I know many people that have been sucessful with one big meal with very light meals (mostly dinners as the very light meal) but don't know anyone who only eats once a day. I can't really comment then on whether it's healthy or not.
The question is, can YOU do it for a sustainable period of time such as a year or more? I don't know of many that could, but it's possible I'm wrong.
Personally I don't think it would do terrible things to your body, or even mess with your metabolism. Most of that "info" about not eating too late at night and so on is nonsense, and eating less frequently is logically more natural. Gathering and hunting are both time-consuming activities, so meals would likely have been bigger and farther between... and our ancestors did okay.
But with that said, I think there are two major considerations:
1) Blood sugar spikes. Especially if you're not eating a low-carb diet, you might have some trouble with energy levels. If you are diabetic or insulin resistant I would definitely recommend talking to a doctor to make sure your blood sugar won't go into dangerous levels from the large meal or the in-between fasting.
2) Hunger. How do you plan on feeling full the rest of the day? Personally this would cause me enough problems that I could not maintain one-meal-per-day for more than maybe 2-3 days. I have self-control, sure... but not THAT much self control.
There's nothing wrong with eating once a day. This whole idea of multiple meals a day is as screwed up as the nutrition pyramid that recommends most of our calories come from carbs. Humans evolved being opportunistic feeders, they ate when there was food, and went hungry when there wasn't. Having the ability to transition to burning reserves is what's kept our species alive to this point. I personally believe one of the reasons obesity is so rampant is that nobody EVER skips a meal.
O/P, look into intermittent fasting. You really want to bump up the fat burning, consider intermittent fasting + primal eating (or high fat/low carb).
Lots of people eat only once per day. Intermittent fasting is great.
I've done it forever. I have one big meal and a couple snacks through the day and it's caused me no lasting harm... I still gain and lose depending on my surplus or deficit. The only issue I would say this could cause is if you aren't tracking your intake, you could not be getting the proper nutrition.
Edit to add: I've never been a morning eater. Breakfast food is delicious, but I can't eat in the morning. I get nauseous. I usually eat dinner as my one big meal, and it has helped me learn the difference between legit hunger and boredom munchies.
I'll be honest. You could do it. And it might be effective and mostly sustainable (except when you are with friends).
The downside is that it might play havoc with your stomach and bowel movements if you do what I assume you are intending to do which is eat A LOT in that one sitting.
I eat two meals a day. A big breakfast and a frickin' massive lunch.
The lunch makes me feel bloated and I have to rush to the loo to sh!t like a crazy man. It works for me. But compressing everything into a single meal would only make it worse.
How about cutting just one meal and seeing how that goes?
The lunch makes me feel bloated and I have to rush to the loo to sh!t like a crazy man. It works for me. But compressing everything into a single meal would only make it worse.
Men seem to have special relationships with their bottoms and their toilets...
Personally, my system does not work this quickly. I poop about twice a week. Always have, since I was a kid. My understanding from doctors and reading is that this is normal for some people, and not a concern for me.
What I'm getting at is this: Some people's bowels would be not at all affected by eating all their daily food in one sitting. I know mine wouldn't.
Men seem to have special relationships with their bottoms and their toilets...
Personally, my system does not work this quickly. I poop about twice a week. Always have, since I was a kid. My understanding from doctors and reading is that this is normal for some people, and not a concern for me.
What I'm getting at is this: Some people's bowels would be not at all affected by eating all their daily food in one sitting. I know mine wouldn't.
I had a similar thought about men, meals, and toilet runs.
My husband always has to run to the bathroom after a large meal.
Me, every 2 - 3 days seems to be it for me. *shrug* Everyone's systems are different.
While I agree it may be gender-based, I also eat things that are good for me (and my weight) that are conducive to very frequent toilet stops.
Namely, and daily: 6 cans of fish, kimchi, dried figs, dried apricots, steelcut oats and hummus. Topped off with tart cherry juice in the evening. That combo is enough to make a bomb. I am telling you. And that's before we add spring greens and kale into the mix.
Let's just say I have cultivated a gut fauna that becomes audible (and then explosive) when fed.
But it's worth it.
Which reminds me. Feeling constipated? Drink a quart of tart cherry juice. And come back and see me in two hours.
For over a year i have been pretty much doing one main meal a day using foods from DANDR Induction list. Morning would consist of coffee w/ HWC and Davinci SF and Lunch would be my dose of Ecodrink.
Taking 2 tsp of Natural Calm in boiling water twice a day keeps me regular and matches my calcium intake.
Last edited by TheSatinPumpkin; 12-02-2014 at 02:40 PM.
For most of my life I have pretty much only ate once per day (at night). I never really thought anything of it. Eating once per day was extremely convenient and convenience is something I have always prioritized because I have so little "free" time and don't particularly enjoy cooking. In retrospect though, for me, it was problematic for the reasons that faiora outlined: energy levels and hunger.
Having changed to eating throughout the day, I now recognize that I have so much more energy throughout the day when I eat (lightly) every couple of hours. By the time dinner comes, I am not nearly as tired/hungry as I used to be. As a consequence of this, I feel much more in control and am much less susceptible to over/binge-eating as I wind down from a long/stressful day of work.
My advice though: Find whatever works for you. There's nothing wrong with trial and error, so long as you can find/develop a plan that works for you.
Is Only Eating Once A Day Okay To Do???
