought up intermittant fasting. You dont do it every day....Some do it every other day, 3 times a week, 2 times a week, 1 day a week.

    and as far as taking advice from people on here.......that is what is done every single day. Some good, some damaging, but I think for the most part people seek info on here for support, and there are many diff ways to lose weight and get healthy
  • LoupGarouTFTs
    LoupGarouTFTs Posts: 916 Member
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    That is why many brought up intermittant fasting. You dont do it every day....Some do it every other day, 3 times a week, 2 times a week, 1 day a week.

    and as far as taking advice from people on here.......that is what is done every single day. Some good, some damaging, but I think for the most part people seek info on here for support, and there are many diff ways to lose weight and get healthy

    Agreed, people do take advice from others here all of the time, but I honestly feel that if you're going to ask for advice about fasting, you don't ask nameless/faceless people on a forum. We don't have all the facts about the OP's health and we shouldn't take the OP's word that everything posted is a fact. In my opinion, asking what protein powder to use is a heck of a lot different than asking for advice about fasting.

    Once again, I ask--how is fasting, even intermittent fasting, sustainable? If you eat only once a day, it seems like unhealthy eating practices to me--almost like binge and purge without sticking your fingers down your throat.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
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    Eating only once a day might be fine for my dogs, but I don't think I'd advise a person to do it on a consistent basis. .

    It's honestly not that great for your dogs. Twice a day is the common recommendation, including from the ASPCA.

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