Within a diet to lose weight, we are all tempted to take quick shortcuts, only to realize that in reality what you did was to divert you. In their attempts to lose weight quickly, many people resort to fasting. But skipping meals does not save you time.
When you skip meals a couple of times, it does not present a big problem. However, when it becomes a habit or part of a diet strategy, it can have long-term effects on the body and even contribute to the development of some chronic diseases.
On the other hand, skipping meals, does not make you develop or get a healthy body. In fact, doing so could make it even harder for you to get rid of extra weight.
Skipping meals causes blood sugar to ride on a roller coaster
When you skip meals, the fuel that makes it run is not provided to the body. As a result, blood sugar levels go down and the body experiences a shortage of energy. Glucose (sugar) is something that all our organs need for normal functioning and is very important for optimal brain activity.
Within four to six hours of your last food intake:
- The brain begins to experience fuel shortages.
- You become tired, slow, moody and irritable.
- Your cognitive functions are affected, and you may have difficulty with attention, memory, concentration and overall mental performance.
When you are physically and mentally feeling bad, this of course affects all areas of your life. For example, you may want to give your exercise session a break because you simply do not feel energetic enough to do it. Or, you start to crave unhealthy snacks just to bring sugar levels up. Clinging to a healthy eating routine can become much more difficult when you have skipped the last meal.
When your sugar levels fluctuate dramatically between highs and lows, your dietary efforts are seriously compromised. In addition, insulin - the hormone that regulates glucose levels - is disturbed. There is a possibility that you are contributing to the development of diabetes later in life.
Skipping meals changes your metabolism
If you are ready to lose weight, you really want your metabolism to work well and fast, as it will be much easier to lose weight if you increase your metabolism: this will help you burn calories faster and with less effort. Read about these ways that can boost your metabolism as well as factors that affect your metabolic rate.
However, when you skip meals, the metabolism slows down. It gives you nothing to do. Next time you give him food to break them down, he'll find it difficult. As a result, food is more easily transformed into fat and deposited in all places you do not want.
When your body goes into starvation mode, it looks for new sources of energy. Your metabolism begins to transform fat into energy. This may sound like a good plan, but you can have health consequences that include:
- Sickness
- Constipation
- Fatigue
- Renal stress
- Low blood pressure
Over time, the body becomes accustomed to the shortage and begins to cling to the stores of fat, while reducing its muscle tissue.
Proper nutrition is of paramount importance to your health and can help improve and prevent numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke.
There are no shortcuts, and in the long run, skipping meals will only hurt you. It is far better to design a sustainable eating plan and exercise and make it part of your daily life.
