Some people associate skipping meals with restriction dieting or even eating disorders. But the science pointing in a conclusive sense to the act of skipping a meal being a health risk is not really there. In fact, there is really no difference between skipping a meal and fasting. Somehow, though, fasting has a positive connotation, while skipping meals is THE DEVIL! (BAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!...sorry). As I have mentioned before, I don't come on here claiming to be an expert in the science of food consumption and human body metabolism. But what I do relate here is my story. I can tell you confidently that skipping a meal is not only safe, it could be beneficial to you, as it has been for me. Unless, of course, you place very arduous workout demands on yourself, then yes, you do need to spread out your meals to cover your energy needs throughout the day. Nonetheless, when I say "skip a meal" I don't mean eat absolutely nothing. I mean just that, skip a "meal".
A good friend of mine expressed some concern about my post which I published yesterday in which I make it clear that I would not be eating dinner, since it was 7 p.m. and I don't have dinner after 6 p.m. (except on special occasions). She said "No meal skipping!" I don't want to make her sound like she doesn't know what she's talking about, because she is the type that works out a lot and is very disciplined about exercise, so of course, she needs to spread out her meals to meet her energy needs throughout the day. It's just that I believe that the act of skipping a meal can be managed to great benefit. And besides, there isn't conclusive evidence that skipping, or missing, a meal has negative effects, unless certain conditions are present. Therefore, you could benefit from it, but this depends on which meal you choose to skip. Say for instance that you skip breakfast. That could be good if you make sure to have lunch and an early dinner, preferably before 6 p.m. However, just because you skipped breakfast does not mean you can eat more during lunch or dinner, by the way.
In my case, I always have a big breakfast because that is when I break my fast, which lasts about 12 to 15 hours. By the time I have my breakfast I am hungry but not starved. That's the funny thing about it. When you have trained your body to stop being so spoiled asking for empty carbs in the form of starchy foods and bad calories in the form of sweets, eventually it gets the hint and stops being so whiny about it. So for me, when I have my breakfast, I don't have a big meal because I feel starved, I do so because I love food. It's a treat to celebrate my discipline. It also provides me with most of the calories and carbs that I will be needing for the greater part of the work day. It also makes the struggle of trying to control my lunch food consumption. Instead, by lunch time I feel only moderately hungry and am able to coolly choose light food to eat, such as high protein, low carb meals or just fruit or peanuts with water. This may sound like an open-and-shut case of restriction dieting. But I beg to differ!
I want to ask a question and I would like anyone to give opinions on the matter. I have never read up on this craze out there in the dieting zone, but I hear that the Paleo diet has gained much popularity. I am assuming that it deals with people eating a whole lot of natural, organic foods and no highly processed products. Maybe even more tilted toward protein consumption. But the question is this: "What would the eating habits of Paleo humans consist of?" I'm asking for opinions, but if there is an anthropologist in the room who wants to educate us, then feel free to drop some knowledge on our thick heads. In the meantime, I'll tell you what that means to me.
I think, just by what I have read or seen in cable shows about Paleo humans, it's clear that most of these people didn't have ready access to food like we do by any measure. So it would make sense that these individuals would very likely be missing meals all the time. I bet there were even days they went without any meals at all, other than nibbling on roots, or dried meat (if anything). Back then, the primary task of every day, I'm sure, was the acquisition of food through hunting and gathering. And they didn't live in the Garden of Eden, so they really had to bust their butts to kill game or find edible plants, fruits, and nuts. This wasn't accomplished everyday. It is pretty freakin' hard to bring down a good-sized animal when you don't have rifles and guns. Also, since agriculture and domestication hadn't been invented yet, they followed the herds into lands sometimes barren of edible plant food. And, yet, they not only survived but thrived, carrying the torch to these more opulent times. Let's face it, the three meals a day recommendation is a modern invention.
Well, that's my rationalization for skipping a full meal at dinner time and just having some light snacks and water or diet green tea. I gotta tell you, it's been quite helpful to me in the sense that I have much more control of my appetite. I am not constantly obsessing over food. I feel much more energetic through out the day. And at night, I sleep like a baby, without any gastro-intestinal issues that keep people up...or their bed mates, if you know what I mean.
So my recommendation? Read as much about it as you can. Talk to people about the topic. Learn as much as you can. But, while you confirm the information here, do as Adelle Davis said, "Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper".
UPDATE!
Today, in order that I quell the possible idea that people might think I am using extreme measures to lose weight, I changed my meal plan. I had a grilled chicken quarter leg, half a large avocado, a side salad, green tea, and about two tablespoons of hummus for breakfast. For lunch, I had some more of that good chicken (the other leg, :p), the other half of that avocado, more side salad, two grilled mozzarella cheese sticks, two eggs, and a small slice of cheesy pork sausage. Don't sound like much of a diet, huh? Then for dinner replacement, I had a banana, a handful of redskin peanuts, and a bottled water. Tomorrow, I'll delve into what to do when you don't have all the time in the world to dedicate to the gym. Feel free to write your comments and/or take the survey up on the right hand, upper corner of this page.
Hasta pronto!
P.s. Here is a link to an interesting article about skipping meals:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/12/26/the-risks-and-rewards-of-skipping-meals/
It's an oldie but a goodie. Enjoy! :)
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