What are the reasons you won't lose weight by missing meals? If you think that skipping a meal is the answer to excess pounds, you could be doing yourself more harm than good. There are much better and more sensible ways to lose weight. Here are some reasons you won't lose weight by missing meals …
One of the reasons you won't lose weight by missing meals is that you'll probably end up snacking. Dieters often skip breakfast to save calories, but will then find that they are so hungry by mid-morning that they grab a chocolate bar or muffin. These are much higher in calories than a healthy breakfast like toast or porridge, so your weight-loss plans get wrecked.
The body needs regular meals in order to function properly, so if you deprive yourself of meals you are depriving your body of essential fuel. Either eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, or eat smaller meals more often - but don't miss meals as your brain and body won't function well.
Missing meals can also lead you to crave fatty or sweet foods - and if you give in to those cravings you'll end up consuming as much, if not more, than the calories you've 'saved'. It's much better to eat a healthy meal and avoid a blood sugar drop that will make you tired and irritable.
If you skip a meal, you may end up so hungry that you eat more later on. Any initial weight loss from the missed meals will be compensated for as you 'catch up' by eating bigger meals. You need to eat enough to fuel your body. Being hungry is miserable, and you probably won't be able to resist piling bigger servings on your plate.
Skipping meals may actually achieve the very opposite of what you want. According to some studies, people who avoid eating breakfast often weigh more than people who eat a good breakfast. So skipping breakfast is not only pointless, it's counter-productive. If you're one of those who usually skips breakfast, eat a healthy breakfast such as oatmeal, yogurt or toast instead.
When you miss a meal, your blood sugar will be low. This causes your body to think that you're starving, so your metabolism slows down in order to save energy. This means that whatever you do eat isn't burned off in the most efficient manner. Since weight loss means expending more calories than you take in, you can see how skipping meals is counter-productive.
An even worse prospect is that if you continually skip meals, you could be risking diabetes one day. This is because of the low blood sugar it causes. Repeatedly missing meals will upset your insulin levels. And although people do live perfectly well with diabetes, it's not something that you want to risk. Reduce your chances by eating sensibly and regularly.
If you could really do with losing some weight, the best method is to combine a sensible diet with exercise. Skipping meals may seem like a quick-fix solution, but it won't help you lose that weight. Remember that it's taken you time to gain the weight, so it will take time to lose it. Have you ever followed any faddish diets?