Is it safe to only eat once a day for a 23 year old guy ?

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 12:34AM #1

I usually only eat once a day, I never have breakfast or a dinner just something in the middle of the day, I don't get hungry really and I haven't really lost much in the way of weight in ages (just have a small belly that I want rid of) .

My family etc. try and make me eat 3 times a day but normally when I live alone that never happens. When I wake up I never have any hunger, if I have breakfast I have to force myself to eat it.

Ri_Nollaig · 15-12-2013 10:43AM

I don't think it makes any difference if you have a load of tiny meals or one monster. Its all about the total intake for a given day, including any snacks along the way.
So one 2,500 calorie meal versus three 833 calorie are the same thing. If anything eating when you are not hunger is worse, you should only eat when you are hunger and fúck what everyone else says.

In short, what you are eating and the amount of it matters more then the frequency. This whole 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' is bullshít.

Saying that, I love my breakfast and couldn't leave the house without it

but each to their own.

Devil08 · 15-12-2013 11:01AM

Ri_Nollaig wrote: »

I don't think it makes any difference if you have a load of tiny meals or one monster. Its all about the total intake for a given day, including any snacks along the way.
So one 2,500 calorie meal versus three 833 calorie are the same thing. If anything eating when you are not hunger is worse, you should only eat when you are hunger and fúck what everyone else says.

In short, what you are eating and the amount of it matters more then the frequency. This whole 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' is bullshít.

Saying that, I love my breakfast and couldn't leave the house without it but each to their own.

There are so many benefits to breakfast, too many to mention. But a few would include
1. It gives you energy
2. It gives your brain a boost
3. It improves your mood in the morning
4. And most importantly it breaks the fast of not eating for hours throughout the night, it wakes up your metabolism, gets your body running, and all this helps to lose weight if you need to. If you skip breakfast your body goes into a fasting state as it will not have eaten for about 12 hours.

For you to state its all bullsh!t is infact bullsh!t itself. Also, eating one meal to gain all your calories for the day is completley wrong and it is NOT the same as consuming them over a number of meals. Ideally you should have 6 small meals a day, this can include a piece of fruit as a meal. This all helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeps cravings away, and keeps hunger at bay better. It also keeps your metabolism high, if you only eat one meal per day your body will go into fasting in the periods before and after that meal. Its a shocking way to live.

Animord · 15-12-2013 11:26AM

Devil08 wrote: »

There are so many benefits to breakfast, too many to mention. But a few would include
1. It gives you energy
2. It gives your brain a boost
3. It improves your mood in the morning
4. And most importantly it breaks the fast of not eating for hours throughout the night, it wakes up your metabolism, gets your body running, and all this helps to lose weight if you need to. If you skip breakfast your body goes into a fasting state as it will not have eaten for about 12 hours.

For you to state its all bullsh!t is infact bullsh!t itself. Also, eating one meal to gain all your calories for the day is completley wrong and it is NOT the same as consuming them over a number of meals. Ideally you should have 6 small meals a day, this can include a piece of fruit as a meal. This all helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeps cravings away, and keeps hunger at bay better. It also keeps your metabolism high, if you only eat one meal per day your body will go into fasting in the periods before and after that meal. Its a shocking way to live.

Yep, this is absolutely true. In fact if you want to be really healthy you should set your alarm for every three hours during the night and get up and have a bowl of cocoa pops. Definitely. :rolleyes:

Devia · 15-12-2013 11:50AM

If you're eating in the middle of the day and not hungry again until 24 hours later go seek medical advice.

Animord · 15-12-2013 11:56AM

They are all out today.

OP if you are concerned then post up what you are eating in that one meal a day or plug it into something like myfitnesspal and get an idea of what you are eating - calories, carbs, fats, sugars. Read the stickies to get an idea of what good nutrition is. If your one meal is McDonalds, then yes you need to change things. But so long as you are neither gaining nor losing weight and are happy with how it works for you, I wouldn't worry about it.

Eat when you are hungry, eat real food and enjoy your life.

Devil08 · 15-12-2013 12:16PM

Animord wrote: »

Yep, this is absolutely true. In fact if you want to be really healthy you should set your alarm for every three hours during the night and get up and have a bowl of cocoa pops. Definitely. :rolleyes:

You don't need food when you are sleeping, your body doesn't need to keep fueled during that period. Stop being ridiculous. While you are awake however, your body needs a constant supply of fuel spread throughout the day. No matter how active you are or not.

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 12:16PM

Ri_Nollaig wrote: »

I don't think it makes any difference if you have a load of tiny meals or one monster. Its all about the total intake for a given day, including any snacks along the way.
So one 2,500 calorie meal versus three 833 calorie are the same thing. If anything eating when you are not hunger is worse, you should only eat when you are hunger and fúck what everyone else says.

In short, what you are eating and the amount of it matters more then the frequency. This whole 'breakfast is the most important meal of the day' is bullshít.

Saying that, I love my breakfast and couldn't leave the house without it but each to their own.

I don't eat much like 700cal

Animord · 15-12-2013 12:18PM

ewan whose army wrote: »

I don't eat much like 700cal

Well that is totally different, you aren't eating enough for a grown person.

Mr. CooL ICE · 15-12-2013 01:40PM

ewan whose army wrote: »

I don't eat much like 700cal

Unless you spend every day in a meditative trance, you're not eating nearly enough. Eat a lot more.

metamorphosis · 15-12-2013 03:44PM

A few things stick out from your original post and more importantly your reply

1. Yes, it CAN okay to eat once a day. The thermic effect of food is the same whether its 10 meals or one BUT
......Ask yourself why only once a day
2. It's okay if you have no issues with food and it is conducive to you living life to your fullest
3. 700 kcals in NOT okay for ANYONE, not even a newborn baby or a 90 year old lying on bed all day
4. I suggest you take a good, long hard deep look at your relationship with food and how it affects you

In essence, you are not acting in a rational manner. This is not healthy. This is not sustainable but most importantly - this is not a road you want to go down - it is dangerous'

WrigleysExtra · 15-12-2013 03:47PM

Devil08 wrote: »

There are so many benefits to breakfast, too many to mention. But a few would include
1. It gives you energy
2. It gives your brain a boost
3. It improves your mood in the morning
4. And most importantly it breaks the fast of not eating for hours throughout the night, it wakes up your metabolism, gets your body running, and all this helps to lose weight if you need to. If you skip breakfast your body goes into a fasting state as it will not have eaten for about 12 hours.

For you to state its all bullsh!t is infact bullsh!t itself. Also, eating one meal to gain all your calories for the day is completley wrong and it is NOT the same as consuming them over a number of meals. Ideally you should have 6 small meals a day, this can include a piece of fruit as a meal. This all helps regulate blood sugar levels, keeps cravings away, and keeps hunger at bay better. It also keeps your metabolism high, if you only eat one meal per day your body will go into fasting in the periods before and after that meal. Its a shocking way to live.

Stop talking nonsense. The 6 small meals a day is a myth that has been debunked a long time ago.

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 04:08PM

How do you know if you are in "starvation mode"

Theresalwaysone · 15-12-2013 04:29PM

ewan whose army wrote: »

How do you know if you are in "starvation mode"

What does the dial on the back of your neck say?

edit: Obviously you'll have to ask someone to check this for you.

spurious · 15-12-2013 04:31PM

What sort of work do you do OP? Is it physically demanding? Do you find yourself feeling weak at any stage in the day?

Devil08 · 15-12-2013 04:44PM

WrigleysExtra wrote: »

Stop talking nonsense. The 6 small meals a day is a myth that has been debunked a long time ago.

By who??? Ive spoken to many nutritionists who still recommend this.
Its a lot better for your body than sitting down 2 or 3 times and stuffing yourself til you burst

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 05:03PM

spurious wrote: »

What sort of work do you do OP? Is it physically demanding? Do you find yourself feeling weak at any stage in the day?

PhD Student

Sulla Felix · 15-12-2013 05:08PM

Devil08 wrote: »

By who??? Ive spoken to many nutritionists who still recommend this.
Its a lot better for your body than sitting down 2 or 3 times and stuffing yourself til you burst

I've spoken to a lot of nutritionists who still recommend that the food pyramid form the core of a healthy diet. Doesn't mean a damn thing.

Animord · 15-12-2013 05:18PM

Devil08 wrote: »

By who??? Ive spoken to many nutritionists who still recommend this.
Its a lot better for your body than sitting down 2 or 3 times and stuffing yourself til you burst

Stuff yourself until you burst? Who does that?

I think you need some new nutritionists. Preferably ones that know what they are talking about.

Ewan, what are these 700 calories made up of? Do you drink? Do you really not eat anything else?

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 05:25PM

Animord wrote: »

Stuff yourself until you burst? Who does that?

I think you need some new nutritionists. Preferably ones that know what they are talking about.

Ewan, what are these 700 calories made up of? Do you drink? Do you really not eat anything else?

Mostly water I rarely drink alcohol

Animord · 15-12-2013 05:29PM

ewan whose army wrote: »

Mostly water I rarely drink alcohol

I'd direct you back to Metamorphosis's post above. If you are really only eating 700 calories a day then yes, there is something wrong.

DrGuy · 15-12-2013 05:40PM

Here's my two cents- if you have adequate energy, feel good, get a reasonable amount of exercise, and your bloodwork is normal, then I wouldn't worry. We are all different, and we have different needs. For example, people often have too much salt in their diets, but others need all the salt they can get. You could have a slow metabolism, in which case 700 kcal/day might be fine for you. I had a fast metabolism when I was younger, and was stick thin when I was your age on a 2000+ kcal/day diet. People were always worried that I was underfed, but I was very healthy.

If in doubt, go see your GP and have bloodwork done. That should tell you what you need to know. If you're healthy, listen to your body and not to others.

metamorphosis · 15-12-2013 09:01PM

Id disagree - long term 700kcals in not healthy.

... unless you defy human physiology.

Sure you may feel just fine at first, but then the little nooks and crannys creep up after a while and then suddenly you are in a hole much bigger than you thought you would be - and you will be wishing you ate more than 700 to start. You dont just fuel to move

At a basic physiological - hormonal - nuerological - mental level, your body needs food to keep systems in check. 700kcals a day doesn't cut it

700 is not a sustainable amount of revenue for your mental well being, and physical obviously.

On the 6 small meals a day thing ... again the TEF is the same regardless. There have not been a whole lot of system updates to our genetic make-up - do what suits you - whether you prefer 6 or 2 or 10 meals, all up to you. I can easily do 2 or 10 meals depending on my schedule.

Zombienosh · 15-12-2013 10:39PM

Does the OP do any exercise or get out much? If they are very sedentary and stay in a lot I could understood lack of appetite so I suggest doing some exercise or getting out and your appetite should increase.

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 10:41PM

Zombienosh wrote: »

Does the OP do any exercise or get out much? If they are very sedentary and stay in a lot I could understood lack of appetite so I suggest doing some exercise or getting out and your appetite should increase.

I go swimming sometimes but I find it hard to go and do exercise a lot, but I walk into college and back each day

metamorphosis · 15-12-2013 11:32PM

The first thing id do is aim higher.

Would you find it hard to consume more than what you are? Could you eat more? Even it it is just one sitting?

Part of feeling like not doing things will come around to the lack of food too

ewan whose army · 15-12-2013 11:35PM

metamorphosis wrote: »

The first thing id do is aim higher.

Would you find it hard to consume more than what you are? Could you eat more? Even it it is just one sitting?

Part of feeling like not doing things will come around to the lack of food too

I don't know why but I don't get hungry

metamorphosis · 15-12-2013 11:42PM

Aha but that doesnt mean that there won't be effects unseen and if you have been eating this way for a little bit - thats the norm. Don't take it as an indication that you don't need it. There is a trickle down system that will happen - energy, mood, health, lethargy and it will continue to trickle down.

If you find yourself physically incapable of been able to eat more- visit a doc, get everything checkout out.

If you are mentally unable yourself to not eat more - act now and i mean NOW! Because you will be on a lonely and dangerous road that cuts you off from life and the people you love and is a HORRIBLE and utterly pointless way to live when it will be spent alone. Check out Bodywhys.ie and the marino therapy clinic in Dublin are absolutley fantastic.

Stark · 16-12-2013 01:49AM

Devil08 wrote: »

By who??? Ive spoken to many nutritionists who still recommend this.
Its a lot better for your body than sitting down 2 or 3 times and stuffing yourself til you burst

Nutritionist isn't a protected term. Anyone on this thread can call themselves a "nutritionist". Any dietician I've spoken to has said the "many small meals" thing is a myth.

Devil08 · 16-12-2013 02:06AM

Stark wrote: »

Nutritionist isn't a protected term. Anyone on this thread can call themselves a "nutritionist". Any dietician I've spoken to has said the "many small meals" thing is a myth.

To call yourself a nutritionist you need to have a qualification! They are the people I'm referring to. I was in a college that offered a course in nutrition so I had a lot of friends studying it.
I know for a fact there is scientific proof that the benefits of regular small meals is not a myth.

metamorphosis · 16-12-2013 09:56AM

Devil08 wrote: »

To call yourself a nutritionist you need to have a qualification! They are the people I'm referring to. I was in a college that offered a course in nutrition so I had a lot of friends studying it.
I know for a fact there is scientific proof that the benefits of regular small meals is not a myth.

There's also solid scientific evidence proving there is no real difference in smaller or larger meal quantities ... it's individual ... and again, people are forgetting the TEF of food is the same regardless of 1 or 10 meals where food intake is the same. Telling everybody you need 6 small meals a day to help keep your metabolism reved is scientific fallacy and misleading. That is not how the human body works by and large for most people.

Some people love eating little and often - cool - go for it

Some people like eating twice a day - cool - go for it

Is it safe to only eat once a day for a 23 year old guy ?

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