One meal a day

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Replies

  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    Those are facts. Food for thought.. why they do that...

    Source?

    Also since you have details on what sumo wrestlers typically eat, let's talk about their total calorie intake too.

    Of course it is about intake and burn of calories. You will always loose weight once you burn more than eat. But here is the problem.
    When you don't eat breakfast and starve yourself for most part of the day, you slow down your metabolism and also you teach your body to conserve every possible amount of energy. .. which means your body learns to storage fat.
    If one meal a day works for you.. it is better to eat it in the morning, because you have time to burn calories throughout the day.

    Lol, rly?
    I did intermittent fasting and ate all my calories between 6pm and right before bed at 2am. And we are talking over 2000 calories. I dropped my bodyfat to 12%. So yeah... meal timing is irrelevant.

    Maybe your another logical fallacy? :laugh:

    Yup, must be! Cripes, I used to eat as late as 3 or 4am, and fat storage did not happen. Maybe I am a special snowflake :bigsmile: :laugh:
  • PtheronJr
    PtheronJr Posts: 108 Member
    I do intermittent fasting, at a 21-3 hour window, that's 3 hours to eat, essentially just one big meal, I typically don't even use the full 3 hours.
    It still takes me 4000 calories to bulk, for reference, I'm a barely average height, 145lb gymnast, sure my workouts are around 2 hours long and brutal beyond belief, but the fact of the matter is that it's the makeup of your diet that will screw your metabolism, not the frequency of it. Of course your metabolism is going to be utter garbage if your macronutrient and micronutrient split isn't up to snuff, but as someone who's studying in the field of dietetics, it's generally considered total BS that meal frequency has anything to do with metabolic efficiency.
    Unless you're completely stupid and only eat a meal every 30 hours, but that's just the basic concept of starving yourself and not being an idiot, there is obviously a point where it will adversely affect you, and you shouldn't do it while bulking, because stuffing 4000 calories in your face within 3 hours is not only extraordinarily painful but also pretty bad for you.
    Sumo wrestlers eat only one or two meals a day. They never eat breakfasts. They exercise on empty stomach...Go figure....
    That's totally not true. Sumo wrestlers eat about 20,000 calories a day, and they certainly eat breakfast. As for exercising on an empty stomach, their stomachs are pretty much never empty, due to the extremely high calorie intake they require.

    Pretty much, sumo wrestlers consume an inordinate amount of calories, just like any other athlete in an intensive sport (obviously sumo wrestlers have a different goal as far as body composition goes). It takes time for your body to process all those calories, and it's much longer than just 3 hours, like every fool who has been lifting for two month purports is necessary.
  • dopeysmelly
    dopeysmelly Posts: 1,390 Member
    I'd run out of clean plates to pack all my food on to if I did it all in one meal, since I eat a lot of veggies that simply take up a lot of space, but I don't see why it couldn't work for anyone. My husband used to eat just one meal a day and it probably didn't do him any harm. I'm not sure it's necessarily sustainable, but if it works for you, why not?
  • daquix
    daquix Posts: 20 Member
    Hey everyone,

    So I just wanted some input.


    I started a new plan for myself and i can tell its already going to be the start to something amazing.
    I decided to eat 1 meal at 5pm with a healthy dessert . I have never been a breakfast person and I would usually snack at lunch time on unhealthy things. Waiting until 5 pm and drinking water gives me the full feeling that grazing through out the day does not.
    Or to constantly think about the meals i have to prepare etc. I will be going to nursing school in september and things will be hectic. So eating one meal a day is the best way to go RIGHT?


    My friend said its not good for my metabolism and that i would gain it back if i were to eat breakfast.
    Im sorry but I call BULLsh** :grumble: back in the caveman days people were to busy looking for food they only had 1 meal a day. and was there obesity NOPE.. plus if your goal is to get your calories in should it matter when. Its easy for me to stay busy in the morning and excercise until 5pm hits and than i have my 1 meal, yoga, tv and bed.

    Is it to good to be true, or do you think if you eat one meal a day within your calories, excercise and build a calorie deficent that i will loose weight

    starting:378

    Logical fallacy on the cavemen aspect.

    They VERY active - hunting, gathering, building etc. Their meals were to maintain their large calorie expenditure.

    Not lose weight.
  • Dagmere
    Dagmere Posts: 16
    http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

     "While work in rats and mice, for whom everything happens faster, has found that a single meal can lower metabolic rate, this is irrelevant to humans. Skipping a meal will not affect human metabolic rate at all."

    One man article versus 12 references of published science articles. Of course it is up to you, what you find as more reliable research... :

    You should actually look at the resources and consider the other available studies. In total there's been somewhere around 26-27 studies and the majority do not point to an increased meal frequency being metabolically beneficial. James Krieger has these all laid out in his site.

    Edit: and yes it's poor form on my part to mention studies without linking them but I'm in the hospital posting from a cell phone. The main consideration here is that when you consider the entire body of evidence in humans the study results are mixed with the majority showing no differences and a few on either side (a few pointing towards high frequency being beneficial and a few showing lower).

    Topic is not about high frequency meals and nibbling food entire day. Topic is about cons to eating one meal a day.

    Your link even concluded:

    "Scientists are still uncertain about why eating one meal each day may have adverse medical consequences and are exploring various theories about potential causes. "

    The "may" is what I question. They don't know. Because correlation does not equal causation and just because two things may appear to be caused from the other, they can't prove it. Also, mice studies are not human studies. We are different.

    Lack of explain causes doesn't eliminate the fact of existing effects.

    So, if every day I eat an avacado for a study over X amount of time and develop herpes during that time. The avacado must have given me herpes. Ok.

    So now we all know. Avacado = herpes

    There are some very strict rules about scientific researches based on statistics. It is never based on one subject of observation.
  • russkiballerina
    russkiballerina Posts: 53 Member
    I'm not going to jump in on all the health discussions here, but I would just throw this out there: I'm in nursing school too, and I have to wake up crazy freaking early for my clinical rotations (4am, to be exact). If I didn't eat anything until 13 hours after I woke up, I don't think I'd make it. I'd be a heap on the floor of the hospital by noon.


    If you're going to be waking up really early for classes, or especially for clinicals, I wouldn't recommend not eating until such a late time. Plus, with clinicals, you often don't really have time to sit and eat a proper meal halfway through- you're not guaranteed any breaks! So I'd definitely suggest you eat something before hand, or you'll be experiencing first hand the symptoms of low blood sugar.

    I'll second her here. Won't jump into the health discussion because it's pretty crazy, imho, but in year 3 when I started my rotations in med school, esp. surg, it was 10000000% impossible to not eat anything before going to the hospital, and the few times I did manage to do that, I crashed (as in literally PTFO'd on the floor like an idiot) 2hrs into it and had to get IV dex - happened more times than I can count, and not only it was embarrassing, it interfered with that particular rotation (case in point, I learned to carry dex + protein bars + apples + nuts/seeds + w/e else I could find at home to munch on while on the floor and running around from one dpt to the next)

    You'll be studying like crazy at home and during your clinicals in the hospital, you won't have time to really do much other than that, your patients will drive you nuts, plus the job is VERY physical and a workout on its own (as I'm sure your colleague here will be happy to tell you) and you will need LOTS of energy (that means food, too), so I think it will do you much good to get your calories throughout the day instead of just in one meal.

    Medicine/Nursing IS a workout, esp. when you're a student nurse/doc in training :) - and congrats for getting into nursing school!

    EDIT: my English/grammar skills are non-existent today
  • KetoToThin
    KetoToThin Posts: 185
    Can't help but laugh at the pictures of very ripped people as proof that eating one meal a deal is the correct path for losing weight.

    Once you have 200lb's of lean mass on your body burning calories and causing expenditure you're in a VERY different category than someone who is obese and is trying to lose weight.

    Those people have absolutely nothing to do with an obese persons situation in losing. Even whilst in a cutting cycle.
  • ahoier
    ahoier Posts: 312 Member
    I've heard of "something" like this before......it's some sort of "fasting diet" lol.....only the variation was.......eat all you WANT in 24 hours......and eat nothing for the next 48......lol. I wish I would have bookmarked it.....or remembered the name.......

    But the whole idea, is you eat all you want for one day......and don't eat anything else for the next 2.......kind of like a fast......I'd be interested in how this 1 meal a day works for you......

    Im sure you still gotta keep it healtyhy though.....lol. Kinda funny, cause this is kind of my "epic cheat meal" - nights she wants to go to all u can eat (she likes the sushi......lol. It's cheap.....and hell, all u can eat!) - I typically don't eat anything until that next night anyways haha.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Can't help but laugh at the pictures of very ripped people as proof that eating one meal a deal is the correct path for losing weight.

    Once you have 200lb's of lean mass on your body burning calories and causing expenditure you're in a VERY different category than someone who is obese and is trying to lose weight.

    Those people have absolutely nothing to do with an obese persons situation in losing. Even whilst in a cutting cycle.
    Meal timing is irrelevant to weight loss irregardless of obese/fit standards.
    It's not that it's the correct path. It's that any path that is sustainable to an individual's satiety is the correct path. Also, I was obese when I ate this way. I didn't eat one meal but the bulk of my calories were typically in the evening. I don't know what my BF% was in the first one but BMI was categorized as obese.

    2cni1xt.jpg
  • blankgm
    blankgm Posts: 1 Member
    I'm no scientist - and I dint stay at a holiday inn express but ...

    Every doctor I have spoken with about weight and everything I've read basically say the same thing -

    "Typically" (the magic word cuz were all different)
    - skipping meals Slows your metabolism
    - breakfast should be the largest meal of the day and dinner the smallest (unless you are. Shift worker)
    - if you want to loose weight, you need to eat all 3 meals plus snack every 2 hours
    - do not go to bed right after dinner
    - Walk to loose weight. Don't run, or lift weights - just walk.

    Explanations:
    - skipping meals results in your body thinking food is scarce. It's a safety mechanism. Want to increase your metabolism, eat frequently and eat small. Most recommendations say eat every two hours.
    - breakfast should be about 1/2 to 2/3 of your full daily intake of calories. You have a whole day of being awake and moving around to burn it off.
    - dinner should be the smallest because your body is winding down and preparing for sleep.
    - walk

    When you see others not following these general rules they probably have a high met rate air are burning a ton of cals in exercises.

    I, like you, ate 1 meal a day after leaving the military. I was just too busy. And I packed on the weight. I just didn't think about it until one day recently at the Dr my weight reached 297. That was in April. I changed my habits in mid may.

    After returning to the simple outlines above, I am dropping back down again. Down to 277 today. That's 20 pounds in two months.

    (My TrendWeight - https://trendweight.com/u/c4802ced70134e/chart/1y.png)

    I started walking just short durations. - about 1/2 a mile a day. Now I'm between 6 and 12 miles a day. I walk for one hour in the morning and one hour at night on weekdays. At work I walk between 1 and 3 miles each day going about normal office stuff like meetings, lunch, in and out from the parking lot. It all adds up pretty quickly - I was actually shocked. On weekends my wife and I do two laps around one pf the local shopping malls. Shopping speed, you wouldn't know us from any other browser in the mall.

    It's not a power walk, it's a leisure walk. If you can't hold a conversation while walking then you are going too fast. As you get accustomed to it you can increase the pace. My weekday walks are now at about 3.1 or 3.2 MPH depending on how I feel. But it all adds up in calorie burn?

    Breakfast is juice, milk, coffee, and either pancakes or cereal and fruit. It tops in around 1k calories. Lunch is around 500 and dinner around 400. Sometimes more depending on my evening walk. At that rate I have a net loss of about 1300 calories so I can an splurge and have a cookie if feel the need for a treat. But, at that rate I should be shedding more weight than I am - the result of skipping so many meals for so long. The last time they checked my metabolism they said it was as low as it could go without bring considered "abnormal".

    Now I'm working to repair that damage.

    I use myfitnesspal to record my intake and if I can't find nutritional value I don't eat it. I try to keep sodium levels equal or below calorie count for each item as sodium contributes yo water retention and I drink at least 64 ounces of water each day. Water helps flush your system. I also us a fitbit to track my walking distance, pace and calorie burn - and I'm on a very active and supportive group on the fitbit page for those who need/want to loose 100+ pounds.

    I'd say talk with your doctor, the first thing they will probably tell you is to stop skipping meals and start a light exercise program if you aren't already on one.

    I wish you luck and success in whatever road you take -
  • Nikkisfitblog
    Nikkisfitblog Posts: 149 Member
    Most effective way to embark on a weight loss plan...eat when your hungry and stop when your not. Hunger is different from cravings...rewarding hunger results in healthy leptin levels and fullness cues.

    1 meal a day wont work if you spent the day starving!
  • Beckboo0912
    Beckboo0912 Posts: 447 Member
    I've heard about this sunshine water diet...all you do is drink water and live off the sunshine like a plant.
  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    Most effective way to embark on a weight loss plan...eat when your hungry and stop when your not. Hunger is different from cravings...rewarding hunger results in healthy leptin levels and fullness cues.

    1 meal a day wont work if you spent the day starving!
    That is what got most people into weight troubles in the first place
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Can't help but laugh at the pictures of very ripped people as proof that eating one meal a deal is the correct path for losing weight.

    Once you have 200lb's of lean mass on your body burning calories and causing expenditure you're in a VERY different category than someone who is obese and is trying to lose weight.

    Those people have absolutely nothing to do with an obese persons situation in losing. Even whilst in a cutting cycle.

    Please point out where I said that it is the correct way to lose weight.

    And the real person I put up wasn't always ripped, just to let you know.
  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
    I'm no scientist - and I dint stay at a holiday inn express but ...

    Every doctor I have spoken with about weight and everything I've read basically say the same thing -

    "Typically" (the magic word cuz were all different)
    - skipping meals Slows your metabolism
    - breakfast should be the largest meal of the day and dinner the smallest (unless you are. Shift worker)
    - if you want to loose weight, you need to eat all 3 meals plus snack every 2 hours
    - do not go to bed right after dinner
    - Walk to loose weight. Don't run, or lift weights - just walk.

    None of that has any bearing on reality, and doctors are typically poor sources of nutritional information in my experience. Skipping a meal or even two every day won't make any appreciable difference in metabolism. Breakfast size or even it's inclusion has no bearing on overall health, number of meals, or how often they occur is irrelevant, and while walking is great, running, and especially lifting weights are great ways to assist weight-loss and contribute to overall health.

    Rigger
  • This content has been removed.
  • BoatsnHose
    BoatsnHose Posts: 120 Member
    I'm no scientist - and I dint stay at a holiday inn express but ...

    Every doctor I have spoken with about weight and everything I've read basically say the same thing -

    "Typically" (the magic word cuz were all different)
    - skipping meals Slows your metabolism
    - breakfast should be the largest meal of the day and dinner the smallest (unless you are. Shift worker)
    - if you want to loose weight, you need to eat all 3 meals plus snack every 2 hours
    - do not go to bed right after dinner
    - Walk to loose weight. Don't run, or lift weights - just walk.

    Explanations:
    - skipping meals results in your body thinking food is scarce. It's a safety mechanism. Want to increase your metabolism, eat frequently and eat small. Most recommendations say eat every two hours.
    - breakfast should be about 1/2 to 2/3 of your full daily intake of calories. You have a whole day of being awake and moving around to burn it off.
    - dinner should be the smallest because your body is winding down and preparing for sleep.
    - walk


    People on here are going to roast you for this post. Everything I have ever read from people who are educated in this field say the exact opposite of what you just posted.
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Can't help but laugh at the pictures of very ripped people as proof that eating one meal a deal is the correct path for losing weight.

    Once you have 200lb's of lean mass on your body burning calories and causing expenditure you're in a VERY different category than someone who is obese and is trying to lose weight.

    Those people have absolutely nothing to do with an obese persons situation in losing. Even whilst in a cutting cycle.

    It's funny that you couldn't point out an individual with 200 lbs of lean mass. You do realize every single picture posted are of individuals with about 170 lbs of lean mass on the HIGH END. I'm 170 in those pictures, and probably 10-11% bf. Guess what that makes my lean mass?

    Do you know how rare it is to find someone with 200 lbs of lean mass who isn't on gear?
  • LolBroScience
    LolBroScience Posts: 4,537 Member
    Can't help but laugh at the pictures of very ripped people as proof that eating one meal a deal is the correct path for losing weight.

    Once you have 200lb's of lean mass on your body burning calories and causing expenditure you're in a VERY different category than someone who is obese and is trying to lose weight.

    Those people have absolutely nothing to do with an obese persons situation in losing. Even whilst in a cutting cycle.
    Because none of the very ripped people in this forum have never been obese themselves?

    And furthermore, no one is labeling it as the correct path. Whatever path you take which allows you the greatest amount of total dietary adherence is the optimal path.

    People are simply stating that is POSSIBLE to eat one meal per day and still experience significant results if you are consistent with your caloric and macronutrient intake.

    Dat der reading comprehension is far from optimal.
  • lorigrocks
    lorigrocks Posts: 123 Member
    I find myself doing the 1 big meal a day thing on weekends for one I'm usually busy and two I usually have a bigger meal and I want to be able to enjoy it...and it has never slowed me down I was still able to lose weight. I am so glad someone else brought it up cuz I was worried I was the only one doing this. But through the week while at work I do eat lunch have a snack then dinner when I get home.
  • MinimalistShoeAddict
    MinimalistShoeAddict Posts: 1,946 Member
    Hey everyone,

    So I just wanted some input.


    I started a new plan for myself and i can tell its already going to be the start to something amazing.
    I decided to eat 1 meal at 5pm with a healthy dessert . I have never been a breakfast person and I would usually snack at lunch time on unhealthy things. Waiting until 5 pm and drinking water gives me the full feeling that grazing through out the day does not.
    Or to constantly think about the meals i have to prepare etc. I will be going to nursing school in september and things will be hectic. So eating one meal a day is the best way to go RIGHT?


    My friend said its not good for my metabolism and that i would gain it back if i were to eat breakfast.
    Im sorry but I call BULLsh** :grumble: back in the caveman days people were to busy looking for food they only had 1 meal a day. and was there obesity NOPE.. plus if your goal is to get your calories in should it matter when. Its easy for me to stay busy in the morning and excercise until 5pm hits and than i have my 1 meal, yoga, tv and bed.

    Is it to good to be true, or do you think if you eat one meal a day within your calories, excercise and build a calorie deficent that i will loose weight

    starting:378

    I think this group could be very useful for you:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/49-intermittent-fasting

    Many people have lost weight with a plan similar to what you describe. That being said your caloric deficit, not your eating window will dictate movements on the scale over time.

    Good luck!
  • Nikkisfitblog
    Nikkisfitblog Posts: 149 Member
    Most effective way to embark on a weight loss plan...eat when your hungry and stop when your not. Hunger is different from cravings...rewarding hunger results in healthy leptin levels and fullness cues.

    1 meal a day wont work if you spent the day starving!
    That is what got most people into weight troubles in the first place

    A lot of people confuse boredom eating and emotional eating with actual physical hunger. Track what you eat, yes, but dont eat till you are given physical hunger signals, that is when your body is prepped for digesting thats when your bod;es leptin levels will respond most effieciently. I am talking the general fitness population, just those who have lost touch with what real hunger is through dieting and restiction.
  • SomeNights246
    SomeNights246 Posts: 807 Member
    I'm no scientist - and I dint stay at a holiday inn express but ...

    Every doctor I have spoken with about weight and everything I've read basically say the same thing -

    "Typically" (the magic word cuz were all different)
    - skipping meals Slows your metabolism
    - breakfast should be the largest meal of the day and dinner the smallest (unless you are. Shift worker)
    - if you want to loose weight, you need to eat all 3 meals plus snack every 2 hours
    - do not go to bed right after dinner
    - Walk to loose weight. Don't run, or lift weights - just walk.

    None of that has any bearing on reality, and doctors are typically poor sources of nutritional information in my experience. Skipping a meal or even two every day won't make any appreciable difference in metabolism. Breakfast size or even it's inclusion has no bearing on overall health, number of meals, or how often they occur is irrelevant, and while walking is great, running, and especially lifting weights are great ways to assist weight-loss and contribute to overall health.

    Rigger

    Exactly!!

    It always baffles me how most modern people seem to accept that a vet is not as reliable a source for pet nutrition as a pet nutritionist, but they can't accept that the same is true for doctors. If I am worried about my diet, I would see a dietitian or a nutritionist. Not my doctor. No offense to doctors. They do amazing jobs (most of them). Just that the former specialized in nutrition, the latter does not.
  • Zombielicious
    Zombielicious Posts: 246 Member
    As long as it is one huge meal - over 1200 - you should be fine.

    ^^ this. As long as you're getting your calories in, it doesn't really matter when you do it.
  • Sumo wrestlers eat only one or two meals a day. They never eat breakfasts. They exercise on empty stomach...Go figure....

    That's pretty sweet broscience there.

    Those are facts. Food for thought.. why they do that...

    Tradition, training and practicality, thats why. You aren't going to want to bash tummies and give maximal effort when they are packed full of fish and rice in an attempt to gain weight....just try to max out a huge meal and then go do heavy lifting/wrestling and you will answer your own question, its nothing to do with meal timing = gain. ;)
  • Going to nursing school- then you should know better. Bad idea. Please don't ever advise your patients to follow this plan. Insane.

    Yeah, while I don't think it has much of any effect for weight loss, it probably would for brain function (learning) and mood...I'm not sure its a good idea DURING nursing school with the extra stresses. Plus, while there is no real proven effect of weight loss doing something like this, there are studies showing negative effects of skipping breakfast and lunch and learning...
  • Hope he'll forgive me for using him as an example but MFP user LOLBroscience

    2f87b83b442c1d4a4f56de217fd069ee4c4d.jpg
    2f874898f8b50915a0c25fb4242e084cf147.jpg


    He eats between 2800-3200 cals (depending on if he's in a bulk, cut or maintaining) and he does so in just 2 meals.



    I guess someone better tell him he's doing it wrong and he's going to end up like a sumo because he only eats 2 meals.

    This is logical fallacy of composition as well as incomplete comparison and hasty generalization. Check the list of logical fallacies.
    . But when you use sumo wrestlers as an example it's ok?
    Because of statistics.

    No, you are using statistics badly. The biggest factor for sumo wrestlers is not the meal timing, it is how much they eat purposefully to gain maximal weight! And the correlation of two meals a day with weight gain is completely wrong since it has nothing to do with the weight gain, and everything to do with not bashing into someone and trying to lift 400lbs out of the ring on a stomach full to the brim! Talk about cramp and puke fest...the real reason is rather obvious and your link is completely irrelevant and coincidental.
  • Romyarts2014
    Romyarts2014 Posts: 201 Member
    MEOOOW!

    The reason behind me bringing up the caveman is I think all the stupid fuss about having 6 meals a day is crap.
    If I choose to eat 1 meal of 1200-1500 calories (including a dessert) and I can get my nurtrients and all in including the vitamins I take. I dont see that as a problem. Now I understand that some people can not do the whole fasting thing , but yesterday was my first day. I was a little hungry but i drank water and moved my mind on to something else. 5pm came I ate and I stopped and i was satisfied for the whole night compared to when i had a small 250 calorie dinner and was craving snacks before bedtime.

    So again YES to each his own. !
  • Romyarts2014
    Romyarts2014 Posts: 201 Member
    I agree , if you can get your calories in and your nutrients whats the big deal.
    I work fine in the morning without food! I just know at night is when i reach for snacks!
    but being full full 5pm gives me no cravings at night. Rumor is never to eat 2 hours before you go to bed. I usually sleep around 9pm 10pm.
  • Romyarts2014
    Romyarts2014 Posts: 201 Member
    WOW!!!!!
    WAY TO GO !!!!
    YOU LOOK AMAZING!
    :drinker: :flowerforyou: