One meal a day

Doltonjay11
Doltonjay11 Posts: 6 Member
edited December 3 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I need to loose about a stone. I'm rubbish at diets but the last few day I've been eating 2 apples through the day lots of water and a main meal at night, this is working for me but will this work as a diet in terms of loosing fat? TIA

Replies

  • alyssagb1
    alyssagb1 Posts: 353 Member
    Sounds like intermittent fasting to me, maybe try researching that and see if it's for you. Agree with the lifestyle comment. Only do what you're willing to commit to for life. As for gaining it all back and then some, maybe, maybe not. Too many factors come into play.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    edited September 2016
    Yes it will work. Just make sure you are hitting your goals for Protein, Fat and micronutrients like Calcium, Potassium, VitC, VitA, Iron, Fiber, etc.

    Once a day eating is no different than six times a day for weight loss. It's about eating the right amount of food - however you break that up.
  • Doltonjay11
    Doltonjay11 Posts: 6 Member
    Yeah I agree with you and eating the one main meal has been working really well for me as I'm busy throughout the day anyway. I'm just wondering if I will loose body fat this way as some people say to eat 3 meals some say 6 small meals!
  • definista
    definista Posts: 15 Member
    Personally, I eat whenever I feel hungry. Sometimes this works out to 2 meals a day, sometimes 3, or just small snacks every once in a while. I'd say as long as you're not starving yourself early in the day (and then overindulging in the big meal at the end), then do whatever suits your fancy.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    If you are only eating one meal and 2 apples make sure your one meal is big and fulfills your calorie needs. I eat one meal a day too but it's not.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    If you like it and it works for you and you're meeting your nutritional needs (including eating sufficient calories to lose at a sustainable and healthy pace), go for it.

    If you don't like it, don't do it. It won't help or hurt you, meal timing is almost all personal preference except if you're doing fairly extreme workouts / strenuous activity.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Meal timing is one of the least important things to worry about - think about the overall quality and quantity of your diet (noun not verb) not eating patterns.

    One thing to think about - what's your plan for maintaining your weight when you get to goal weight?
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    It sounds like intermittent fasting. I do that and am having good success with it. I've never been a breakfast eater though.

    I have black coffee and a yakult probiotic in the morning then eat nothing until a small meal or snack around 2pm followed by a large dinner. This plan works for me and I can easily see following this schedule for life.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.
  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.

    I'm just wondering if OP was actually considering their caloric intake doing this. It would be too easy to eat 2-3 apples and then a 700-800 calorie dinner just to lose weight fast. Just sayin'.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.

    But the OP is talking about ONE meal. The difficulty factor increases a lot.

    With that said, when I was young and needed to lose weight I did whatever...not a good idea, and I went years without getting proper nutrition. I survived it. ::shrug::

  • SCoil123
    SCoil123 Posts: 2,111 Member
    cmriverside wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.

    But the OP is talking about ONE meal. The difficulty factor increases a lot.

    With that said, when I was young and needed to lose weight I did whatever...not a good idea, and I went years without getting proper nutrition. I survived it. ::shrug::

    On days I don't work out I skip the snack and only usually eat my one large meal. Its not true that you have to lack nutritional balance doing this. It really isn't difficult for some people and I felt more deprived when I tried small meals through out the day because I was never full.

    Its just a matter of preference. Lots of people do well this way and I assume and equal number of people wouldn't.

    I just want to encourage the OP to get in contact with people who are successful on intermittent fasting programs if this is how they seem to prefer managing a deficit. If you want to do 1 meal then connect with people who know how to do it while hitting calorie and macro goals.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cmriverside wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.

    But the OP is talking about ONE meal. The difficulty factor increases a lot.

    With that said, when I was young and needed to lose weight I did whatever...not a good idea, and I went years without getting proper nutrition. I survived it. ::shrug::

    On days I don't work out I skip the snack and only usually eat my one large meal. Its not true that you have to lack nutritional balance doing this. It really isn't difficult for some people and I felt more deprived when I tried small meals through out the day because I was never full.

    Its just a matter of preference. Lots of people do well this way and I assume and equal number of people wouldn't.

    I just want to encourage the OP to get in contact with people who are successful on intermittent fasting programs if this is how they seem to prefer managing a deficit. If you want to do 1 meal then connect with people who know how to do it while hitting calorie and macro goals.

    I'm not arguing with you.

    I've been doing 16:8 for six years. It's how I naturally like to eat.

    Getting 1800 calories of balanced nutrition in one meal is difficult, that's all.

    Again - she has 14 pounds to lose? Just about anything will work short-term. :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,449 Member
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    SCoil123 wrote: »
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    It could work, but it would be quite difficult to get all your protein carbs and fats as well as all your calories into one meal.. So your meal would have to be at or over 1200 calories. You'd be better off splitting your calories into 2 and having 2 meals to make sure that you're hitting you protein/carb/fat percentages.

    But...if you don't care about carbs/fats/protein (you should, for satiety), make sure you're making that one meal to equal 1200 calories with the apples.

    I haven't found it difficult. I have an 8hr eating window doing the 16:8 intermittent fasting and I average 1800 calories a day with my macros right where they should be.

    My afternoon snack is almost always a protein bar or shake after my work out followed by one large balanced meal for dinner.

    I encourage the OP to look up intermittent fasting if eating like this is appealing to them. Lots of people do it with great success.



    I'm just wondering if OP was actually considering their caloric intake doing this. It would be too easy to eat 2-3 apples and then a 700-800 calorie dinner just to lose weight fast. Just sayin'.

    ^^This.

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