What is your opinion on skipping meals when you aren't hungry?
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I think saving or budgeting calories is a good habit and one many people on MFP use. I'm currently in maintenance, and I still do it. Usually I eat several snacks/small meals throughout the day (3-5) and then eat a normal sized dinner. However, when I know that we're getting free lunch at work, I'll only eat my normal small breakfast, the lunch (which is usually large), then a small dinner or I skip it altogether. If I a holiday or special occasion is coming up, I might eat slightly less the days before and/or after. It's just another way to manage your calories.
I've also found some days I'm just less or more hungry than normal. I will eat less if I'm just not hungry (or more sedentary), although unless I'm sick, I don't eat less than 1200 calories. Then if I'm hungrier than normal (or more active), I'll eat a bit more. It usually all evens out.2 -
WickedPineapple wrote: »I think saving or budgeting calories is a good habit and one many people on MFP use. I'm currently in maintenance, and I still do it. Usually I eat several snacks/small meals throughout the day (3-5) and then eat a normal sized dinner. However, when I know that we're getting free lunch at work, I'll only eat my normal small breakfast, the lunch (which is usually large), then a small dinner or I skip it altogether. If I a holiday or special occasion is coming up, I might eat slightly less the days before and/or after. It's just another way to manage your calories.
I've also found some days I'm just less or more hungry than normal. I will eat less if I'm just not hungry (or more sedentary), although unless I'm sick, I don't eat less than 1200 calories. Then if I'm hungrier than normal (or more active), I'll eat a bit more. It usually all evens out.
This is me exactly. Even down to the free lunch at work.
Even in maintenance, I skip meals. If I'm truly not hungry, I do not see the point in eating. I'll certainly make up for it later in the day or perhaps the next day. I frequently skip lunch on Saturdays because my husband and I almost always go out to dinner Saturday night and with my husband, it's never a small meal. I'll usually just have a few small snacks throughout the day and save the bulk of my calories for the meal out.2 -
Listen- we’ve all been poorly informed about healthy eating, hunger, starvation and caloric demands.
First off- if you’re of the general population that happens to be overweight or obese- you’ve never truly encountered hunger or starvation for that matter. Most Americans have a minimum of a months worth of fat stores on their bodies which would technically keep the body and brain fed and nourished without any caloric intake for an entire month. People with extreme obesity are IMO hardcore doomsday preppers. Now obesity is the greatest health crisis that we face in this day and age, but at least you can take a positive spin on it. All that aside- fasting has many benefits and I do personally recommend doing week long fasts once or twice a year and then intermittent fasting periodically through the year. It has huge benefits to your immune system, lung health and your bodies ability to repair, restore, renew and fight cancer while detoxing and expelling the built up toxins that our fat stores continuously and without end.
A 3-4 day fast will move you through the unpleasant period of detoxing from sugars and garbage food and on into a state of ketosis and autophagy where the body really cleans itself. Maintaining a fast for a week will give your body the time to reset and renew without causing major upset to metabolism. (Metabolism isn’t as delicate as we’ve been led to believe). It’s a wonderful time to commit to a new healthy lifestyle and to really reset to optimal gut health following the clean out and commitment to cleaner eating.
The truth about meals and eating? We have been led to believe that we need constant food with high frequency in order to function at our best. Yet any person who has experience with fasting will maintain that mental clarity and acuity improves when in a fasting state. For optimal physical prowess there needs to be balance in order for one to meet physical goals. Much of eating is based more on addiction to garbage foods (namely sugars) and misconceptions of feeding demands.
Depending on how active you are- there’s the basic math of caloric requirements for weight maintenance, losses and gains. Skipping meals or having periodic short fasts can be a boon to your health in aiding in repairing insulin and blood sugar levels, regulating your feelings of hangriness, and retraining your body to eat when it needs to eat rather than eat because you were told a magic little fairy tale about 3-5 meals a day. Fasting is NOT for weight loss- though you will lose water weight, adipose and fecal mass, following a fast your body will naturally replenish its stores. Fasting is about health, control, cravings and clarity.
Meet your caloric demands. Have a loss here, have a treat there. Keep your body dynamic and fluid and able to take on variations in diet without crashing!
Also a little FYI- don’t have time to gather links but numerous studies have shown that lower calorie diets than the standard 2k we’ve been advised to follow actually promotes healthier living and considerably longer life expectancy.
Time to think outside of the box!19 -
I wish I could skip meals if I'm not hungry. I just need to eat all the time.1
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I think it's absolutely fine because in doing this you are really listening to your body, there's no point eating if you are not hungry. But the same goes the other way too.
Wish it would happen to me though, I'm constantly hungry!0 -
I have no problem skipping meals when not hungry, not that that is often, but something I do find happens is that when I "forget" to eat, I can go for most of the day without food and then the first thing I eat sends my body in to overdrive and I just want to consume everything and I don't have a "full" trigger.
This normally happens if I'm working from home and am locked away in the office working. I don't notice the time and then it's 15:00 and I haven't eaten all day.
If I then eat anything, I will become the human locus. Is this something anyone else has experienced?1 -
Skipping meals is fine if planned for ... its kind of the basis of intermittent fasting. Eat all your calories later on in the day.
Skipping can become a problem if you do it in reaction to something and can lead to food disorders though ... Ie you ate too much for breakfast when you ordered that latte and muffin and now you are panicing so decide to miss lunch even though you are hungry ... you don't want to go down this road.
But I know I have a heavy food weekend coming up, I know my next two days of training are relatively light days, so I will be Intermittent fasting over these two days and only eating in the evening, so I meet my calorie goals for the week1 -
Doing it occasionally isn't a big deal, but if it becomes recurrent, be mindful of why you're skipping meals. Is it truly lack of hunger, or are you simply distracted and forget to eat.0
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Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I always do find it astonishing how many people think that their body just shuts down all fat mobilization just because they are 5 seconds late on some fantasy schedule. Apparently, our ancestors were completely anal about eating and had amazing metabolisms that ran on sunshine and air in case they didn't get that meal in on time. (Ok, if you reduce it down all the way our energy does come from sunshine but...)
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Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I always do find it astonishing how many people think that their body just shuts down all fat mobilization just because they are 5 seconds late on some fantasy schedule. Apparently, our ancestors were completely anal about eating and had amazing metabolisms that ran on sunshine and air in case they didn't get that meal in on time. (Ok, if you reduce it down all the way our energy does come from sunshine but...)
That reminded me of this news report
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/swiss-women-dies-giving-water-food-thought-live-sunlight-article-1.10673590 -
Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I always do find it astonishing how many people think that their body just shuts down all fat mobilization just because they are 5 seconds late on some fantasy schedule. Apparently, our ancestors were completely anal about eating and had amazing metabolisms that ran on sunshine and air in case they didn't get that meal in on time. (Ok, if you reduce it down all the way our energy does come from sunshine but...)
its so much easier to think that though than to take personal responsibility for yourself...2 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Wheelhouse15 wrote: »
Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I always do find it astonishing how many people think that their body just shuts down all fat mobilization just because they are 5 seconds late on some fantasy schedule. Apparently, our ancestors were completely anal about eating and had amazing metabolisms that ran on sunshine and air in case they didn't get that meal in on time. (Ok, if you reduce it down all the way our energy does come from sunshine but...)
its so much easier to think that though than to take personal responsibility for yourself...
Unfortunately, we do have a tendency to play head games rather than accept responsibility for ourselves.1 -
I don't eat my first meal until 6pm. I prefer to save my calories for the evening when I generally hungrier than during the day. Lost 6-stone this way and am healthier than ever.0
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I sometimes skip meals if I'm not hungry. Especially breakfast.
However, sometimes I have trouble feeling hunger after a big weightlifting workout. I'm hungry and I start eating my dinner and then I just stop. I take a break and make myself finish a half an hour later. I don't know what makes that happen but I know I need the food. If I just skip that meal, I'm going to be awake and ravenous at 1am, and probably eating snack food that doesn't meet my macro goals.0 -
I'm more hungry with reduced intake than fasting. Not sure why that happens!0
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Possibly because I don't think about food; its just that's it, rather than planning meals0
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Actually "starvation mode" doesn't exist and you don't keep extra fat when you "starve" it. If starving actually was apparent, then starving people shouldn't be skinny and malnourished.DennysWifeMrsMattox wrote: »Nope... I try and eat often even if I'm not hungry. My body goes into starvation mode and keeps extra fat when I starve it. If I eat when I'm not hungry, I only eat what is good for my body. If I wait until I'm hungry, my brain and body argue about what to eat. I consider my options when I'm hungry. I think more like "what I can eat that makes sense" when I'm not hungry.
The fitness industry has duped a lot of people into thinking you HAVE to eat several meals a day to "keep your metabolism going" or "burn fat". In physiology....................that's NOT how it works.
If eating more often keeps you from being hungry, then fine. But eating more often means you have to space out your calories per meal and whether you eat them all in several meals or just a couple, as long as you're in a deficit, you'll lose weight.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
I've tried skipping meals, ate only 1000 calories, worked out... And the scale wouldn't budge. Maybe I gained muscle? Who knows... But when I ate 4-6 small meals a day, and stopped eating between 8pm and 7am, I lost weight. I think everyone's body is simply different. Am I a doctor? Am I a nutritionist? Nope... But I know my body.2 -
Hunger is such a weird thing. It's often not that closely related to how much (or how many calories) we actually need and consume. My goal is to try to listen to my body's hunger signals and eat when I want to, but make sure to eat something nutritious and make careful choices about treats. So if I feel very full after eating a lot, I'll often wind up skipping the next meal until I feel hungry. I have noticed that some days I want to eat small amounts frequently and some days I don't eat frequently but will have a larger meal in the evening. I try to plan for both options and have healthy snacks around in case I want them, and be flexible enough to not worry about changes from the plan.1
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