Only eating once a day between 3pm-6pm

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  • OhLeita
    OhLeita Posts: 99 Member
    I log it as 'breakfast, lunch and tea' to make it look less embarrassing in the food diary. :wink:

    Good idea. :wink:
    The notion of 'three squares' or breakfast/lunch/dinner/snacks doesn't really work for me. I feel better when I eat a couple meals a day and have more choices in food instead of eating at certain times of the day because it's time to eat.
  • AlexiScott
    AlexiScott Posts: 8
    I'm the same way, therefore I eat all my calories in succession either all at once or drawn out across a couple hours. Usually I eat between two and four pm. It's great! That six small meals a day stuff doesn't work for everyone. I'll eat 2500 calories doing that.
  • ranmini90
    ranmini90 Posts: 10
    if you eat anything over 500 cals your metabolism isnt slowing down ..so i wouldnt worry about that ...
  • debranicks
    debranicks Posts: 1 Member
    Just thought I would chime in. I am 60 years old and have a slow thyroid to boot. So it has been very hard for me to take the 20 lbs I have wanted to lose for years. I read a great article about a house husband who ate only one meal a day. So that is what I do. I eat fish and veggies. As much as I want between 4 and 6pm. That's it. I never feel hungry or tired all day and I sleep like a baby cause I'm full. I have lost 8 pounds so far and am keeping it off. Nothing has worked for me like this one meal a day. Also my cholesterol dropped from 213 to 188.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    That's a form of intermittent fasting. Look up the group here on MFP.

    That being said, though, IF really isn't for everyone, and if you have a bad relationship with food, I suggest doing a lot of research on the subject to make sure you're following the protocol correctly. Also, check this out to make sure you're using calorie goals, macros, etc. that are best suited for you as an individual.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

    I personally follow IF each day, but my eating window is from 11 am to 9 pm. I consume 2400/day in that timeframe to maintain my weight.
  • refuseresist
    refuseresist Posts: 934 Member
    Sumo people probably eat a lot more that 1500 cals a day though.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    That's very similar to what sumo wrestlers do. But hey, if it works for you

    Oh my god, not again. Sumo wrestlers bulk at around 20,000 plus calories per day.

    Intermittent fasting is NOT the same thing, at all.
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    Those that eat only one meal a day...does this cause you to be tired or have less energy during certain parts of the day?

    Not at all. I do all of my workouts in a fasted state at 6 am, not eating for another five hours after that. I just have never liked to eat breakfast, fat or thin, that's just me. That being said, if you decide this is the route for you, you may have to adjust your timing based on your own energy levels. A 14 hour fast from 6 pm to 8 am will have the same benefit as me fasting from 9 pm to 11 am. Calories can't tell time, right?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Is it just me or have there been more old threads necro'd lately? The boards must be going through an undead phase.
  • mkcinaz
    mkcinaz Posts: 1
    First time poster. I had to say something because I just read this interesting article about IF for women on Paleo for Women. I had heard some rumblings among athlete friends about eating small meals all day may not be all it is cracked up to be. However, IF isn't the same for us as it is for men and, unfortunately there isn't enough research out there about the effects on us hormonally, but initial research shows that it is not good. My takeaway is to be sure to monitor yourself and let a doctor or health professional know what you are doing.

    Here it is: http://www.paleoforwomen.com/shattering-the-myth-of-fasting-for-women-a-review-of-female-specific-responses-to-fasting-in-the-literature/
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    You lost 100 pounds! That's a lot. Good for you. Impressive.

    You obviously know what works for you and should do that. It wouldn't work for me. If I wait that long to eat, I'm like starving to death and eat big. Then my stomach is all stretched out and wants more. Vicious cycle.

    You need to do what makes you happy. If you like eating one big meal and it works for you, do that. :)
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    Those that eat only one meal a day...does this cause you to be tired or have less energy during certain parts of the day?

    This is very personal. Some people will feel tired and lethargic, some don't. I know I cannot workout fasted. When I did 16:8 I struggled with exercise. Now i just try to eat 3 to 4 large meals.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    I will say, I think the bigger issue isn't that the OP is eating one meal a day, it's HE is eating 1000-1200 calories a day total. Even for a non active man, that will make it difficult to get all macro and micronutrient goals and increase the amount of muscle loss that will occur, especially if the OP is not resistance training. That in turn cause a metabolic slow down.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,426 MFP Moderator
    if you eat anything over 500 cals your metabolism isnt slowing down ..so i wouldnt worry about that ...

    Where did you get this information because it's over generalized and not correct. your metabolism is linked to your lean body mass, which is affected during weight loss. even with adequate levels of protein and resistance training, huge deficits will make it impossible to get nutrients and lean body mass will be loss, which in turn will cause metabolic slow down.
  • ChocoOne
    ChocoOne Posts: 4 Member
    20 hour fast!!! Omg how do you do it?!! I'm currently on the Renegade diet and the fast is 10-14 hours. I normally last around the 13/14 hour mark
  • mrsmoulton
    mrsmoulton Posts: 12 Member
    I have done the 4 hour eating window thing before and it worked great for me. Like you I found that I really wasn't hungry as long as I didn't start eating. If it works for you then I think that's awesome. Everyone is so stressed out about eating 3 square meals or eating 5-6 small meals. Eating only when you are hungry makes complete sense to me.
  • CupcakesMom2
    CupcakesMom2 Posts: 154 Member
    I think its fine to eat once a day as long as you are getting all the nutrition you need. In fact, I have learned that this is one of the techniques some of my 'skinny' friends use to stay skinny and not gain weight. I just don't think its talked about alot because alot of people would be critical.
  • GelasiaT
    GelasiaT Posts: 74 Member
    I'm happy you posted this because I've actually thought about utilizing this method during the holidays and my cheat day which is usually every Saturday, but never knew it was an actual way of eating. I don't think I can sustain it on an everyday basis, however. I think whatever works best for you is what you should do. You know your body better than anyone and what you can and cant sustain. I will definitely be doing some research into this IF, but Im willing to see what I can achieve. So far I have not had any problems with the way I currently eat(3 meals a day, two snacks). Im losing the weight accurately, but I always worry on the days I cheat about consuming more than I should have. I think this will help ease that worry. Best of Luck to you on your endeavor :smile:
  • shapefitter
    shapefitter Posts: 900 Member
    Through most of my life, I ate toast for breakfast, and my main meal of the day, was lunch. In the evening, I sometimes had a snack, at 6pm, so technically I ate three times a day. I'm no longer able to follow this pattern, as I work shifts. Hence, why I'm here, trying to get back on track.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Is it just me or have there been more old threads necro'd lately? The boards must be going through an undead phase.
    It's the zombies.
  • kevseb66
    kevseb66 Posts: 2
    Eating once a day has not only helped keep my weight down but it's also a great way for me to control my sodium intake. Depending on what I select I can prepare a very satisfying meal sometimes containing less than 700mg of sodium. It's hard to truely control sodium intake when you're eating 3 meals a day with snacks in between.
  • BodybyNoir
    BodybyNoir Posts: 3
    To each of their own whatever works for YOU is fine.

    I've tried eating one full meal per day in the past but my metabolism slowed down where I was in starvation mode eating huge portions and feeling hungry 2 hours later. I slowly started going back to eating 6 meals a day (three square meals & in between snacks even at night before bed).
  • bkk40in2011
    bkk40in2011 Posts: 72
    I tried this a few weeks ago for the first time and loved it. Now I am playing around with the 5:2, 4:3, Alternate Day Fasting, One Meal a Day to see what works. I really think this fasting thing is my plan. With the window you could slow enlarge the window and up the calories as you went into maintenance. I think its a great plan. From one week fully on intermittent fasting and 1 week of playing around with it my blood sugar has really stabilized and my blood pressure is down as I have said many times in posts. I am very excited about this WOE. If I eat all day then I use up my calories just like you said. I know it is physiological. How many times have we heard people say I am fine to go without food it is when I eat that I have trouble. When I fast and then eat at hunger I don't have the bingeing tendencies. Good luck!

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