Starting to make healthier choices has many facets, the secret to long term success is not being afraid to learn something new every now and then, that will only help you towards your goals.
~ Knowledge is your POWER ~
The bodies Physiology ….when Skipping Meals
“The Roller coaster Effect”
When you skip a meal the body goes into a “fasting mode”. During this fasting, carbohydrates, protein and fats are all used for energy. Carbohydrates are the number one source of fuel for the body, followed by protein and then fat. As this fasting phase continues the following things happen:
Skipping meals and restricting calories will create cravings. Rapid high blood sugar occurs when you give into these cravings. As a result, your body creates a high amount of triglycerides, which convert to fat-storage. In addition, the depleted glycogen causes low energy levels because blood sugar is not being replaced. Unfortunately, the weight that is lost is mostly water (glycogen is made up of mostly water) and muscle.
The slowed metabolism will also cause a slowdown digesting your food, if you cram all your food into one meal. This is also commonly seen in people who skip meals. They get so hungry they eat more than one meals worth of calories at one sitting. The already slowed metabolism is going to take a lot longer to digest the oversized meal through your digestive system again resulting in weight gain.
The success rate of losing weight from skipping meals is poor. A significant amount of weight may be lost at first, but once again this is water and muscle weight. And you will in most instances put the weight back on plus more.
Effects of skipping meals:
Its becomes a chain of UN-healthy events when missing meals, So Stick to your small frequent meals and snacks each day every 2-3 hours to ward off the onset of “fasting Mode”
Effects of Frequent feeding
Increasing your energy
So the daily goal... is to maintain stable blood sugar levels, and maintain anabolism (building, strengthening, revitalizing, healing) and ensure proper hormone production consume frequent meals throughout your day. Starting a meal pattern for your self is the key. If you ask any healthy and fit individual ..How many times a day do you eat? You will get an exact answer right back. whether its 3 big meals...4 mid sized meals...5 small meals...or even 6 to 7 perfectly portioned meals... for most competitors taking advantage of an accelerated metabolism and constant fat burning. So again,The key is to begin a meal pattern for you that works best with your energy levels and weight maintenance goals.
The bodies Physiology ….when Skipping Meals
“The Roller coaster Effect”
When you skip a meal the body goes into a “fasting mode”. During this fasting, carbohydrates, protein and fats are all used for energy. Carbohydrates are the number one source of fuel for the body, followed by protein and then fat. As this fasting phase continues the following things happen:
- The muscle glycogen storage deposits in muscle and liver become depleted.
- As the glucose levels drop the body looks for other sources of fuel. Since the brain and nerves prefer energy from glucose, protein tissues (muscle) are broken down. (Not good if your aim is to build muscle or sustain your existing muscle).
- The effort to preserve the remaining protein, the body starts to metabolize fat for energy in the form of ketone bodies (acetoacetic acid) A.K.A Atkins diet .
- Decrease in T3 thyroid hormone, the longer the period between meals the greater the reduction inT3.
- Negative effect on insulin levels which causes increased insulin spikes which in turn leads to fat storage.
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Constipation
- Lowered blood pressure
- Elevated risks of kidney disease (uric acid)
- Stale breath
- Fetal harm/stillbirth in pregnant women.
Skipping meals and restricting calories will create cravings. Rapid high blood sugar occurs when you give into these cravings. As a result, your body creates a high amount of triglycerides, which convert to fat-storage. In addition, the depleted glycogen causes low energy levels because blood sugar is not being replaced. Unfortunately, the weight that is lost is mostly water (glycogen is made up of mostly water) and muscle.
The slowed metabolism will also cause a slowdown digesting your food, if you cram all your food into one meal. This is also commonly seen in people who skip meals. They get so hungry they eat more than one meals worth of calories at one sitting. The already slowed metabolism is going to take a lot longer to digest the oversized meal through your digestive system again resulting in weight gain.
The success rate of losing weight from skipping meals is poor. A significant amount of weight may be lost at first, but once again this is water and muscle weight. And you will in most instances put the weight back on plus more.
Effects of skipping meals:
- Decreased energy expenditure
- Decreased metabolic rate
- Weight gain
- Increased preference of fat in the diet (Satiety)
- Decrease in strength
- Increase in injury rates
- Decreased bone density
- Decreased body temperature
- Decreased performance
- Decreased resistance to disease
- Impaired thermal regulation
- Decreased testosterone levels
- Mood swings
- Menstrual dysfunction
Its becomes a chain of UN-healthy events when missing meals, So Stick to your small frequent meals and snacks each day every 2-3 hours to ward off the onset of “fasting Mode”
Effects of Frequent feeding
Increasing your energy
- Increasing your metabolic rate
- Burning “storage calories” fat
- Increased strength
- decrease risk of injury
- Increase testosterone levels
- staying anabolic “building muscle tissue” that will support full body tissue, bone, and organ repair
So the daily goal... is to maintain stable blood sugar levels, and maintain anabolism (building, strengthening, revitalizing, healing) and ensure proper hormone production consume frequent meals throughout your day. Starting a meal pattern for your self is the key. If you ask any healthy and fit individual ..How many times a day do you eat? You will get an exact answer right back. whether its 3 big meals...4 mid sized meals...5 small meals...or even 6 to 7 perfectly portioned meals... for most competitors taking advantage of an accelerated metabolism and constant fat burning. So again,The key is to begin a meal pattern for you that works best with your energy levels and weight maintenance goals.