We are commonly told :
– Breakfast is the most important meal.
– Skipping meals is unhealthy (and can slow down metabolism – get fat).
– Eating three meals (plus snacks) is healthy (less is not)
– We need to keep up are energy and strength (eat often).
– Skipping meals can cause to Inadequate Nutrition and Blood Sugar drops.
– Skipping meals can lead to eating disorders.
But rarely are we told the benefits of not eating sometimes (eg skipping a meal or two):
– An easy way to re-balance a Calorie/Kj overload from previous or upcoming celebration meal (eg big meal last night do I really need breakfast? – perhaps coffee and cream is enough).
– If trying to reduce body-fat : Skipping a meal is often easier to do (whilst keeping busy) than restricting Calories at every/some meals.
– When we are sick it’s natural (and healthy) to not want to eat (live off of body fat stores) and maybe take a simple broth to keep up fluids and some minerals.
– Improved energy and mental clarity (meals can often cause a mental/energy slump).
– Many healthy/strong/fit people regularly and easily skip meals (no hunger, no discomfort, no energy slump) eg when busy, or if their last meal was big.
– It’s a good to rest the stomach and digestive system and allow the body’s energy to heal damaged areas of the body.
– Can improve gut and digestive issues and diseases.
– We can teach our body to better access/utilise the huge energy storage in body fat (even the leanest among us have a lot of working energy in stored body fat).
– Become less dependent on fast burning (and short lasting) sugars for fuel (carbs/glucose).
– Improve insulin resistance (precursor to type-2 diabetes).
– Allow the body to clean up damaged cells (destroy and ‘eat’ for them for fuel eg cells that are the beginning of cancers).
– Could actually extend life and health as the aging process can slow down.
– Can be a ‘RESET’ for poor eating and lifestyle habits.
– Can improve skin problematic conditions.
– May change eating habits from processed carbs to real/natural foods that include some fats (the stuff that provides sustained energy).
– Can have a calming/grounding/focusing effect as used in religions, mediation, yoga etc
Skipping meals here and there may not be for everyone, but when one learns to use it as a ‘tool’ it can be very convenient, healthy and liberating.
This post was brought to you by a “breakfast” of good Coffee with Cream and a piece of dark chocolate 🙂