I hadn’t planned on writing a post this week, but after speaking to two potential clients I realized that I needed to cover a specific topic and quickly!  Skipping meals.  Skipping meals is one of the most self- sabotaging things you can do if you are trying to become fit and healthy.  Contrary to popular belief, many overweight people actually do not eat a whole lot.

Why lowering your calories by skipping meals doesn’t work:

Causes the body to lower its metabolism (how much energy it needs to function)

Most of my client base is women 35 and over.  Because of the natural changes in our bodies as we age, the last thing we want to do is slow down our metabolism.

Causes us to burn less energy (fewer calories)

When this happens, you will find yourself frustrated that your workouts aren’t as efficient anymore.  When eating and fueling your body properly your body is able to burn calories correlated to your physical output.

Can lead us to gain weight when we eat our usual amount of food

On the days you don’t skip meals, your body is still operating on “food is scarce” mode and thus will not burn calories as it normally would when you eat properly.

Leaves us with little energy because the body has run out of the fuel we get from food

Have you ever seen a person with their car broken down on the side of the road, walking back from the gas station with a gas can??  Yeah?  Enough said.

Leaves us sluggish and tired

And if you don’t completely break down, you will not have the energy to perform normally.

It can cause us to overeat

When you finally get access to food, your body is thinking in scarcity mode.  It doesn’t trust when it will get food again, so it sends signals that cause you to overeat.  And you also may not make the best decisions on what you eat because you are so hungry.

Tips for getting enough calories

• First, remember that this is a part of prioritizing your self-care. The spa is great but making sure your body has what it needs to operate optimally is most important.
• Have a meal time schedule. If you get too wrapped up in work sometimes, utilize the alarms on your phone or calendar.

If you know that your day involves errands or events that may cut into your meal-times, make prebagged snacks.