Skipping meals??

[angelka71]

This was brought up a bit in another thread so I thought I'd ask about it here. What IS the rule on skipping meals?

While I used to skip meals in the hopes of skipping calories, there are times now that I have maybe overdone it during a meal and I just don't feel hungry when my next meal comes around. Is it ok to skip a meal in that case? It's not a situation of punishing myself b/c I overate...but that I'm honestly not hungry.

Yesterday I was starving at lunch and I probably ate a bit too much. (I went out to eat...not sure if my "virtual plating" is so great.) I went ahead and ate a little at dinner, but wondering if it would have been ok to just skip it.

[Mavilu]

I was kinda wondering this myself.
Two nights ago, I was feeling like a cold was coming up and my throat was sore, I really didn't feel like having my third meal -not hungry and I didn't feel like using the throat- but my husband made me think when he said that this was about getting good habits and that I should eat a wee bit so it would end up being three meals.
Well, I didn't, but when it was time to check my habitcal calendar, I just didn't know if it was a failure or not to have only those two meals.

Which brings the question: could NoS be effective for people recovering from anorexia nervosa, as well?, I mean, getting the habit to eat three square meals, instead of just one or none?.

[apple]

I would strongly advise against skipping meals. If you're not hungry for dinner due to a large lunch, just have something light like soup or salad, and remember next lunch to eat not so much.

When you skip dinner, you might be starving at 22:00 and reaching for the cookies.

I don't know about recovering from eating disorders, but I can imagine this would work in building healthy habits.

[wosnes]

Here's my two cents worth:

If you're skipping because you're not feeling well, that's okay. Not feeling well is an exception to the "rules."

If you're skipping because you ate too much at a previous meal, eat something light and be done with your meals for the day. You're tying to build good habits and neither overeating at a meal nor skipping meals are good habits.

[OrganicGal]

Ditto what wosnes said! As Reinhard says, S can stand for Sick day too, and you need to do whatever it takes to get you through the sick day. But don't skip meals otherwise.

[BrightAngel]

What IS the rule on skipping meals?

I like that question.

I could be wrong, but here's the no s rule:

"3 meals a day,
no snacking, seconds or sweets except sometimes on days beginning with s."

It looks to me like the rule for meals is THREE,
which would mean no skipping meals on N days,
just like no snacking, seconds or sweets.

[NoelFigart]

You COULD skip meals and be within the rules if you don't snack. Number of meals is not specified.

For habit purposes, I'd say the thing to do is choose the number of meals you're gonna eat and stick to it.

If I've eaten enough that I'm not HUNGRY for the next meal (and yes, I've done that before), then I've really eaten too much at the previous meal. I'll have a little nibble at the next meal, but honestly, I prefer to space out my food so my meals are about equal, or, sometimes descending in size from breakfast to dinner. I just like equal 'cause it's usually easier.

[reinhard]

Skipping meals is a TERRIBLE idea.

Some relevant teaser content from the book (pages 53-54):

Is It Extra- Good to Eat Fewer Meals?

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is strongly asso-
ciated with obesity. It isn’t extra-good— it’s extra- bad.
You may feel like you’re doing something virtuous by
depriving yourself of a meal, but in all likelihood, the
calories you cut out now will come back later— with
interest.

Remember that generations of people stayed thin on
three meals a day. According to the USDA data cited
earlier, the average number of calories ingested at dinner
actually has declined since 1977. It’s snacks that are
pumping all these extra calories into us. Meals are not
the problem; they are the solution.

But a meal isn’t just a meal. It’s not just “one time.â€
It’s a link in the chain of habit. Skip a meal, and you
are breaking the chain for the sake of a few less calo-
ries. That’s just not worth it.

So no more than three meals but no less! Let the
maximum be the minimum.

Reinhard

[blueskighs]

I have to agree with Reinhard

although I rebelliously enjoy skipping meals on S days ... on N days I am religious about my three meals and nothing in between. PERIOD. No exceptions. Non negotiable. This includes I eat all three meals. And if, I have overloaded on a meal, which I was more wont to do in the beginning I just scale back on the next one.

This means that I am FORCED to think about how much food I am putting on my plate, i.e. if I don't want to end up stuffed for my next meal I may need to reduce portions on my current plate. For me, skipping meals on N days is just a set-up and a sneaky and foolish way to reduce my food intake. Better to build the skills of getting my food right at each meal ...

which I am learning is a skill and which I feel like I am progressing on nicely. Naturally and organically.

Blueskighs