6 Reasons Not To Skip A Meal

Fitness these days is wrongly correlated with weight loss for which people resort to a starvation diet by skipping meal and eating way less than what their body requires to function well. People think if they don’t eat food or eat very less food then they will lose weight and get fit. Of course, they will drop a few kgs of water weight but the downsides of the same are way more extreme than the joy of dropping those 2-3 kg’s.

Skipping meals is the stupidest idea one can think of. The human body is a factory and food is the fuel that runs it. When you skip meals and force your body to run on low fuel, you end up damaging your organs, skin, hair etc.

The kilo’s that you drop by a starvation diet is just water weight which you will put on as soon as you get back to your normal eating habits.

 

In this blog, I’ll guide you through the 6 reasons why you should never skip a meal and instead eat a well planned balanced diet which includes tasty yet nutritious foods.

 

1 – Slows Metabolism

 

Your metabolism will slow way down if you don’t eat. Your body will think it needs to go into starvation mode, preserving every calorie it can until the next supply of food arrives. So instead of burning off calories, it hangs onto them. Not really helpful when you are trying to lose weight. In fact, you could even end up gaining weight if you continue the pattern of skipping meals. Your body will continue to hold onto the calories from the food you do eat because you are not supplying a regular stream of food.

 

2 – Less Energy

 

When your metabolism slows down, all of your body’s functions slow down with it. That means you will have less energy and feel sluggish and tired. Hmmm…not really a good thing if you planned to exercise. (And if you’re trying to lose weight, hopefully, you do have plans to exercise.) You cannot exercise efficiently when you aren’t eating enough. Most likely you will skip your workout, which means even fewer calories burned.

 

3 – Overeating

 

Another likely outcome of skipping meals is overeating or bingeing. When you don’t eat you get hungry, and when you do finally eat, you will most likely eat too much. Chances are, you will also go for fattening junk food. You can even end up eating more calories than you would have if you had just eaten smaller healthy meals throughout the day. You are better off eating regularly throughout the day to keep your hunger in check. I’ve seen so many people starving throughout the day and then ending up ordering a burger or a pizza from a late-night delivery joint at night. Now, is that a sensible diet to follow or is that even a diet?

 

4 – Low Blood Sugar

 

Not eating can lead to severe headaches and light-headedness due to a decrease in blood sugar. This is definitely not a good thing if you have a busy day ahead of you (and who doesn’t?). Trying to work at the office or take care of your kids with a pounding headache is not a good idea. You will be cranky, less productive, and may snap at other people, including your loved ones. This is unfair to them, and no good for you.

 

5 – Missing Nutrients

 

When you don’t eat enough throughout the day, you will probably end up lacking in key nutrients. Because you are taking in fewer calories, you may become deficient in calcium, good fats, iron, protein, and other vitamins and minerals. This can lead to many other health problems that you don’t want to deal with.

 

6 – Disordered Eating

 

Skipping meals here and there may not seem like a bad idea to you, but it can lead to disordered eating patterns. You may train your brain and your body to think that it’s okay to do. The thought of eating a meal can become enough to cause you anxiety and serious self-esteem issues. These patterns can come on fast and are very hard to break once you are in the middle of it. Don’t set yourself up for this.

 

RELATED: ARE YOU SUFFERING FROM VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?

 

 

It is true that to lose weight you have to eat less than what you’re burning but the caloric deficit should be planned and monitored. If you are trying to lose weight, you are better off eating small, regular meals and snacks evenly spaced throughout your day. You will keep that metabolism (fat-burning machine) running smoothly, keep your energy up so you can exercise and get through your day in a good mood, and help protect yourself from nutrient deficiencies. The best thing to do is to come up with a healthy meal plan and stick to it.

If you need help getting started with a healthy meal plan, you can subscribe to our customized meal plan and get your meals and recipes for a month, scientifically planned in a calendar form on your mobiles on the go. We not only help you in achieving your fitness goals in the fastest time but also try our best to educate you about nutrition and wellness throughout the journey.

Remember, fitness is not only about seeing decreasing numbers on the weighing scale. It’s about a healthy way of thinking and lifestyle. Once you’re fit within your mind, your dream body will follow:)