I probably don’t have to tell you that skipping meals is a poor choice, but you should still be aware of some things that happen to your body when you skip a meal. Skipping meals, for some reason, is quite popular in our culture. We’re either on a diet, in a rush, or just not hungry at meal time. Whatever the case, be sure you’re aware of these things that happen to your body when you skip a meal. Then I hope you can sacrifice 30 minutes three times throughout your day to sit down and have a proper meal. Eating is a natural pleasure, so enjoy it in the healthiest way you can through regular meal times. Your diet and your health will thank you for it!
1. YOUR HORMONES CHANGEOne thing that happens to your body when you skip a meal is your hormones start to change. Your cortisol increases, making you stressed. Your insulin first increases and then plummets, which leads to blood sugar problems and even weight gain.
2. DIGESTIVE PROBLEMSYour body is made to work through the digestion process. When your eating becomes erratic, so does your digestion. For the best digestion and metabolism, it’s best to eat three healthy meals around the same time each day.
3. FAT STORAGEWhen you skip meals, your body gets confused. It thinks you’re starving it, even if you ate a meal earlier. When this happens, it will start to store fat in order to conserve fuel. Prove to your body that you’re not starving it and have a healthy meal instead!
4. FATIGUESkipping meals slows down your metabolism, which makes you tired. Your body is slowing down, thinking it may run out of fuel forever, but when you eat, your metabolism has the calories it needs to work at its best. This will give you more energy and even burn more calories.
5. YOU BECOME MOODYYou might have heard the term “hangry,” which means “hungry and angry.” It happens when you skip meals because of the way your hormones change, which causes you to be slightly moody and “hangry.” Save yourself and everyone around you, and have something to eat, hun!
6. IT WARPS YOUR MINDSETOne of the worst things about skipping meals is how it changes your thoughts around food. It creates this idea that you don’t really need to eat or that eating’s not priority, which is definitely not a way to improve your health.
7. YOU OVEREATLast but not least, when you skip meals you are basically setting yourself up for overeating later. Your body excretes so many stress hormones that the next time you eat, it is basically crying out to you to eat more and more until you’re past the point of full. This can also lead to binge eating and weakens the natural hormones that tell you that you’re full, such as leptin and ghrelin.
The best way to prevent skipping meals is to have an easy breakfast, such as a smoothie, oatmeal, or a piece of fruit and yogurt. Then, make sure you take time for a lunch break. Everyone has 30 minutes to spare! Come evening time, prepare yourself a healthy dinner and avoid raiding the fridge at night so you’re hungry the next morning. If you need to snack, fine, but be sure to keep snacks small so you’re not full at meal time. Avoid skipping meals however you can, and not only will your mood improve, but also your weight- guaranteed! What’s your best tip to avoid skipping meals?
