Eating one meal a day is healthy way to lose fat?

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My friend told me about eating one meal a day.
one black coffee for breakfirst and lunch.
At dinner I can eat anything I want.
more than 3l water a day.
one hour jogging-burns 300kcal.
cuz of black coffee I can stand on before dinner.
And it works! also my firend lose fat quite a lot.
But.. Not sure it's healthy way to lose fat.
What's your opinion?
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Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    As long as you feel okay, don't have any medical issues eating this way, and are able to hit your calorie and nutrition goals in one meal, then it sounds fine.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
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    So long as that one meal contains enough calories to meet your entire daily goal, sure. But I suspect that your friend's meal does not. What would your one meal consist on?
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    Lofteren wrote: »
    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.

    I have to disagree. Timing of meals has almost negligible importance compared to calories.

    That is true in sedentary individuals.

    Consider: Eating modulates insulin/leptin/ghrelin secretion and, subsequently, resistance. So does exercise (along with other anabolic and/or catabolic chemical pathways. Most notably glycolysis, protein coupling/uncoupling, satellite cell activation and the M-Tor pathway). So, eating in such a way that the two can have a synergistic effect can increase fat loss and increase muscle mass gain greater than if they those modulating effects conflict with one another.

    OP mentioned exercise in her post so I gave an appropriate answer for someone who is exercising.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
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    Not unless that meal has about 1,400 calories. Please do not listen to your friend. In fact, send her here so we can help her also.
  • ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken
    ThatUserNameIsAllReadyTaken Posts: 1,530 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Lofteren wrote: »
    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.

    I tried that for about a week once. I found myself feeling absolutely stuffed by the middle of the day. Do you find that you feel more full this way?
  • dia77
    dia77 Posts: 410 Member
    edited September 2016
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    no , it is not.You will gain it back as soon as you start eating more than one meal.
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,363 Member
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    I used to eat twice a day & ate pretty well, no junk food, soda,bread,pasta but i never lost weight till i started eating several times a day. It slowed my metabolism and my best friend eats once a day & is over weight. I started loosing when i started eating several times a day. It's not good for you to eat once a day Also you have to eat in a way you can live with after you lose weight or you'll gain it back after you reach your goal & go back to "normal" eating.
  • khd75
    khd75 Posts: 843 Member
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    I am practically eating all my calories within 4 - 6 hrs, in evening. My breakfast is normally just a cup of tea. I don't eat anything after 5 or 6 pm than. I find it is more manageable for myself. I CAN NOT... just CAN NOT eat a small meal. I am feeling better, body gets used to of not eating day time, and i don't feel hunger during day time at all, and I'm consistently loosing weight over time with the average of 1.5 lbs a week.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Lofteren wrote: »
    Lofteren wrote: »
    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.

    I have to disagree. Timing of meals has almost negligible importance compared to calories.

    That is true in sedentary individuals.

    Consider: Eating modulates insulin/leptin/ghrelin secretion and, subsequently, resistance. So does exercise (along with other anabolic and/or catabolic chemical pathways. Most notably glycolysis, protein coupling/uncoupling, satellite cell activation and the M-Tor pathway). So, eating in such a way that the two can have a synergistic effect can increase fat loss and increase muscle mass gain greater than if they those modulating effects conflict with one another.

    OP mentioned exercise in her post so I gave an appropriate answer for someone who is exercising.

    With respect to the hunger hormones, if you are able to stick to your calorie goals, in effect, they don't matter. The hunger hormones affect adherence, which is no small thing, but given that the OPs CI is less than CO, she'll lose weight.

  • OatsnDonuts
    OatsnDonuts Posts: 2 Member
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    You can't eat anything you want just because you're only having one meal a day. You still have to track and be in a calorie deficit to lose weight.

    It's easily possible to end up in a calorie surplus from just one meal, especially when you believe "I can have anything I want".

  • kge3638
    kge3638 Posts: 4 Member
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    So long as that one meal contains enough calories to meet your entire daily goal, sure. But I suspect that your friend's meal does not. What would your one meal consist on?

    Literally what i want. Last night was steak and strawberry cheese cake and the day before, white pizza and tomato pasta.
    When I eat dinner, feel sooooo happy cuz i don't care calories and can eat anything.
    Also lost 2.2lbs in 3days.
    But wonder it's healthy to keep this meal or not.
  • determined__mummy
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    Very unhealthy- your body needs fuel to strive! Don't take your health for granted and restrict yourself of food.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    kge3638 wrote: »
    So long as that one meal contains enough calories to meet your entire daily goal, sure. But I suspect that your friend's meal does not. What would your one meal consist on?

    Literally what i want. Last night was steak and strawberry cheese cake and the day before, white pizza and tomato pasta.
    When I eat dinner, feel sooooo happy cuz i don't care calories and can eat anything.
    Also lost 2.2lbs in 3days.
    But wonder it's healthy to keep this meal or not.

    That is not healthy at all
    Lofteren wrote: »
    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.

    I tried that for about a week once. I found myself feeling absolutely stuffed by the middle of the day. Do you find that you feel more full this way?

    I do. After around 14:00 I really do not want to eat at all but I choke it down.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
    Options
    Lofteren wrote: »
    Lofteren wrote: »
    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.

    I have to disagree. Timing of meals has almost negligible importance compared to calories.

    That is true in sedentary individuals.

    Consider: Eating modulates insulin/leptin/ghrelin secretion and, subsequently, resistance. So does exercise (along with other anabolic and/or catabolic chemical pathways. Most notably glycolysis, protein coupling/uncoupling, satellite cell activation and the M-Tor pathway). So, eating in such a way that the two can have a synergistic effect can increase fat loss and increase muscle mass gain greater than if they those modulating effects conflict with one another.

    OP mentioned exercise in her post so I gave an appropriate answer for someone who is exercising.

    With respect to the hunger hormones, if you are able to stick to your calorie goals, in effect, they don't matter. The hunger hormones affect adherence, which is no small thing, but given that the OPs CI is less than CO, she'll lose weight.

    That is patently false. These hormones, particularly insulin, are anabolic hormones. Insulin is even more anabolic than most anabolic/androgenic steroids! And thus plays a huge role in nutrient partitioning. Also, selective upregulation of membrane insulin receptors can largely determine if nutrients are used for repairing muscle tissue or if they are stored as fat.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    kge3638 wrote: »
    So long as that one meal contains enough calories to meet your entire daily goal, sure. But I suspect that your friend's meal does not. What would your one meal consist on?

    Literally what i want. Last night was steak and strawberry cheese cake and the day before, white pizza and tomato pasta.
    When I eat dinner, feel sooooo happy cuz i don't care calories and can eat anything.
    Also lost 2.2lbs in 3days.
    But wonder it's healthy to keep this meal or not.

    It doesn't sound sustainable at all. Are you doing this simply because you think it will help you lose weight? Are you trying to get a balance of nutrients in your one meal/day? Protein, carbs and fat as well as micronutrients?
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Lofteren wrote: »
    Lofteren wrote: »
    Lofteren wrote: »
    Timing of meals is just as important as macros and calories for losing fat.

    Eating 1 meal a day might work for some people but it definitely is not optimal.

    I have recently started eating a small meal every 2 hours or so (keeping my food choices, macros and calories the same) and have started losing fat much more quickly than before.

    I have to disagree. Timing of meals has almost negligible importance compared to calories.

    That is true in sedentary individuals.

    Consider: Eating modulates insulin/leptin/ghrelin secretion and, subsequently, resistance. So does exercise (along with other anabolic and/or catabolic chemical pathways. Most notably glycolysis, protein coupling/uncoupling, satellite cell activation and the M-Tor pathway). So, eating in such a way that the two can have a synergistic effect can increase fat loss and increase muscle mass gain greater than if they those modulating effects conflict with one another.

    OP mentioned exercise in her post so I gave an appropriate answer for someone who is exercising.

    With respect to the hunger hormones, if you are able to stick to your calorie goals, in effect, they don't matter. The hunger hormones affect adherence, which is no small thing, but given that the OPs CI is less than CO, she'll lose weight.

    That is patently false. These hormones, particularly insulin, are anabolic hormones. Insulin is even more anabolic than most anabolic/androgenic steroids! And thus plays a huge role in nutrient partitioning. Also, selective upregulation of membrane insulin receptors can largely determine if nutrients are used for repairing muscle tissue or if they are stored as fat.

    Are you suggesting that she will lose more LBM than fat by eating one meal a day?