How bad is it to eat most of your cals in one meal?

Great question....I too, would love to know! Love your pix

awesome question...cause when i'm stressed i dont eat either....really would like to know....

I don't know if it will go into starvation mode, but holding off until the end of the day may also have the opposite effect. Pending on WHEN you are eating you body may not have enough time to process everything before you begin to wind down for the day. This will cause the body to store those calories and storing them as fat. The only caveat that I can see is that if you are working out at the end of the day after that meal. That may help reduce the possibility of that happening..

It is a good question though..

(Love the profile pic)

Because you are going so long in between meals, your body is more likely to hold onto fat and calories to last you until your next meal. Think about it: you eat dinner, and your body has to make that energy last until your next dinner. Especially since you are in a pattern, your body knows you have to last a while on that limited energy.

Even if you aren't hungry, it might be better to start with at least snacks.

I read somewhere long time ago if you where to do that at breakfast you will lose weight at lunch you might maintain and at night you will gain. depending on how many calories you eat of course. but your body needs to burn some of that off during the day so it is best to do it early.

Reminds me of the warrior diet. See this thread; http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/110167-the-warrior-diet

Intermittent fasting works fine.

What's important is total daily intake, timing of it does not matter. Calories in VS Calories out.

See Lean Gains for info:
http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html

By eating all your calories in one sitting, you body goes into "protect mode/starvation mode" It holds on to the calories as storage because it basically can't count on you to fuel it every 3-4 hours. Basically instead of using "old stored fat" as energy, it uses the quick calories that you feed it in one sitting..which in turn you will either experience muscle loss or possible weight gain.

Well thanks for totally ruining it... just kidding

I agree with girlinahat - the biggest risk is that you may not feel hungry because you're busy but once you relax and can eat, there is a huge risk of overeating as your body will want to catch up. In fact, this pattern of starving then binging was one of the reasons for my former obesity...I'd skip breakfast and be busy all morning then all of a sudden lunchtime came and it was like I couldn't eat enough!

That doesn't seem to be a problem for the OP since she's still making great choices so I guess it's ok as long as she's staying up long enough to properly digest her food and isn't going over calories. I personally couldn't live like that- once my blood sugar is low, I get tired and CRABBY and am no good to anyone! Maybe try to pack some good portable snacks to have every couple hours like veggie sticks with hummus or PB, fruit, nuts, even a snack bar.

A nutritionist told me that eating all your days supply at one meal was horrible for the metabolism in your body. Even worse if you do it in the evening.

His best advice:

Eat like a King at breakfast
Eat like a Queen at lunch
Eat like a Pauper at dinner

That nutritionist is holding ont to old broscience.

It won't make any difference and might be beneficial. A bunch of people eat that way daily and lose lots of weight. Check out leangains.com for more info on that. Basically all the research out there shows meal timing makes no difference at all to metabolism. As for eating later in the day rather than earlier, it makes no real difference either. Unlike the thought that your body shuts down when you sleep, it does not. It keeps processing calories through the night as well. Basically if you are still losing and are eating healthy foods don't worry about this.

A nutritionist told me that eating all your days supply at one meal was horrible for the metabolism in your body. Even worse if you do it in the evening.

His best advice:

Eat like a King at breakfast
Eat like a Queen at lunch
Eat like a Pauper at dinner

That nutritionist is holding ont to old broscience.

A "nutritionist" also does not require certification so their qualifications may be debatable.

A nutritionist told me that eating all your days supply at one meal was horrible for the metabolism in your body. Even worse if you do it in the evening.

His best advice:

Eat like a King at breakfast
Eat like a Queen at lunch
Eat like a Pauper at dinner

A "nutritionist" also does not require certification so their qualifications may be debatable.
That nutritionist is holding ont to old broscience.

I agree. Most nutritionist simply don't keep on current research and science in there field. There are still nutritionists out there pushing low fat diets for God's sake.

every BODY is different and you will eventually learn what works best for yours.

I lose weight best when my largest meal is in the middle of the day and I eat nothing after 5pm. I hate breakfast, but I know that I have to have something to rev the metabolism up in the AM, so I grab some almonds or one of my Emerald breakfast to go pouches.

I tried cutting out soda once and it actually made losing the weight more difficult than when I allow myself a couple a day. other people drop the weight with the can of coke.

my friend finds that eating a big breakfast and snacking til her small dinner works best for her, and yet another woman we know swears by 6 small meals a day.

pay attention to what you are eating and how your body reacts to it. it will tell you if you are on the right path or not.

Looks like it truly is a "to each his own" and what works for each individual.