SKIPPING MEALS? UNDERSTANDING WHY THIS ISN’T A GOOD IDEA FOR YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOALS.
There has been a lot of information lately about the benefits of Intermittent Fasting (IF). This technique may be beneficial in reducing inflammation in some people, but unless you are doing this responsibly and making sure to feed your body adequately to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol, insulin and blood pressure, you run the risk of sabotaging your weight loss goals.
For people interested in trying IF, I suggest first checking with your medical professional, and then consider starting slowly and begin by fasting right after eating a healthy, balanced dinner (at approximately 7 pm) and not eating again until breakfast (approximately 10 am) the next morning. That 15 hour period is a good amount of time for your body to adequately rest and regenerate. This is not a new concept. The term “breakfast” actually refers to breaking the fast from the night before. Generally, a 12-15 hour period of resting your digestive system has proven beneficial for many individuals. This train of thought further supports the theory that eating dinner late or late-night snacking is not a healthy habit, especially when on a weight loss program.
Some people find their morning workouts are more effective on an empty stomach. In this case, it is important to eat meals with protein and healthy carbohydrates within 1-2 hours of working out to replenish energy reserves. I find it best, for my body, to make a healthy smoothie after working out. This is an easy and nutritious way to get my protein, fiber, and nutrients without having to cook or make something when I am hungry after working out. To save some time I sometimes double my recipe so I also have one for the next day.
For other people who prefer to work out later in the day, it is better to not have skipped a meal(s) before working out. Just be sure to plan to have given your body time to digest before you work out.
Some studies suggest that you may actually crave more highly processed foods if you skip meals and you may likely find yourself mindlessly snacking and picking on unhealthy choices to make up for the missed meals. Rather than waiting for your body to be starving and less discriminant on what you eat, it is so much healthier to eat small, well-balanced meals which are preferably made up of dark, leafy greens and other vegetables which are also full of fiber and smaller amounts of proteins and healthy fats. This combination of protein and fiber helps keep you full and satisfied.
The National Institute of Health has found that skipping meals can make you hungrier at the next meal which could lead to you consuming more calories than you intended and ultimately gaining weight. Skipping even 1 meal may cause fluctuations in glucose levels. Without the necessary calories from food, the body reacts as if it is in a starvation mode which causes the metabolism to slow down. The thyroid controls the metabolic rate so if the body is perceived to be starving it will slow down and can reduce the body’s calorie burning capacity by up to 50%. For individuals with a thyroid imbalance, this may become more difficult to reverse.
To me it makes more sense to eat well-balanced meals which are planned in advance so you avoid the pitfall that tends to arise when you skip a meal because you weren’t feeling hungry, then find yourself so hungry you eat anything in sight. This should also ensure you will be energized, full and satisfied until your next meal.
Yours In Good Health,
Wholey Fit Nutrition, LLC
www.wholeyfitnutrition.com
info@wholeyfitnutrition.com