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Eating once a day is the worse way to try to shed excess pounds. In fact, by eating only once, your body goes into starvation mode and begins to store more of the calories from your meal as fat. Our bodies adapt and will change in order to keep us alive.
It is healthier to eat 4 to 6 healthy mini-meals throughout the day. Your metabolism will actually increase because your body is no longer in "survival mode." You also provide your body with nutrition and fuel to last the entire day.
Yours in Health,
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what u are saying may be true for you and other people…but not for me. i am i the military and, and in order to stay in the military you have to maintain a certain body fat percentage. we work out 5 days a week for and hour and 3 times a week in the afternoon…on the surface it looks like we sjould be healthy right? So not true….when i had to weigh in i was still overweight and was 8 percent over my body fat. To top that i am on depo provera….which is known to make you gain weight. I was sent to a military nutrition specialist who informed me to eat 4-6 small portions a day. they consisted of the healthy stuff. So i tried that for about 3 months..and to my dissapointment i lost only 4 pounds. So then i went to Civilian Japanese nutrtionist, and he told me that i should eat one meal a day between the hours of 4pm-6pm. most of the time it s very bland because i have been recently deployed to iraq, so we have to eat form the chow halls. i eat like a salad and a protein. also i do not eat beaf or pork at all. Just fish chicken and turkey. Well i have been doing this for 2 months and i have lost 35 pounds. i have loss mostly body mass, and i am very energetic and i still eat little snacks during the day like fruits, seeds and things like that. And yes…water water water.
I am a diabetic type 2 with severe insulin resistance. Eating several mini meals a day was recommended, to keep blood sugars stable. Unfortunately, people with my condition over-produce inuslin as a response to eating, especially high-carbohydrate foods. I did not lose weight until I reduced/eliminated all starchy carbs from my diet, and restricted my food intake to one large, healthy meal in the middle of the day. I maybe eat a turkey sausage link in the morning, or a few almonds in the evening, but the bulk of my food is consumed in one hours’ time, somewhere between 3 and 6 pm. I cut off eating at least 4 hours before bedtime. This works for me. I am healthy. My labs show that I am healthy, and i have more energy doing this than I EVER had when I was CONSTANTLY eating every 2 hours. Metabolically, this just did NOT work for an insulin-resistant person like me.
I just came across your response from a google search. I have insulin resistance too and as much as I try, eating more than once per day leads brings back all my symptoms and thats even with low carbing. I laugh when I see reccommendations to eat 6-8 times per day. If I was to do that, I would probably GAIN weight at 1200 calories with all that insulin gushing through my bloodstream! I also eat my meal within 1 hour to minimize insuliln release and I find that way I can eat a modest amount of carbs and lose weight.
ever since about a month ago i have been eating one, semi large to medium meal a day consisting only of healthy foods, it has been so easy for me to lose weight, get in shape, and just feel much much better. i really recommend it for anyone looking to be healthier and/or looking to loose weight in a healthy way. eating several small meals daily isn’t good for your colon anyway. but i definitely support the one meal a day with light snacking, even. well good luck to whom ever needs advice.
I tried everything to lose weight and nothing helped. I started eating one meal a day and lost 50 pounds in 6 months. The amazing thing is, I eventually went back to my regular diet eating 3 times a day with unhealthy snacks like cookies, candy, chips, pizza, burgers, but I kept the weight off for over 3 years. Can anyone explain that?
So I tried the whole eat three meals a day thing…I am very active..and I ate pretty healthy for the most part and gained 4 pounds by the end of the month?? so My friend told me to only eat one meal once a day n try not to snack n if you do keep it healthy like watermelon,bananas, ya know? so ive been doing that for 2 weeks n have lost 11 lbs! im so glad she told me about that because the other way wasnt working n i need to loose 26 lbs. to join the army n now i know i can do it…!
This information is false. One meal a day does NOT put your body into starvation mode… you WILL NOT FEEL sluggish as a matter a fact you feel more energetic than ever.
THINK for just a minute… with more and more advancement in technology you MOVE less and less… you need LESS CALORIES a day than you did 50 years ago and yet you EAT more than ever.
BEFORE agriculture you we lucky to eat once a day. Try it… it before you write about it.
In fact, if you want to lose pounds really fast, you should pretty much avoid all processed foods for the time being, including breads, cereals, pastas, packaged snack foods, baked goods, etc. Regarding how to lose pounds, dinner could include a fresh garden salad, grilled chicken, and green vegetables. By switching from an unhealthy to healthy and lower calorie dinner, weight will begin to come off. When it comes to the best way to lose pounds, an individual needs to go backwards in time.
I’am a 42yo male,I have tried everything to lose weight,nothing has ever worked.I have been eating 1 meal a day & have lost over 30 pounds.I have never felt better.I have more energy,my skin has cleared up ! Try it for a couple weeks,drink lots of water,if you feel hungry drink.The first 2 days were tough for me,now lunch time comes & goes with ease! Good luck !
I have tried it all, small meals, no carbs, balanced meals, big breakfast, no lunch, no dinner, running 5 miles, running 3 miles, walking, drinking 100 oz of water, 64 oz of water, no soda, diet soda–blah, blah, blah- The point is I was stuffing myself all day long – eating too much food! I have been eating one meal in the evening before 7:00 and have lost weight, have energy and have stopped obsessing about depriving myself. I make healthy meals and eat dessert, have a glass of wine – whatever I want but the trick is that I don’t want to eat a ton! I fill up on my salad or veggies first then move on to my protein then dessert. I love it and for the first time I know what works! Try it – just don’t freak out about what you eat anymore -yay!
Eating once a day is not bad. as long as you are not hungry. I eat once a day because i am always on the go.alot of people will tell you eating once a day is bad but eat what your body needs if your trying to loose weight you can still eat more then once a day if its not working for you. looseing weight isnt based on how much you eat its how many callories you take it. so if your hungry eat apple or something calories are low but you are still getting in food that will fill you so your not starveing. p.s food gives you energy so if you are in the military i recomend you eat more then once a day even if its small things.
Thats false.. I lost 27 pounds last month from eating one meal a day and working out about 2 hours a day..I went from 181 to 156 in 4 weeks!!! my goal is to be 130… so far so good… i lost 5 pounds so far this week so i guess im 151..:)
Hello Courtney,
Congratulations on you weight loss!! My goal is to lose 30 pounds in a month and i want to try eating one meal a day and do exercise everday as well but i just don’t know.. when is the right time to eat the one meal?
Hi Georgina, Between 5-7 pm…No later than 7….good luck!!!!
Hello Courtney,
What kind of exercise do you do daily and what kinds of foods do you eat when you eat your one meal? DO you snack or just drink lots of water during the day?
I needed to lose about 40 lbs and tried EVERYTHING!!! I was absolutely out of control with food. I have learned ONE thing: the more I eat, the more I want to eat. The less I eat, the less I want to eat. I now eat one meal a day between 4-7PM and have lost 15
lbs. The greatest thing is I feel that I am gaining control. If I eat one bite in the morning, I am on a binge. Eating NOTHING is easier than eating a little!!! Can anyone relate? Jesus never put a person on a diet. He taught fasting and prayer. One meal a day is actually learning to fast and put food in it’s rightful place (which is only to be consumed when HUNGRY!)
I too have experienced weight loss with the one meal a diet. Although I am surprised that some people say their meal is between 4 & 7 pm, because that sounds way too late. My meal has to be before 1 or 2 in the afternoon. I am not convinced if I should or could make it a way of life because I could get hungry later. I suppose the meal should be at least 800 calories. I guess I never considered it as a long term eating pattern because nutritionists stress the multiple meals throughout the day strategy in order to stave off cravings and keep blood sugar levels stable.
Hi,
I have lost 35 pounds before doing the once a day thing. It really depends on what time you go to bed when you should eat. Just make sure you eat 3 to 4 hours before you hit the sack!
Good luck everyone!
Hello,
I am getting married July 24, 2009 and would LOVE to lose 15-20 by then. My dress is very snug right now to say the least. I am 5’9 and weigh 159 this morning. Love to be 140ish. I am going to start the eating once a day thing too. I tried it a while back and it seemed to work. Nice healthy meal; fish and veggies or chicken and salad. And exercised. I wonder how much I can lose in one month doing this? Maybe 15 or so? That would get me to 144. That would be okay.
Courtney, what types of foods did you eat to lose so much in one month? That’s about what I have a month and a cpl of days. So I have no time to waste.
Hi Angie, I ate a small bowl of broccoli or a very small salad with mushrooms… I i also drink lemon water everyday. try not to eat after 7.. also i drank dieters tea…. which is senna tea to help u go.. good luck
I tae-bo and i eat veggies n fruit
I was thinking about eating a chicken breast and small salad with no dressing. As well I currently run 6km a day. Will this work for me? I am 161 right now at 5’9.
Hey, I am probably one of the largest of all of you people conversating. I am 5’2 and like 200 lbs. yeah thats really bad. I feel so out of place and hate going out and doing things! It is Summer time and i cant even wear a bathing suit! I really would like to try the one meal per day and actually started it a few days ago and…..i liked it but it doesnt seem like im losing anything? i also take the 5 hour energy….2 every 24 to 48 hrs and it supresses my appetite….i drink allllllll water and try to stay busy…. any other tips?
It depends on the meal you eat, If you eat the wrong combinations of food. It you eat protein i.e. chicken with a starch i.e. rice, causes toxicity in your blood, also too much starch raises your insulin with prevents weight loss for several hours no matter what you do. I recommend a day of fast or three days to clear your system first before eat one meal a day. But remember, eat the right food combinations. Check my website for more info. All the Best Ashley,
Janna
oops, genesisholistics.com
I used to weigh about 181 and i was 5’3′ last year around November. It’s now June and i am 136. I consider myself to be active, I play soccer and softball. So i decided i needed to be more fit, and started walking for about an hr a day. And recently i switched to jogging about an hour a day and switched to the one meal a day thing last month and i lost almost 17 lbs. This month i tried eating a bit more and went back to 140-141. So the one meal a day worked out GREAT! I may have been more tired/hungry, but eating more made my stomach bulge again and i hated my weight which made dieting easier. I also stopped drinking sodas that month too. I didnt eat sweets, just more fruits and veggies also. I didn’t drink a lot of water either. Just a salad with some other fruit in it. So that plan works out really good. I also tried to set a goal for myself, I did weigh around 156 in May and I set my goal to be 140 by June 11th i kept with it and went down to 136 mid june and kept up with the running an hr a day, recently ive been eating more and keeping with the running but the goal really is. eat less and excercise more. So now im switching back over to the 1 meal a day with the exercise, but on some days when i have sports, i end up exercising extra. good luck to everyone! my goal is now 115-120 by the end of August! :]
oh and eating a meal a day worked out so well because, it didnt make me more energized, just more tired. so i ended up taking a nap every afternoon and avoided after school meal craves. I would eat the salad around 5-6pm then and be full the rest of the night. I was in school all afternoon so avoided cravings but now being home all summer long it makes it harder. It may not be the best thing to do but it worked out for me so of course im going to go back to 1 salad a day.
I’ve been eating one meal a day for the last 2 weeks and have lost 6 pounds. Every time I have lost weight in the past it has been by eating only one meal a day, beginning in junior high when I cut out that high calorie cafeteria lunch. The trick for me is to eat a balanced meal like a salad and sandwich and then a small dessert (so I don’t feel deprived) all within about an hour. If I eat a meal that’s too carb-heavy or extend the meal too long, then I get carb cravings. On this plan I eat a good-sized healthy lunch around 1 or 2PM. After lunch I don’t even think about food until about 9PM when I start to get hungry, but it’s real hunger and not an overwhelming craving. No matter how hungry I am when I go to bed, I never want breakfast when I wake up, and by the time I’m hungry again it’s 1 or 2PM. I feel better throughout the day, am eating more fruits and vegetables and less carbs and am really enjoying my food now. I don’t think this diet is for everyone, but for me, the more food I eat (or the more often) the more I crave, especially high-carb/high fat foods. Even if I don’t lose another pound, I feel great and am finally in control over my eating.
I just don’t buy all that hooey propagated by so-called nutrition experts and dietitians that you have to eat 4-6 times a day. I think tried every “diet” on the planet that espouses this nonsense. I tried crazy amounts of exercise. I tried both at the same time. Just as was stated above, the more you eat (and the more often you eat), the more you want to eat. I don’t want to think about food 6 times a day for heavens sake – that was the problem in the first place.
Been eating one meal a day for about one year – and have lost all the extra pregnancy-caused weight gain – over 50 lbs. lost. The first 30 lbs came off real quick, with ever slowing rates of weight loss ever since.
I feel great! More alert than ever. I do not feel hunger. Sometimes during the day I might snack (an ounce or 2!!!) on nutrient/calorie-dense foods such as sunflower seeds, almonds, or cheese. Then I eat a nutrient dense meal of vegetables, protein, and enough fat. No processed foods, no carbohydrates (rice, potatoes, pasta) with the exception of things like legumes – lentils, chickpeas etc. I know this way of eating is for life, but finally I am in control and I know I can keep doing this. There are special occasions where I eat normally – you can’t always be in denial – but I make sure that more than 90% of my days are 1-meal a day. That’s still one day in 10 I can live it up!!
I have been eating one meal a day for 4 days which consists of salad, protein, fat…enough food to feel full between 4-6pm and within one hour. I have already lost 5 lbs. The bottom line is this is working for weight loss so I’m gonna stick with it til it proves otherwise. I’m was 163.5 down to 158.5. I’ll keep you posted on my progress. =)
By the way, I have also been eating rice, potatoes, etc.
I was on the one meal a day diet because I had prom and wanted to shed a little bit of weight .. lost 6 lbs in only ONE week! I ate one medium sized dinner every day around 6, and I worked out for about an hour everyday. I’m starting up the one meal a day diet again because I want to lose a lot more before school starts.
But I definitely recommend this to anyone who’s trying to lose weight fast!
i just started the one meal aday regime yesterday because i am so sick of my wheight yoyoing! i am 5’4 1/2 2weeks ago when i wheighed myself i was at 133. now 2 months ago i was at 146. i come frm a family with an obese background and i live a very unhealrhy lifestyle although i cut out smokin in jan…okok i have a smoke every one in awhile when i am having a drink. but havent baught a pack since jan. right now my schedule is wakeup turn on the boobtube make sme french toast ect ect sit and watch tv all day only getting up to shower eat an use the toilet. so as of yesterday i have been eating once in the afternoon around 5 and then doing a brisk walk for one hour at a local trail. also throughout the day ill lift five pound wheights while lying on my back. do any of you have any tips on what can help to speed up my wheight loss? my husband is arriving home sept seventeenth and i would love to be at 115. since it will three months him not seeing me. bowchikabowwow!!
I am getting married on Friday…eating once a day…chicken breast and salad and running 5 km. my dress fits now but u know…can never be to careful. hope to lose another 5 or so.
Hi all, I am almost 22 years old, 5’4 and weigh 153 lbs. and am contemplating on whether or not I should try the “one meal a day” diet that my best friend is trying to pursued me into doing. I gave birth to my first child last year on the 25th of August “almost a year ago” and still have 13 lbs. to lose to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight of 140 lbs. although I would like to lose a bit more, maybe 25 lbs. Please tell me how or even “if” this way of dieting has worked for you, so I can get some ideas of what to do and/or expect. Also, my friend mentioned being allowed to eat whatever I want to eat that 1 time a day and munching on fruits and veggies througout the rest of the day if needed, true?
down 12 lbs and counting
i am in the military and with all the pt that we do it seems like i would go in to a coma unless i stick to the 3 meals a day and the dfec food is not the healthyiest if u get my meaning no matter how good for u they say it is any suggestions on this matter
The one meal a day diet works – so does anorexia! Neither is healthy.
i’m 17, 5 ft4 and 107lbs. i lost about 30 lbs by eating once a day in about 5 months. i excercised for about 4 hours a day, but i then cut it down to only 2 hours. i was only eating a bowl of sugarless, low fat cereal…and sometimes if ever, i’d just grab 1 apple or a pear. i drink about 10 bottles of iced water a day and consume alot of herbal tea. i love this lifestyle…i don’t feel like i’m missing out on anything. it’s been so long that i haven’t had junk food or fast food and i’ve never felt so well in my life, even the thought and smell of unhealthy foods makes my stomach turn the wrong way. anyways, yeah sometimes i do change the foods i eat so i don’t get sick of it. if i don’t have cereal in the morning, it will definetly be like a banana, with strawberries, some veggies and my favorite chamomile tea. i can’t stand it when people lie and start making up these stories about how your body will go into starvation mode….it would only go into starvation mode if you were starving wouldn’t it? i use to be scared about that but, i realized i wasn’t even hungry. my mind and body are not so different. it could be risky to eat once a day because people around you will think you have an eating disorder…but nevermind them. do what you think is right for you.
i have been studying all the best sources and have seen nutritionists, i am pre-diabetic…i have read every single source out there…and the info says eat the 6 small meals, if you dont, your body thinks it’s starving, etc,etc..HOWEVER…i have been investigating all the sites for bariatric surgery,,NO, i’m not getting it, but am interested in their process…i.e. what makes it different and successful, after all the many different procedures are quite invasive.
so, they can band you and make you have a smaller stomach, or they cut part of your intestine and attach it to your stomach so the food basically shoots right out of yuor body. and then they say your brain gets fooled in to thinking your full. SO, then WHY doesn’t the body go into “starvation mode” after that procedure? if YOU feel full, from eating your ONE meal how is it different from getting those procedures and after it, then you eat a meal that is as big as a cookie? if you eat anything bigger than a stamp you have severe and painful reactions…
Guys, need your advice..the one meal per day..R u sure its safe?..
When is best time for one meal a day?…which meal time should i skip?.FYI..i have tried herbalife and and when i stopped it i have gain weight.
dear all, is it really safe to eat just once a day?..and when is the best time to eat?..Pls advice..thank u
I am 253 pounds and 5ft 3. To all you out there who think eating once a day is unhealthy…….try being my weight, with osteoarthritis, osteophytes, bone spurs, back pains etc. Now that is unhealthy! You have tried no carb, low carb, low this and high that. So what is so bad in trying to eat once a day? After being this weight, I really don’t think my body needs a lot of food…come on it has enough adipose already. Started my one a day today. I had a small apple and cup of tea this morning though and will have main lunch at about 2pm. Let you guys know how it is working out for me.
Eating whatever I want within an hour between 4 and 6pm. Down to 136….I feel awesome. My skin and hair look great and I have more energy than ever. At first, it was a little challenging to get over the lunchtime hunger, but now I really don’t feel all that hungry til it’s time to eat. My labs are great…for myself, this is working. The proof is in the puddin’!
By the way, I’m an adult and eating one meal of healthy foods (fruits, veggies, protein, whole grains, dairy and olive oil) taking vitamins, and exercising. For me personally, this has worked better than anything else I’ve tried. I’m just putting my story out there. I don’t want to advise anyone on what they should or should not do, however, I would never recommend this to anyone that is still growing, or is not overweight; bad decision. This was a choice for me because I had to weigh the risk against the benefit; heart disease and type 2 diabetes run in my family. Also, I was overweight. I don’t agree with eating a handful of cereal a day and exercising for 4 hours, that’s not healthy at all. This is just MY success story, maybe for you to read as inspiration, but not necessarily advice to do the same.
I was wondering when you all ate the once a day did you drink diet soda through out the day?
I’ve been a one meal a day person for over 10yrs. I don’t consider it a ‘diet’ to lose weight, it’s my lifestyle. My main meal is around 3pm, but that’s because I get home from work at 2pm, which is no different than someone getting home at 5pm and eating at 6. I go to sleep earlier too since I have to get up early.
My main protiens are salmon and chicken (sometimes tofu) and all the veggies/fruit I want to eat (love broccoli). I definitely don’t starve, I’m FULL after eating. I use splenda in my coffee and diet coke if I feel like pop, and if Im going out with friends for dinner, well..I eat what I want and even drink alcohol. It doesn’t make my scale leap up in fright. I’m 140lbs and have been circling that weight by a 1 or 2 lbs for years. Except for going out, everything I eat is healthy and to me – guilt free. I just don’t buy processed or junk food (except as marinades etc -pesto, dijon mustard, soy sauce etc ). I do eat a bit of cheese everyday. MMmm.. parmesan and asiogo – great on broccoli
Eating only a tiny salad and drinking water is a crash diet, it has nothing to do with only eating once a day. 3 salads a day and water and you’ll lose weight too, its the lack of calories. 3500 calories in deficit/week = 1lb…you’ll gain it back again when you starting eating more.
Just to note: My friend lost 14lbs by ONLY cutting out sugar in her coffee (moved to splenda) and switching to diet coke. She drank enough coffee with sugar to equal 1lb a week just by changing that alone.
Anyways, just thought I’d share
This is long but I have a lot to say!
I have been eating once a day since June. I quit smoking in February and started to gain weight even though I wasn’t eating more. I made sure of that because I didn’t want to get any fatter. I did some research and found out that weight gain from people quitting smoking isn’t just because they replace their oral fixation with food but smoking actually burns calories. I was desperate so I started not eating anything until dinner. I have dinner with my boyfriend and I didn’t want him to know I had stopped eating during the day. I didn’t want him to worry. He’s that type.
After a couple of weeks my body got used to it and I felt great! My workouts are better than ever. I have tons of energy all day. I told my boyfriend about it eventually when he commented on me losing weight. He was a little worried, but I assured him that I feel great and I don’t miss not eating during the day.
I drink black coffee in the morning and otherwise just tons of water during the day. Once in a while I’ll have a diet soda, flavored carbonated water or black iced coffee with Splenda. All of those drinks are calorie-free, but I usually just stick to water after my morning coffee. I like a treat once in a while when I’m out shopping or listening to live music though. ^_^
If I have a really long, hard workout – where I sweat a whole lot – I sometimes get nauseous and disoriented. I did some research and learned about Hyponatremia. Now if I feel like that I just drink a few sips of Powerade Zero. It’s a 0 calorie sports drink and it replaces some of the sodium in my system. Hyponatremia is very rare, but it’s good to know the symptoms. Don’t let it keep you from drinking lots of water! Please read about it: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=strange-but-true-drinking-too-much-water-can-kill
Like others have said, I’ve tried many different diets and they never worked. I’ve been overweight my entire life and for the first time ever I feel hopeful. I’ve lost the weight I gained from quitting smoking and I’m still going strong. I don’t feel like I’m on a diet. I can easily do this for the rest of my life.
I eat whatever I want for dinner. I have never eaten a lot of fast food. I usually cook dinner myself. Sometimes it’s a brown rice and tofu stir-fry, and sometimes it’s fried chicken with hush puppies. I crave more healthy foods now though. And unless my boyfriend asks for a particular dish, I tend to plan for healthier meals without effort. I guess my body knows that it had better make the most of it’s only chance to eat! And by the way, I eat very late at night. Between 9pm and 3am usually. (Our weird schedule requires it.) Of course I go to bed later too. But only 2-3 hours after I eat. Some scientists in Oregon figured that myth out. http://www.ohsu.edu/ohsuedu/landingpages/latenighteating.cfm A calorie is a calorie no matter when you eat it.
Everyone is different. Find what is right for you and please try to be accepting of others. Our method may not be “normal” but if we’re happy, healthy and strong- how is it wrong? I wish everyone reading this peace and success!
Congradulations to all for the weight you have taken off. I put on alot of weight this past winter, 40 to be exact. I love food and many times found myself snaking and making crazy trips to macdonalds at night. I realized I had a problem when my children started poking me in the belly like the pilsburry doughboy. I stopped eating two days, then on the third ate a salad around 3 in the afternoon, and today I ate nothing…I have lost 12 pounds in 4 days. It’s tough to train yourself to do this and you have to have a strong willpower to get through. The outcome will be great as I have done this before. My end result was 40 pounds in one month. It does stay off if you don’t binch eat. Once I get back on the regular eating schedule it will be eating what ever I want between 12noon and 3pm. It does stay off, trust me on this one.
Hi,
I have a question/ comment for anyone posting here: could you add an estimate of how many calories you eat a day? otherwise it is very difficult to interpret your experiences…
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