Why am I gaining weight if I only eat once a day?

Eating once a day slows down your metabolism. "If you go long periods of time without eating, your metabolism actually slows down to hold on to energy," Brenda Braslow, RD, MS with MyNetDiary. "It can defeat your efforts to cut back on calorie intake."

eatthis.com - What Happens to Your Body When You Only Eat Once a Day

Can police dogs smell vape pens?

That means if a custom dog is trained to detect nicotine, it will be able to smell any vape pen with nicotine juice in it, even if other flavors...

Last updated Oct 10, 2021

Should you refrigerate tomatoes?

Ripe tomatoes should still be kept at on your counter, uncovered, if you are going to enjoy the tomato in the next day or two. But any longer than...

Last updated Jun 16, 2020

Weird “juice ritual” removes 65lbs in weeks

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

Let's get this out of the way first, shall we? It's not healthy to restrict yourself. Yes, it's good for weight loss to find a healthy balance of calories to eat and calories to burn, but it's also healthy to eat a consistent amount of nutritious meals throughout the day. Food provides our bodies with all of the nutrients it needs to survive, and by only eating once a day, you're not allowing your body the chance to get all of those nutrients it needs. Nevertheless, many "experts" that promote toxic diet culture will try to promote disordered ways of eating in order to help people lose weight quickly, and one of those suggestions is to only eat once a day. Yes, this will restrict your calorie intake, and eating fewer calories can help with weight loss. But there's so much more that happens to your body when you only eat once a day, and most of it is negative. Plus, restricting your body to only one meal will actually make weight loss even harder. In order to show you why only eating once a day is bad for your body, we spoke with a few registered dietitians and certified medical experts who properly broke down what your body will experience with such serious calorie restriction. Here's why none of them advise you to eat once a day, and if you're looking for healthy meals to add to your diet, we highly suggest these 100 Easiest Recipes You Can Make.

1 Eating once can lead to overeating.

If the term "calories" is actually a measurement of energy, then by not giving your body a sufficient amount of calories, you are quite literally cutting the energy you are giving to your body. Many dietitians agree that if you're only eating once a day, you are likely going to overeat during that one meal because, at that point, your body is ravenous and in need of quick energy. "Eating once a day sets you up for deprivation and then overeating—one of the worst things you can do if you are trying to lose weight," says Lisa Young, PhD, RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim. "Once you do eat your 'one meal,' you often keep eating because you were deprived of food all day. Plus it can be a lot for your body to handle at once."

What can you drink instead of juice?

Try out the below ideas in place of juice or other sweetened drinks for you and your family. Naturally flavored water is refreshing and delicious....

Last updated Nov 29, 2022

What is the fattest fruit?

Avocados Avocados are unique in the world of fruits. Whereas most fruits primarily contain carbs, avocados are loaded with fats. In fact, avocados...

Last updated May 11, 2022

Traditional “juice” activates 24/7 fat-burning

A scrumptious morning smoothy based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

So even if your intention is to restrict calories, it can still be easy to consume a lot of calories in one sitting—especially if you're going for non-nutritious items like fatty foods and processed snacks.

Learn more about the Emotions That Lead to Overeating and Weight Gain.

2 Eating once a day slows down your metabolism.

"If you go long periods of time without eating, your metabolism actually slows down to hold on to energy," Brenda Braslow, RD, MS with MyNetDiary. "It can defeat your efforts to cut back on calorie intake." Without a high-functioning metabolism, losing weight becomes a lot harder. Instead, focus on these 31 Healthy Meals That Boost Your Metabolism for Weight Loss.

3 Your body will think it's starving and go into "starvation mode."

Your metabolism is there to burn calories, making it easier to lose weight. But if you only eat once a day, it will slow down in order to hold that "energy" for later use. "Our body starts to go through a process of metabolic adaptation where your metabolism slows down significantly to match what you are intaking, many times also described as 'starvation mode,'" says Ricci-Lee Hotz, MS, RDN at A Taste of Health and Expert at Testing.com. "Instead of using what your body needs when you eat and getting rid of the extra, it is going to store what you intake as fat to ensure it has fuel that it can use while you are not fueling your body."

4 Your body will start shutting down.

What moisturizer do Kardashians use?

A firm believer in using SPF on a daily basis, the Keeping Up with the Kardashians star is a huge fan of Olay's Regenerist Whip Facial Moisturizer...

Last updated May 9, 2020

How do I slim my face?

How to Lose Face Fat: 8 Effective Tips Do facial exercises. Facial exercises can be used to improve facial appearance, combat aging, and improve...

Last updated Oct 16, 2022

Weird “juice ritual” removes 65lbs in weeks

A potent powdered supplement, based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

Along with slowing metabolism and increased hunger, your body will also start to see a whirlwind of negative side effects if you're not giving it the nutrients it needs. "The other negative effects can include having your blood sugar drop so you feel weak and shaky, nutrient deficiencies, exhaustion, binge eating at the one time you do eat, weight gain, or if you do keep your calories low at your one meal, heart problems, hair loss, cold intolerance, and more," says Hotz.

5 Your body won't get enough nutrients.

"One primary reason I discourage dieters from eating just one meal a day is the lack of nutrient density they are likely consuming," says Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD from Balance One Supplements. "When eating just one meal a day it is more likely that consumers will turn to high calorie, low nutrient foods like pasta and high-fat animal proteins. This is because their glucose has dropped to such a low point that they begin craving carbohydrates and often turn to quick processed options."6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e Plus, Best points out that if you're filling up on those quick carbohydrates in order to feel full, you aren't giving your body the nutrients it needs. So what's the solution? It will obviously depend on your body, but many dietitians recommend eating every three or four hours (or at least eating three meals), and following the proper nutrition guidelines to set up a healthy meal. If you're not sure what the proper caloric intake your body needs, here's a calculator—or even talk to a medical professional to find out the right diet for your specific body. Get even more healthy tips straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter.

eatthis.com - What Happens to Your Body When You Only Eat Once a Day

Is 500mg of sodium per day enough?

The body needs only a small amount of sodium (less than 500 milligrams per day) to function properly. That's a mere smidgen — the amount in less...

Last updated Mar 27, 2020

What drink cleans your kidneys?

Another effective cleansing agent for the kidneys is cranberry juice which supports the urinary tract, fights urinary tract infections and removes...

Last updated Jan 19, 2018

Tasty juice “eats through” 54lbs of thick flab

This effective juice jolts the metabolism, boosts energy and burns fat all day.

Learn More »

Promotion

What is the healthiest breakfast for gut health?

10 breakfast ideas for a healthy gut Kefir, banana, almond and frozen berry smoothie. ... Spring greens shakshuka. ... Vegan overnight oats. ......

Last updated Jul 8, 2018

Purple weed obliterates 72lbs of flab

The main ingredient for a potent powdered supplement, based on the diets of among the healthiest, longest-living hamlet in the world.

Learn More »

Promotion

What is the best way to consume beetroot?

*The best way to eat and benefit from the goodness of this vegetable is by eating it fresh and raw. However, if you don't like the taste, you can...

Last updated Mar 12, 2019