Skipping a meal to eat more later?

OAS5
OAS5 Posts: 376 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
What is the general consensus on skipping one meal because you know or want to take in more calories in another meal? Meaning today I'm skipping breakfast because we are going to lunch and I will eat basically the same calories at this lunch or close to it as if I ate lunch. I only ask because "skipping meals" is a bad phrase in the weight loss world. Thanks for any info.

Replies

  • vibegirl
    vibegirl Posts: 69 Member
    I've done it...I try not to fall into what the 'weight loss world' deems good or bad lol...meaning it's an individual journey...and while guidance is very helpful...it's ultimately up to you! Plus in your case skipping breakfast simply feels like a day of 'intermittent fasting' - Simply be aware of your calories, if that's what you are doing..and enjoy your meal. :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    "In the weightloss world..." where would that be? Like with anorexia or eating disorders? I can see that being a thing when in recovery from anorexia...I mean, just getting on a regular eating routine would be a success.



    I skip meals or eat lightly in the mornings frequently to make "room" for a higher calorie meal later in the day. It works great.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,072 Member
    I usually eat only two meals a day - taken between 10am and 6pm. I don't really think of it as skipping meals nor by the trendy term 'intermittent fasting' - but at a daily 1200 calories, it's simply my preference. If I have a large first meal (weekend pancakes or full English) I'll adjust the second meal (fish and greens).

    The only time I have a third meal is when I have a busy schedule and won't be able to take lunch until 1pm. In that case, it's coffee and a protein - either eggs or Greek yogurt with a little high protein granola or chopped nuts.

  • OAS5
    OAS5 Posts: 376 Member
    Sorry, I had no idea "weight loss world" was a bad thing. Let's call it, healthy way of eating world, skipping meals is frowned upon in general. I'm doing this today, but do rarely if ever do it. It's a once in a while thing to me.
  • TakeTheLongWayHome
    TakeTheLongWayHome Posts: 816 Member
    edited March 2021
    I think it’s a fairly common thing to do by people that are watching how much they eat. I just input what I’m going to have for dinner tonight to see how many calories I have to space out for the rest of the day.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,024 Member
    I don't eat traditional morning breakfast meal. First meal is usually at 12pm.

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  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,881 Member
    I skipped breakfast for the first 6 months of my weight loss journey, since it left me more calories for lunch, dinner and an evening snack (easier to stick to my calorie goal).
    While I have started eating breakfast on most days (high protein, to increase my protein consumption), I do still skip breakfast when I know I'll have a high calorie meal later in the day.

    I don't see any problems with that strategy 🙂
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    No problen at all. Its just snart budeting and knowing your own tendencies.
  • spiriteagle99
    spiriteagle99 Posts: 3,748 Member
    As stated above, as long as skipping the meal doesn't make you overeat at the next one, it's fine.
  • karahm78
    karahm78 Posts: 505 Member
    I don’t eat breakfast so I can eat a bigger lunch and dinner.... I’m naturally not a breakfast eater so it fits my lifestyle better. If it doesn’t cause you to be hungry or gorge later, go for it
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    it doesnt matter when you eat your calories. eat one meal a day or 10. as long as you are in your deficit, you will lose weight.

    i very rarely eat breakfast.
  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    I do it all the time. When I was losing I'd commonly replace breakfast and lunch with a big brunch on one weekend day and on Fridays or Saturdays (if I didn't do the brunch) might skip either breakfast or lunch to have a restaurant dinner. Now my schedule is such that skipping breakfast and eating two larger meals is the most pleasant way for me to keep a deficit (I didn't used to do that since it would mean working out long before I had a chance to eat if I didn't have breakfast after, but my workout schedule is currently more flexible and plus I've gotten more used to no breakfast again).

    My current pattern fits in what I'd call TRE (others call it IF), so it's actually pretty trendy in the "weight loss world," but that's not why I do it, it just happens to work for me currently. But more relevant to you, I see nothing wrong with skipping a meal to have more cals for a special meal, unless it causes you to eat more that day than you intended to.
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    I usually have a light breakfast (such as a couple of boiled eggs) if I want to eat something more calorific later. And/or I trim down the portion size of lunch.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    OAS5 wrote: »
    Sorry, I had no idea "weight loss world" was a bad thing. Let's call it, healthy way of eating world, skipping meals is frowned upon in general. I'm doing this today, but do rarely if ever do it. It's a once in a while thing to me.

    IMO skipping meals is fine in the healthy eating world, too, as long as it doesn't have negative consequences for you personally (like that "getting too hungry then overeating" thing). People eat on all kinds of different schedules, either routinely or on odd days here and there, and do fine.

    One of my personal thought-experiment tests: What are the odds that natural selection shaped us to thrive only when eating on a very regular eating schedule? I'm thinking those odds are low. (Sure, there are bad strategies at the extreme, but what you're talking about isn't extreme.) Humans are designed to be pretty adaptable, IMO.

    Further, you seem to be talking about doing this now and then, which seems like even less of an issue. Some days I eat 2 meals, some days 3 or 4, some days snacks, some days not. While I was losing, it was a common thing to eat a light breakfast/lunch to save calories for a special restaurant or social meal. I lost weight fine, maintain weight fine, am healthy. 🤷‍♀️

    It's fine.
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    I tried doing this last night, because my husband and I had a date night. While I did stay within my calories I was horribly, horribly grumpy after breakfast and lunch (I didn't skip entirely but ate significantly less.) Intermittent fasting is not recommended for me right now because I'm breastfeeding. I did have some success with it a couple of years ago, but I was doing it everyday and altered my meals gradually over time instead of making changes abruptly, which probably helped with the mood bit.

    I think if the math works it's fine, but just be aware of how it might affect you and adjust accordingly. I think for future occasions I might take a weeklong look at my calorie budget and adjust several days rather than just the one, because then it won't seem like such a big deal.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    I think it shows being mindful of your eating. If I'm going out to brunch.. yes. I'll skip breakfast. If I ate too much last night? I'll eat less today..skip carbs and eat broiled fish for dinner and skip red meat. balance.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,941 Member
    OAS5 wrote: »
    Sorry, I had no idea "weight loss world" was a bad thing. Let's call it, healthy way of eating world, skipping meals is frowned upon in general. I'm doing this today, but do rarely if ever do it. It's a once in a while thing to me.

    I’ve never come across the idea that ‘skipping meals’ was bad, in any context. Curious as to where you’ve picked up that particular arbitrary piece of wisdom?

    I skip meals - always have, dating back to school days. I never ate lunch - once I started work I skipped both breakfast and lunch. These days, I don’t eat until around 2pm, because that’s when I feel hungry.

    I’ve never subscribed to the idea that hunger should be controlled by the clock.

    Having said that - when I first met my husband he seemed to genuinely think that something dire would happen if he didn’t eat every 4 hours! 😂

    He still doesn’t understand how or why I regularly go 16+ hours without considering food!

    But certainly, saving calories when you know you have an occasion will do absolutely no harm!
  • penguinmama87
    penguinmama87 Posts: 1,155 Member
    I do remember back in health class being told not to skip meals. I think that makes sense for growing children, not to mention concerns about EDs among adolescents.
  • MsCzar
    MsCzar Posts: 1,072 Member
    edited March 2021
    Not sure about now, but I'm pretty sure that back in the day Weight Watchers frowned on skipping meals.
  • BarbaraHelen2013
    BarbaraHelen2013 Posts: 1,941 Member
    MsCzar wrote: »
    Not sure about now, but I'm pretty sure that back in the day Weight Watchers frowned on skipping meals.

    Well, of course they do! The fatter people stay, the fatter the bank accounts of Weight Watchers! 😂
  • anna_nintey3
    anna_nintey3 Posts: 843 Member
    That's just like fasting I you mean? Works every time it's done right and I know a few people that do it
  • Iwannabeapunkrockmom
    Iwannabeapunkrockmom Posts: 61 Member
    I almost never eat breakfast because I really like big dinners. Same calories per day! Nbd!

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