Barry why dont u try to just eat one meal per day and see how it feels
do it for a week or even one day lets see if u can

i hope to hear all about smokeys when u come back tomorow

Kosher BBQ? I've never heard of such a thing. But please don't order a hamburger at a BBQ joint...go for the ribs or the brisket (and stay away from the ketchup) :.)

Barry...I've been so Smokey Joe's 3 times. Believe me, if you go there you *have* to try the smoked food. Go for the brisket and chicken plate. Absolutely wonderful.

I've taken non-Jews and unaffiliated Jews there, and they LOVE IT. It's fabulous.

I was there once...

I had a burger and it was great.

But I guess I can always change it up...

OMG! one meal a day is so aweomse. I've been doing it for over a month and it's so awesome. I feel better than ever!

Folks,

I am so glad that I found this page. I am also a once-a-day eater since 8 months and I feel great.

But I am not writing to share my experience. My goal is to make this type of eating pattern more popular so that people who benefit from it do not feel tamed and dissuaded by doctors and nutritionists who repeat the same old message: "eat small amounts at least 3 times a day."

Folks, I would like to conduct research which proves the phisical and mental benefits of eating once a day and I would grately benefit from hearing your experience.

If any of you is interested in joining my battle against skeptical nutritionists, please e-mail me at kurbanek@sas.upenn.edu or call me at 267-357-6562.

I will greatly appreciate your feedback. Thank you for reading this lengthy answer. Good luck with eating once a day. Yours,

Kalina

I have to say that as a student I ate only one meal a day for 8 months and lost 20 kgs. I never felt better in my life - eyes were shining and I felt so full of energy! At first I allowed myself to eat ANYTHING, i.e. junk food, everything - only ONE meal though. I lost weight. However I soon grew sick of the bad quality of food, and started to eat very good quality food instead. I had SO much energy and was radiant. Unfortunately I stopped doing this when I moved back home -and the weight I had lost slowly came back over 6 months. Still, I am 10 kgs less than I was to start with. I want to go back to this lifestyle - it was great to feel so light, vibrant and free from preoccupation with food!

I have been a "one meal a day" girl for 15 yrs.
I'm also vegetarian.My doctor says that I should be taking in more calories (allthough I am in good health)WHen I choose my meal,I do make sure that it is full of as many nutrients as possible,and low in fat.I eat alot of homemade soups,or when I'm lazy,I buy Amy's Organic Soups.I also limit my intake of breads,cheeses,juices,and pretty much no sweets.I'll have a handfull of trailmix to curb a sweet craving.Yogurt is good for the digestion,and calcium.Also an hour of speed walking everynight on the treadmill.So whoever thinks that just eating one meal a day,is bad for your health,it depends on how you go about it,but,under no circumstances should a young person do this,for they are still growing,and need their recommended 3-meals,plus snacks.

I eat one meal a day after 6PM. I work in the late evenings and sometimes don't get home until midnight, or later, so I sometimes don't start eating until around midnight. Great though, eating once every 48 hours is better though, it allows your body more time to detoxify, thus stopping the ageing process, you will not age.

I believe in eating one meal a day, and been doing so for a few years now. I wake up earlier w/o an alarm, I am not hungry, I look much better, and feel good. This is the natural way to eat. The more you eat the more you want to eat. The less you eat the less you want to eat. The "doctors" need a check up from the neck up. Do the math, and eat to live, not vice versa.
beautedouce@ymail.com

I decided to eat one meal/day about 2 weeks ago. I am 64 years old and have lost 10 lb. and feel alot better. I believe fasting is great spiritually and is beneficial for a persons phycical body. My heart does not pound and I feel more calm.
The experts Dr.s comments and nutritonists on the web advise against this but, I appreciate the comments of you all on this website who have actually tried this life style and have expressed the benefits in writing. One meal a day is right for me and I will continue.

I am going to try and eat one meal a day. Im a student and i simply cannot afford to pay for food.

I am 18, female. I have been trying to eat less, and i usually don't get hungry until about 3:00 p.m. (drinking water all day) My mom is always complaining to me about how much i eat.. So the past 2 days i have tried to eat more.. 2 meals with a snack.. or 3 little meals. And I feel so sick to my stomach.. Should I just stick with my one meal a day?

I have just gone back to eating one meal a day after gaining so much weight. I am 200bls. I used to be so much lighter. BUt the main reason for eating once a day is because it stops me from wanting to eat. IF I eat in the morning I am hungry by 11. If I don't eat I am not hungry at all I can wait till 3 easily. SO now I eat about 4 oclock and I've got all evening without food which means I can be busier doing other things.

Hi there.

I am trying to become a breatharian learn moor through Jasmaheen. just living on water and air. I was nearly there before I came to USA.Dont eat much and feel great I also drink MUD yes you got it. Go Moor Spar UK its the best like putting silk in your body.

All you have is your body to live in so take good care of it.

Love its the best Nora-Ann

Some of you guys leaving comments have to be completely insane. I would refrain from eating 1 meal per day unless you make that 1 meal count. I only eat about 1 meal per day due to lack of money and I've lost 25 pounds. That may sound great to all of you who want to lose weight but I only weighed 138 to begin with and now i weigh about 115 as of now. I'm still losing weight and i dont feel great like others have stated. I feel like someone who is starving. Theres my 2 cents... Hope someone takes my advice

Well, in reference to Andrew's comment about not feeling good, feeling like he is starving, that most likely has to do with your mind-set about this whole thing. You never WANTED to eat only one meal a day in the first place. These people actually do though, and are doing it for various reasons.

Well, this is what I have been doing and I have got a flat stomach and a hell of a body. When I wake up I always have a liquid meal, i.e. soups, shakes, oatmeal(kind of), and then at 6 I have a regular meal with mostly vegetables. And I am feeling perfect and I also do weight and Cardio training. So, overall I am 230 pounds of lean mean muscle and I look great. I am glad that I do this because it is very good to your health.

For years I have had sleeping problems and I notice when I eat only meal a day I sleep really good. I also have alot of energy and is able to workout longer . I always ask people if eating once a day healthy and they say no, but I feel really healthy doing this. Glade to see that im not the only one doing this. This works for me.

I was just wondering what time do you have your first and only meal of the day?

i have eaten one meal per day for several periods in my life. i started doing this because i was just busy working and some days just forgot to eat. I would get home from work and suddenly realise that i hadnt eaten all day. i didn't feel bad for it and decided to continue. i lost weight, ate what i wanted a felt fine. i would echo the comments about after a while wanting to improve the quality of what i ate. To start with it seemed like the ideal way to be able to eat whatever i wanted as the calorie intake would never be too high and it would be difficult to exceed the recommended levels of fat etc. after a while though i just wanted to eat healthier food - maybe the body asking for the right stuff. one downside i did notice was loss of muscle. i would it is essential to exercise and mayeb lift weights while on one meal a day to ensure this does not happen.

the one meal i have in the day is usually aroudn 7pm and i find that although i am hungry i do not want to eat such a large amount of food as when eating 3 meals a day.

i would not recommend it to anyone else necessarily but it works for me and my lifestyle.

Well, my situation is that, I went from a muscular 226 to 158 in about two years, and now look like I had cancer, or smoke crack.

I can't seem to put any muscle back on, because you need to eat. Especially, if you want MUSCLE to stay on. Can't put any muscle back on, because I don't have any money (unemployed almost 10 months). Obviously, these people don't want to have any muscle like I do.

I read on the internet about a farmer who ate one meal every morning and didn't eat until the next morning. He ate for 30 minutes. He was reputed to live to 186 years.

I have started the one meal a day to loose weight as i am over weight, even though not huge.. i read about it on fitness black book and a week in and im already down.. started off 7 days ago at 11 stone 8 pounds.. i am now 10 stone 12 pounds in the morning. i think its great and after the first few days of feeling light headed your fine! all this 6 meals a day is a load of rubbish, people need to stop living to eat, and eat to live instead. ps u can still enjoy nice meals, ive been eating full meals at night including chips and chocoate cake!

I'm with everyone about eating once a day. Ive never been fat but I've always have been working in retail. So that means eating all different times in a day. I ate only mall food and would get home and eat again if I was hungry. I didn't gain a lot of pounds but I was always 105 pounds at a height of 5'4. But I went to the doctor for my yearly checkup and I weighed in at 118. I didn't look fat and I fit into my jeans still but I gained it all over my body. So I started to eat once a day to lose my weigh since my sister was in college and she didn't have time to eat but once a day and it was working for her. So i have kept up with eating only once a day and I'm still at the size that I want to be at. I'm a 106 pounds and 5'4 and I'm 25 now. Also I don't have to cut down on any of the foods that I like,I just eat smaller meals. So this way of eating works for me and I never have to worry about any of my outfits.

I'm so excited to find this page! I just started eating one meal a day and Im loosing an average of 2lbs a day so far it's been 5 days. I know this will prob turn into a 1lb loss a day but that's still great for me. I am 60lbs over weight. I feel great and though usually quietly suffer depression I have not since I started this new lifestyle of eating. I used to obsess about what to eat and not eat, I don't even think about it now! I cook a healthy meal at night and sleep very well, I'm relieved to know this is ok from all of your comments on this subject. I also speed walk 30mins a day and actually drink lots of water where as in the past I hAted drinking water. This works for me and I really believe there's got to be truth to it for all of the many benefits.

I was never hungry til after my kids got home from school but always ate 3 meals a day because that's what we are told to do,one day i just thought to myself,why don't i just eat the way i want to eat and see what happens! The results so far are wonderful! Better mental state,i'm on a natural high! masses of energy,the weight's melting away,i wish i'd always ate this way ; )

I have lost weight in the past eating one meal a day and I am starting back tommorow and going to make it a lifestyle change. I know now first hand that if you resort back to your old ways of eating the weight will just come back. So I am going to make this a life long WOE. Good luck to everyone, I will post maybe one a week any updates!

Thanks for creating such a useful collection of tips

i eat only 1 meal a day and have done for 4 years and of and on before then for a couple of years but mainly since i started working full time in catering (i have an employer who wont allow staff food or a glass of water during the day which quite often leaves me lightheaded) and its a long day between 9am to 6pm (occasionally later) without breaks (although british law states this as illegal i have pleaded to employer to no avail and dont know how to take it further). i usually eat at about 7:30 pm but i wouldnt recommend this as a diet at all, it leaves you constantly exhausted and i find that occasionally during the night i wake up feeling starving and need to make maybe a small snack (to stop stomach rumbles and give me enough energy to get back to sleep) the only advantage is that i havent gained any weight since i was 14 years of age (i am now 20)and can still fit into loads of nice old clothes (although i dont tend to wear them much as work always leaves me too exhausted to go out and enjoy life) given the choice i wouldnt want to follow this as a strict diet for any length of time and certainly wouldnt reccommend it for teenagers, ok so it is a diet that may suit some better than others but its not worth the risk of making yourself ill and unhappy just for the sake of trying it. i admit i look ill most of the time and may have underlying health problems (i dont do doctors so i dont know for sure) caused by having little say in working practices and long hours without breaks. this diet it not one of choice!

Awesome. I adore miley and her recent record album. I'd have to say that either Take Me Along or My Heart Beats For Love are probably my best liked songs. She is all grown up from her Hannah Montana days!

Great! I´m 23, and I´ve always had a hard time controlling my weight. I love to eat, and compared to most people I eat in a pretty healthy way. Anyhow, and without consciously doing any diet, my weight easily varies from 200 pounds to 175 in six months and the other way around, I´m 5.10! Now for the last few months has been around 185-195, and I´m afraid that in the long run, the variation starts to be at "heavier" weights!
Last summer I met this 50 year old writer, and although he had a pretty shitty lifestyle (drink, smoke and no exercise at all) he looked pretty healthy and according to his medical exams he had better health than most people at his age.
We talked for a few hours till he told me that for the past almost 5 years he would only have dinner, and had two supplements (cant recall what) for breakfast.
He then told me he started doing this when he met a 80 something year old lady that had pretty much always ate that way, and according to him "looked better, healthier, and with more energy than me and my wife!".
At that time I just thought "cool" but never really thought on doing that!
Since then I´ve done some research and there´s actually way more people doing this than I thought and none of the ones I know have any health issue!
I´m currently just waiting to finish my exams and graduate from college( in July =D ), to start doing it! I just think it´s better not to start it right now, guessing the first few days might not be pleasant and the body takes time to re-adapt. I hope it all goes well, but it is good to know that more people are doing fine with it!
For the guy working in catering and feeling really tired...I guess not all organisms work the same way, but if you´re working that much I also guess is normal you feel tired...!!
Also, I do feel I think about food 24/7... and like someone said, I wanna eat to live, and not live to eat!
Cheers

Ps: Sorry if the comment is not so well written, but my native language is not English!

BTW, people who decided to do this, how did you feel the first few days? Were you able to function in a normal way or were just craving for a meal all day? What were the first few days like? When did you get used to it?

Hello
i am thinking of trying this one meal a day diet, iam extremely overweight. i would like to know how it works, what to eat throughout the day. Could anyone give me their food dairy for one typical day

Francisco, your writing is fine. If you hadn't said anything I wouldn't have even guessed.

The first few days are definitely challenging. I just started 5 days ago. I drink coffee, tea or diet sodas for the caffeine. It seems to help reduce the hunger pains but the caffeine definitely affects you different on an empty stomach. Maybe that's the light headed feeling people get. I know it has that effect on me. I also keep a pack of saltine crackers and every 3 hours or so I eat 3 crackers. Just something to keep from having a totally empty stomach.

I tried this about 5 years ago and lost over 30 pounds in a couple of months and kept it off for quite awhile but have since regained it and about 10 more pounds. If I continue down this same path I will be overweight the rest of my life so I'm determined to make a lifestyle change. I felt better and definitely had more energy when I lost that weight.

I already have more energy in just 5 days. Before, each meal was like taking a sleeping pill. I just wanted to lay down after eating or I would overeat and just feel like crap.

BTW, when I lost the weight 5 years ago I went from 210 down to 180. I'm currently at 220 or at least I was when I started. I don't weigh my self daily so I don't know how it's going so far. I will weigh myself in a couple weeks and see how I am doing.

I start my day with a 10 ounce glass of chocolate milk and some vitamins. I nibble on crackers throughout the day (maybe 15 total) and drink mostly tea and Pepsi Max. When I get home from work around 5 I've been eating a can of soup and a nice salad consisting of lettuce, onions, green peppers, croutons, sunflower seeds, one boiled egg, shredded cheese, a sprinkle of real bacon bits with Western dressing. Some time before I go to bed I might eat 8-10 cashews or almonds (or both). I don't want to go to bed hungry.

ok... I started eating once a day, the day after I wrote here.
I just drink loads of water and tea and a couple of expressos during the day, and I start eating at 6/7 PM. I start with veggies (lots of it) and fruit, then fish or meat along with a salad and rice or potatoes and after still have a desert or a yoghurt. Also had a few almonds or nuts.

I eat as much as I am physically able to...

Week result: Around 8 pounds less!! And around 2.5 inches on chest and belly!!

I just went for a bike ride one day and didn´t do anything else for the rest of the week, which is less than I normally do.

When it comes to the way I feel, I am definitely sleeping better. (the first few days after eating I just crashed and woke up the next day, now I go to sleep at around 11 and have no problem falling asleep, which was a big issue for me, I normally go to sleep at 2/3 am).
The first day I felt pretty light-headed but now I just feel great!! I have more energy and once I dont eat during day I dont have that laziness after lunch that used to really piss me off!
At dinner time for the first 3/4 days I really ate like a pig and was so full I could barely move. I guess the reason why I did it was bc I was afraid of starving the next day, after I understood that wouldnt happen I now still eat a lot, but not in a overwhelming way.
Also I´ve been enjoying veggies a lot more. When it comes to cravings I dont really have them, and during the day if I feel hungry I just have a chunk of water!

Also, when it comes to health... I measured by blood sugar and its fine, and my blood pressure is lower, which is good since mine is a bit high for my age.

In one or two months I intend to make a full medical check up to see how is it going. Before everything was perfect but the cholesterol, which I think it has to be lower than 180, was 190.

i eat only 1 meal a day not thru choice but for years it is all i can, am not losing weight and would not recomment it to anyone to do by choice eating is something i feel i have to do but dont enjoy it any serious advise please

I've been trying to lose some weight but my parents wont let me. They STUFF me with high calorie fatty fried stuff and it's practically impossible for me to do anything about my diet unless i secretly throw the food away or stay in school or something. Which led to me trying to eat only 1 meal a day (dinner) because since the entire day i'm in school, it's the only time of the day that i can restrict my calories. Once i get home for dinner it's a high calorie meal again.

I have been on one meal a day system of eating for almost two months now and I will recommend it any day. I only have dinner now with coffees and one or two pieces of fruit during the day. I have not only lost weight that I desperately needed, I feel full of energy throughout the day. I have never felt so productive and creative during the day. I have had people telling me as well as online research suggested that this type of eating system was crap and dangerously unhealthy but I tell you what evidence suggests quite the contrary. Try it and you will reap the benefits.

Hey my one-meal-a-dayers!

Just an update I only have 15 more pounds to loose! Yay! Feeling great

Hey. I would just like to comment on the people that are saying that they have no choice to do it, and so they would never recommend it. Just like someone previously wrote, this is a CHOICE. When you are forced into it, it can be difficult. But when you make a choice to do it, the results can be very different. I honestly thought that I was the only one noticing how easily I slept, and how much more energy I have in the morning. For four years now I have had only one major meal at night around 7p, and fruits or a VERY light snack at 1p. I do jog in the park, and also work out with heavy weights. No I don't build big muscles as I would like, but I have a small frame anyway, so its no big deal. I didn't just do the one meal a day thing to lose weight, but also on a spiritual level. I am currently at 172 lbs and have been around there for over a year. When I started off I was 199 lbs. And I really don't want to lose anymore weight. The main thing I think people should consider is how much damage and wear and tear you are doing to your stomach, when you constantly make it digest food. I too have gone through (and still is) all the suggestions that I am not eating enough, but many of these same people do not work out nearly as much as I do. No one looks at me and think that I am looking malnourished. And I have had many people comment on how healthy my skin looks.

Also, eating one meal a day and periodically fasting is a great way to build self discipline, as the desire for food is one of our most basic or natural desires. So if you can discipline your stomach, maybe you can discipline your life.

It's been a little over a month now. I've lost around 15 lbs. Instead of nibbling on crackers during the day I've been eating an apple and a banana or two to make it thru the day. And like a lot of people say, I have more energy, mainly due to skipping lunch. Seems like I always felt tired the rest of the afternoon after eating lunch. Then I would go home and eat dinner and lay down on the couch. No more!

I would probably have lost more weight if it wasn't for chocolate milk. It's a weakness. I used to let eating control me. Now I control my eating. Seems like after every meal I was thinking about my next meal. The first 25 years of my life I ate every meal until I was too stuffed to take another bite or the food ran out. No joke. And I didn't miss too many meals. So if I can do it anyone can.

I retired early, and for the last several years have pretty much been a one meal a day person. I started when I no longer had any scheduals or rules of living to follow. I ate when I was hungry. Over time that turned into a one big healthy meal a day. Usually after 6 pm. My weight is constant, and check-ups are good. Wish I had more energy, but I believe that has more to do with age. If you start this, it would be a good idea to have reg exams. I believe genes, and your DNA play a roll in all things.

I think thisis very usefulfor those of us Looking for help to lose weight

Update... Still one meal a day eater, feeling great and 30 pounds lighter!

Oh, lost 5.5 inches on my belly! =)

i have fasted several times before but now i am gonna try the one meal a day thing.wish me luck!!!!!!!!!

hey francisco. congrats on the weight loss. i've decided to eat one meal a day. what exactly is it that you eat & when?

thanks (:

I sort of "fell into" the one meal a day thing. I then found that I was NOT hungry as usual. Long story short, I feel GREAT, lost weight and love it. I drink water all day and just eat a healthy dinner. I have been trying to lose weight for 5 years. I tried eat 6 meals a day (small of course) and it worked but it was too hard and it took too long. This, I lost ten pounds in 2 weeks and I have been doing it for months.....LOVE IT!!!

I'm same with Maggie I guess. I don't really pay attention to my eating schedule so my bf and I just kinda slipped into eating once a day and sometimes a "late" breakfast(around 1:00pm) like eggs as well. We've been eating like this for several years. I don't really eat much carbs like grains and breads or sugary foods because I just don't have the taste for it anymore. I mainly eat fatty meats(like pork chops/steak), butter, and veggies. This is not because someone told me that it was good(which is contrary to American beliefs), but this is what I physically FEEL best eating.

Eat the least processed foods and STOP caring about cholesterol, carbs, calories, or fat and listen to YOUR OWN body!

I'm 16 I will be 17 this month I'm 5ft9 and I'm a vegetarian I'm on my 3rd day of eating one meal a day and I feel great lighter and have more energy to keep my self busy till I have my one small meal at 3pm and then I drink 2 to 3 litres throughout the day

So still eating once a day and now weighing 165 pounds, doing way more exercise than I ever did (just because I feel like it) and feeling great! When I started I was actually weighing 205!! =/ even on the internet I was embarrassed with my weight!! So I basically lost 40 pounds in 8 months! 5 pounds a month (on average!), not bad at all and given that I never stopped drinking my weekend beers and wines, and for the past 3 4 months if I go out with GF or friends I always end up eating something! Every week that I really stick to my new normal way of eating I immediately notice it! I cant remember the last time I had this body, still a few pounds to shed but more than ready to wear swimming shorts!! =) Tanks one meal a day diet, I think i´m sticking to it the rest of my life! Nowadays because I´m exercising way more, and in the morning, I normally eat a couple of fruits or a boiled egg after the workout (bicycle, gym, or swimming) and some salad and few nuts during the day, then at night the usual massive dinner always starting with salad and normally finishing with yoghurt as a dessert!
For the ones concerned about muscle lost, I actually think I gained plenty of muscle, never going to be a body builder but I never intended to, so it´s all good!
Cheers

I'm on my 5th day of eating one meal a day. Last night, I overate and don't feel as good as past 4 days. Is it OK to exercise 1/2 hour before eating in the evening?

Okay, I started to eat one meal a day today. I am interested to see what happens. So far so good. I felt energetic all day and with little hunger during the day. I had a normal size dinner. I don't want to make a big deal out of this, I just believe that I can live a long healthy and happy life on dinner only and reasonable exercise. It frees me up to concentrate and do other things. Harvey Mattson, if you read this how are you doing?

im startin my 1 meal diet today and i was wondering how much weight u can lose in 2 month i am 185 and im 5' 6" and i really need advice no negative feedbak please

I have started eating once a day. While the weight loss is nice, I am doing it to save money. I have very little food at home and I eat a small dinner once a day. During the day I drink water or coffee. When I get really dizzy, I eat those small bags of Sweet Tarts that come in part mixes. Or I chew a Double Bubble to get sugar in my system. I'm not sure what kind of health effects I will as a result of this eating pattern. Any tips or suggestions?

Im sorry for your money issues but if you get dizzy eat an apple, its healthier and cheaper then sweets!! If you're fasting and then eat candies I'm pretty sure thats not helthy!

Thanks Francisco I'll keep your tip in mind and do that instead. It would be healthier! :)

I started eating one meal a day back in July of 2010. I saw an article online about something called fast-5. About eating in a five hour window in the evening, but fasting the other 19 hours. After a few months of doing that, I just started eating in about a one hour window. Just one meal. Water and black coffee the rest of the day. I usually eat low fat. I work at a saw mill. Twelve hour days. 6 in the morning to 6 or 7 at night. I have no problem working through the whole day with lots of energy. I come home and eat sometime between 7 and 8. In bed around 9. On my days off I workout in the morning after a couple of cups of coffee. Strength training, weights. It's been wonderful. I lost a bunch of weight a couple of years ago eating under 20 grams of fat a day. After I lost the weight though, I started having a problem getting hungry all the time. So I found out about eating one meal a day. After not eating breakfast or lunch for a few weeks, I just lost my appetite. My wife will ask me what I want for supper and I'll tell her, "I really don't care". I eat, and go to sleep. Wake up, and hit the ground running. Feels wonderful. I don't count anything, just eat what I want, which is usually fish, or chicken for meat. Sometimes a roast. Steamed veggies, and nuts and seeds. Then I'll finish with a bowl of cereal. (Frosted mini wheats in skim milk. yum) A couple of times a week we go out and eat. Hamburgers, burritos , whatever we want. I stay around 186 at 5' 10". 29 years old. Got a lot of loose skin though from being overweight all my life. I use to be 280. Anyways, I love eating once a day. Would recommend it to anyone except kids. (there still growing) Good luck to ya'll.

I'm so glad I found this website because I started eating one meal a day because I want to lose weight. I drink a lot of green tea, coffee, and water throughout the day. This is my 4th day and I lost 3lbs and I have so much energy. I read all the comments and I feel so inspired to keep going. Wish me luck!

I have had much success with eating one meal a day. I lost 40 pounds and kept that off for two years. When I met my boyfriend in 2009, I started eating lunch with him and was having dinner and began to put the weight on, but very very slowly over the course of over a year. And I only put on about 12 pounds... I am now going back to my one meal a day.
I drink water, and coffee with sugar free creamer...Sometimes a diet soda...but in the evening when I eat dinner, I can eat anything I want. I call it the reward meal!
I notice, I have more energy, my digestive tract empties two and three times a day. I do take a probiotic pill every day also...And usually I do light areobics and floor excercises to keep toned...
It only took about 4-5 months to lose 40 plus pounds. Maybe less time than that, I can't remember that far back..
One meal a day, it really works...I got this idea from an older lithuanian woman back in 2006
But I'd known her for about 15 years, that was her secret....everyone I tell thinks its dangerous and nuts, but, honestly, you feel really good. I would say in the beginning of doing the one meal a day, it took me about a week to two weeks before I was really used to it. Your stomach just keeps shrinking, and you begin to eat less and less (if you want to eat less for your one meal). My skin looks amazing, my hair grows faster and is evern shinier, I don't feel deprived, depressed or anxious, just happy and energetic.
Someone should do a study on this....

I was looking for information about this topic and when i found your blogpost I was more than happy to see that I have some good information here. I am still looking for some more info for my project. Can anybody tell me the address of another similar sites where i could just find more on this issue.

Google the Fast 5 Diet. Also, you can look up ketosis. It's when the body converts fat into usable energy. Over a period of weeks of eating only once a day, preferably fasting the rest of the day, your body begins to gear up the fat burning metabolism so that it no longer prefers glucose for energy, but rather ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are formed when the body converts fat into energy. Over time the body becomes better and better at doing this. I only eat in a one or two hour window. I fast the other 23 or 22 hours a day. Only water or black coffee. I maintain my weight very well and have lots of energy regardless of the fact that I work 12 hours some days. (I work at a lumber mill)

I find that the less I eat the less I crave. I am 52 and have always struggled to maintain my weight. I have recently gotten back down to what I weighed in my early 20's (121 lbs), because I don't want to get old and sick before my time. I find that I'm eating mostly once a day, because it's such a simple way to control my weight and appetite. Most of the health care professionals who wag their fingers at you about skipping meals are themselves obese, and if people were less brainwashed about the need to constantly feed themselves, perhaps we wouldn't have the epidemic of obesity and it's inherent health issues that we now suffer from. Our ancestors could not possibly have eaten six times a day.

this is very healthy: eating less (no more than one meal per day)...this is stated in the Bible and Quran on eating less is like Him, The Most High. The Bible also mentions to never take lightly the Discipline of God. Personally, it annihilates the ego, and heightens the sensitivity from within and (through a form/method of yoga) brings you into Him by degrees...For a time, the body (with reference to different modes of consciousness) will try to fight back from the new way but that is because you are made to keep a way if you think it is right (through repetition). That fight determines your success, you would be amazed to what is in the subconscious that requires the (substance for immediate placation (food) like a drug) when purification begins all of this withdrawal rises to the surface to try to reestablish the old way. Peace!

hey guys i read all ur stories and am really happy to start...just stated today and i only consume 400cal

I started eating once a day about a week ago. Before, if I used to have 5-6 small meals or snacks and I'd find myself binging because a small snack made me hungrier. So I had trouble losing weight. But this way I drink one cup of coffee in the morning, have some fruit in the afternoon and a nice healthy dinner with plenty of veggies. I don't feel tired during the day and my hair, skin and nails look better too! My nails have grown and people have complimented me on my nails.
Laura above me made a good point about health care professionals who don't understand this but are overweight themselves. I eat in the evening and I'm careful to avoid junk food when I have my only meal.
Chris: 400 calories in a day seems kinda low even for eating once a day.I usually eat 800-1000 calories to lose weight which has worked. Just be careful and let us know your progress.

I started eating once a day about ten months ago. I've done really well at it and have really enjoyed doing it. Lots of energy in the day, clearer thinking, and a lean weight. Only one problem. I started having sinus issues. My ears started stopping up and my sinuses would not drain. My eyes started hurting so bad from the pressure. I started getting dark circles under my eyes from the pressure. When I would eat my one meal at night my sinuses would start draining. The next morning i'd get up headache free. After about 1 pm or so my ears would start hurting again and I'd start squinting my eyes from the pain. So, I started eating three times a day again and my sinuses have been draining regularly and my sinus pressure is gone, but now I am tired and weak again from having to eat all the time. When I started one meal again my sinuses would stop draining and the pressure would come back on about day 4. Also it would get worse if I started exercising. I hate it. I don't think it makes since for someone to have to eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner just to make there sinuses drain properly and keep there ears from feeling like there going to blow out. Also, my sense of smell has come back again since I started eating three times a day. Can anyone give me some input on why my sinuses are doing this, and if it has happened to anyone else who is eating once a day. And any advice on how to fix it. I really don't want to have to eat frequently and feel bloated all the time. Thanks. Ryan.

Ryan, I think you should consult your doctor. Your symptoms seem like they go beyond the scope of eating one meal a day. Please keep the blog up to date. Best wishes

I am 17 years old and a few months ago I started having sharp pains in my chest and on my upper left side behind my ribs. I went to the doctor and they ran a bunch of tests and couldn't find anything wrong with me. Ever since then I have been eating only one meal a day. Sometimes I almost have to force myself to eat that. I used to always eat three meals plus snacks, but now eating just seems like a chore. Eating one meal a day has worked for me. If I eat more than that I get nauseous. I still never found out what is wrong, and I still get the pains, although not as often. My parents and friends are always checking to make sure I eat, but I was wondering if anyone else just suddenly stopped having the desire to eat. I am continuing with the one meal a day plan.

I have been on the one meal a day plan for just over a month, i have lost nearly 7kg (not sure what that is in pounds) it was initially hard adjusting but now im used to it i dont think i could go back to 3 meals a day, what i am worried about is all the sites on here saying that it will work at the start but eventually the weight loss will stop, i still have nearly 50kg to loose before i am at my recommended weight and very happy to stay on this diet. Now if i eat fatty foods i instantly become sick so i have taught my body that junk food is bad. One more worry i have is that i don't go to the loo (#2) very often can anyone out there help by reassuring me i am doing the right thing, will i continue to loose weight by doing this???

I'm vegetarian (ovo-lacto). I eat one meal a day. I eat at about 7-9pm everyday. I drink plenty throughout the day. Dinner always involves 5-10 portions of fruit / veg, some protein (beans, tofu, soy protien, nuts etc) and often, but not always some carbs (rice, pasta, grains, pulses, bread, couscous etc).

I'm underweight, but my bodyfat is very low, all my blood tests have always come back fine and fitness tests have concluded my body as being very healthy, strong and fit.

My mother has eaten one meal (same diet as me) for 53 years. She looks about 30, never wears make-up or uses cosmetics / creams / anti-aging stuff etc. She, like me, exercises for a minimum of an hour a day. She's also, like me, technically slightly underweight.

The only downside I know of is that when I get ill (which is very rarely, thankfuly) I tend to lose weight...and I haven't much to lose. I'm recovering from a bug right now and I lost 14 lbs while ill...mixture of no appetite, drinkig less alcohol and feeling rough, I guess. On the mend now.

I have been on the one meal a day for 3 days now. I do feel a lot better and not as bloated as before. I knew I had to something different since every other diet plan hasn't worked. I'm 41 and 5'4", and up until 3 days ago I was 200lbs (whoa). I used to graze and drink coffee all day, then have a normal meal at night.

So here I am 3 days later, 4 1/2 lbs lighter and feel great. The 1st day was the worst and I was hungry but now I have no problem just having 2 cups of coffee in the morning, the rest of the day is only water until dinner. Which has always been portioned controlled, 1/4 plate is protein, 1/4 is starch, and 1/2 plate full of veggies.

I know it's only been 3 days but I feel so good and know that I have control over food. I still have about 60 lbs to go but when I hit my goal weight I know that I will not be changing my diet, just eating more at my one meal I allow myself.

i suddenly changed my diet after leaving school.i used to eat 3 big meals a day and snacks before and after meals and weighed over 300 pounds i have been on this diet of 1 meal a day now for 2-3 months and now weigh 235 lbs.this diet, i feel was only achieved because i wasn't doing anything in my life at the time so i wouldn't recommend this for anyone with a busy lifestyle.I am due to start new study's in about 2 weeks and plan to start working out at the gym to combat the increased exercise i will be doing.
this diet has changed my life for good,and it could change you're life as well.

Is it ok if I only have lunch instead of dinner? Can I still lose weight?

update...
After more than year of eating once a day and feeling great yesterday I weighted myself and i am down to 72 kgs, around 160 pounds!!

Kiki it should be fine, I just find it easier to eat at night and if I would have for lunch what I have for dinner I would most likely need a nap! But if you feel good with it and can still be productive afterwards and also are not going to sleep hungry, it should work!
I still think that this diet might not be for everyone but it definitely works well for me!
Cheers

It depends on what work or job you are doing. If you are not doing heavy work it's ok. And your one meal should be very good meal, lots of veggie, fruits and nuts. Brown rice. Cocoa drink make with soya powder (no milk with hormones).
My one meal is not strictly one meal sometime late night I may be eating some sandwich avocado and tuna if I get hungry watching youtube. I need the calorie, I don't want to lose weight because I am not overweight.
My aim is not to lose weight but to save time and money. I don't waste time cooking and also save some money. Howevery my job sometimes interfere with this plan so there are times I had to eat 3 meals when I work.
I believe this one meal should work for a lot of people.

Hey I was researching one meal a day when I found this glad to see other people do it I never new it was a diet but about four years ago I lost 75 pounds from eating just once a day then I met my girlfriend and started eating three time a day again eventually gining it all back but I just wanted to say that I always ate at lunch time mainly cause I work heavy construction and like to eat with coworkers and it's not easy to shovel all day if your hungry that's why I eat at lunch and when I was on this years ago after a few days I started becoming less hungry at dinner then at about two weeks it was just normal not to eat at night wasnt ever hungry ate what I wanted and felt and looked good

Hey, I have been thinking of the 1 meal per day lifestyle..so I'm starting today. This will help me lose weight and be able to live a life where food doesnt control me but I control it. Also, I'm a christan and I'm beginning to spirtually fast once a week so this 1 meal life style will help in a lot of ways. Anyway God says that you dont need food to survive, you need prayer and worship. God bless you Guys and thanks for the stories!!

Today I will eat only one meal - either a social lunch at a meeting or dinner at home. I've been spending so much money on eating out, I think I'll run errands today during lunchtime and eat at home.

Today I will eat only one meal - either a social lunch at a meeting or dinner at home. I've been spending so much money on eating out, I think I'll run errands today during lunchtime and eat at home.

Sorry! I wasn't trying to spam. My connection is slow right now.

Well, I am 16 years old and a student who only eats one meal a day. I slowly eased into it as I am so busy with school and other things that I just haven't eaten. Also, I would always forget to take lunch to school, and since I leave 7 in the morning and return home at 5 in the evening, after 5, that is the only time food is available for me. I feel a whole lot better, as I am able to control of when and how much I eat. I will make this a lifestyle change so I can carry on with this when I am older!

hi,
I'm doing a Orange J fast at the moment, and have diabetes type 2. and may do this fast as 1pt fresh orange (strained) juice in the evening. then go to a one meal a day system after the fast. it seems that eating one meal a day and not including potatoes, cereal, starch cures the diabetes as well as giving an amazing amount of energy and health. will try to keep up this post.

Hey P!
Let me know how are you doing with that!
My mom has diabetes type 2, and I was wondering if she could also start doing some kind of IF! Just not comfortable at all to recommend it given all the doctors still stick to the 6meals a day mith!
Btw, how old are you?
cheers

If i start a 1 meal diet for about a month...then go back to eating 3 meals...will i gain all the weight back that i lost? I only need to lose 10 pounds.

If you stick to it for a month I doubt you then wanna go back to 3meals a day! At least I didnt, have pretty much doing one meal a day (four hour eating window to be more precise!) four a year and a half almost!
If you go back to 3meals a day the difference is that you'll have to be more careful with each meal...! You wont be gaining any weight if you stick to the same calorie intake!
Anyway, a very good reading (on IF, fast, one meal, exercise etc) is available on the Leangains web page! Very easy reading and with loads of scientific research links to prove its theories!

Wakes the thread back up .. I am 327.4 lbs and I decided to do this and see where I end up . Im very dedicated and persistent and I hope I can lose at least 100 lbs by doing so . Any tips for me go right ahead . I'll update for the belief women once a month 💗💓💗

Yep, love eating this way, have tons of energy, better mood, sleep better, and I love just feeling LIGHT, actually feeling LIGHT on your feet and empty is great. You don't need studies or scientists or nutrionists telling you what is right or wrong, and proof or not, think about your ancient ancestors. Did caveman eat 3 to SIX meals per day and sit on his ass in front of a computer ALL day long? No, he was lucky to eat once a day, probably once a WEEK depending on if he could even FIND food. Three meals a day is GROSSLY overkill for our animal bodies in today's technological society. For people donig hard labor, yeah 3 meals a day isn't bad; body builders, 6 meals a day plus is NECESSARY. For everybody else getting up, sitting in a car driving to work, sitting at work in front of a computer for 9 hours, then sitting in your car and going home and SITTING until bed, you'll be juuuuuust fine with one meal a day.. in fact, you'd be fine with less.

I accidentally started doing this on Monday. I tried to do the Master Cleanse but I hated the cayenne pepper so I couldn't drink the lemonade. I would be taking tiny sips of it, so instead of the recommended 10 cups/day, I was avg about 1 glass a day and not eating at all. Once I realized I wasn't getting enough calories from the lemonaade, I figured I should eat something. I have been eating no more than 1 meal a day, sometimes less. I natually have a slow metabolism, I rarely get hungry and lose weight slowly. At work I sit all day. So far I am feeling better and have noticed a change in my skin. Also, it has become easier to avoid the temptation of junk. I believe I pay more attention to what I eat lately as well.

I posted on here before about having problems with eating once per day. My sinuses became inflamed and I would feel my throat swell. I believe I have found out the problem. While fasting during the day I would consume somewhere around 6 to 8 cups of black coffee. One day I didn't feel like drinking coffee so I had only one cup that morning. I noticed after two days of decreasing my caffeine intake my sinus problems decreased as well. It appears I have developed a caffeine sensitivity or allergy of some kind. Fasting while drinking coffee just seems to intensify the effects of the reaction. So I do not believe the problem was one meal per day, but rather overdoing the caffeine. I'm now in the process of weening myself off caffeine and going back to one meal per day.

Ryan- Good to hear that you are doing better. I remember suggesting that you consult your doctor back around June. I have been wondering how you have been doing. I am glad you have found a way to get back on the one meal deal. I am trying to find n=my way back as well. I feel so well mentally and physically when I am regularly eating onece a day in the evening. I find it very freeing.
Ben

Ryan- Good to hear that you are doing better. I remember suggesting that you consult your doctor back around June. I have been wondering how you have been doing. I am glad you have found a way to get back on the one meal deal. I am trying to find n=my way back as well. I feel so well mentally and physically when I am regularly eating onece a day in the evening. I find it very freeing.
Ben

Glad to see the thread is still up! (I guess the blogger should be as well, and I bet he never expected so many comments in here!)

Meanwhile, after a year and half I'm still ridiculously happy for making the decision on starting to eat once a day!

Best part of it, quit smoking on the 26th of december, and the fact that I dont eat all day reduces my very intense craves to only after the meal! =) on my way to reach 100years old! haha
Posted by: Francisco Guimarães | January 5, 2012 8:49 PM

Btw, for the ones not knowing when, how and what to eat I'll recommend the following:
1st - the Warrior Diet Book
Very good easy reading with loads of historical perspectives and a great inspiration to me, what really kicked me into the this type of eating. (Just dont worry too much about all the supplements information he puts in, at least in the beggining (I still dont)!
2nd (and IMO only after reading the WD and starting to eat once a day)-
Leangains website
Very cool interesting guy with a similar approach way of eating. He is a kind of a "new age bodybuilder"...
Anyway he has posts for pretty much any question one can have and all supported by scientic studies. Just dont recommend it for "begginers" cause one might get overwhelmed with so much information, and hence end up not doing anything!
3rd - Do not try to wonder around too many websites, absolute waste of time (trust me on this one!!) and loads of misleading confusing crap!!
4th - All of my previous posts (since apparently this kind of became my diet journal!haha)

Hoping to be helpful,
Cheers

I am on my second day of this. I am in my early 40s. I last did this way of eating in my 20s and it worked fabulously for me. Now I am overweight and trying it again. My reasoning is:-
* I don't really care about breakfast anyway
* I don't have time or desire to eat cooked breakfasts
* I like cereal and toasts but they do NOTHING to fill me up whatsoever - in fact I am less hungry if I eat nothing
* Eating in the evening only suits me. It's generally the most "social" meal of the day (I mean, how many people meet friends for breakfast esp through the week?!) and it's the hardest in which to control calories. As this is my only meal, I don't worry about the calories. There's only so much I can eat in one sitting.
* Eating out (which again is generally and evening thing) becomes beautifully simple. It's very hard to stick to a diet eating out. I live in a small place and we don't have the kind of restaurants which are full of diet-type foods. They tend to be normal hearty meals. I can just order normal meals and eat them without drawing attention to myself
* No-one seems to care if you eat breakfast or miss lunch, but eating like a bird and picking at a salad all evening seems to draw comments and makes me feel too different to enjoy my diet
* I love the feeling of looking forward to eating nice food at the end of a hard day's work. Instead of dividing up my calorie intake between a breakfast that I never really wanted in the first place, and a so-so diet lunch and then making do with the few calories I have left to eat a weird meal different to everyone else in the household or at at the restaurant

My stats are 5th 11" and 217lbs. Will keep this site posted with my progress :)

Good luck to everybody. This is the best way for me, and it seems to work well for those who do it.
Ben

I agree with Krystal, that trying to stay within calories on a diet eating 3 meals a day is much harder than not eating until the evening.

I have noticed over the last year on a calorie controlled diet, that saw me lose 2 stone thorugh diet and exercise, that it doent matter how much I eat at breakfast and lunch, I will always still be just as hungry in the evening. I thought I was odd, but it seems the body wants to be full and that every time I eat I feel a need to fill up and so if I do that 3 times a day, the result is weight gain, once a day is ok and i sleep well.

Like others have said, if I just have small breakfasts, toast, or cereal, and soup for lunch, all it does is make me more hungry as it is not filling enough. So I may as well wait, it does seem to reduce day time hunger pangs for me.

Hi Guys! I am starting this lifestyle and am a vegan/vegetarian (no eggs). In the past four months, I have lost about 11 kg which is about 23 pounds. What I did was follow this book called Fit for Life and I would eat papaya in the morning, 1 pound of vegetable for lunch, and greens soup with lentils for dinner. But my weight loss became slow, about 3 pounds or 1.5 kg per month this past month.

I water fasted for 6 days and I intuitively felt it is better to eat one huge meal at night and then fast till the next evening or even later!

I came across a website that has Elijah Muhammad's book How to Eat to Live. It says that if someone eats once every 3 days, then that person can live to be 1,000 years.

This makes a lot of sense to me. Anyways I last ate two nights ago and have been "fasting" on water + organic wheatgrass powder. Wheatgrass has more nutrients than Spinach and is a complete food even containing Vitamin B12. I am feeling good and excited to eat this evening.

I will try to eat every 48 hours if I can manage. Otherwise, I will eat every 24 hours. I also have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and gained 40 pounds on the medications. Now I am on a small dose of Risperdal and natural Lithium Orotate (not Lithium Carbonate) and it helped me to regain my energy to lose the excess weight.

My goal is to get six pack abs this year. My inspirations are Markus Rothkranz and Dr. Robert Cassar, who has the best six pack in my opinion.

Thanks for reading.

I started eating once a day on 2/1 and have lost 7 pounds. I feel great!!! I sip on a 16 oz fruit juice all day and that satisfies any cravings I may get and I work from 9am -6pm, then when I get home, I will eat chicken or fish as much as I want and a salad and I feel so satisfied. I didn't plan on doing this, it's just that i don't want to go buy all this diet food and then after a few days, I stop the diet and then all that food goes bad. That's why I just stumbled on this website because I want to know is it extremely unhealthy and it's refreshing to read all of these comments!! I will now continue to eat one time a day with pride! Also, I am not eating bread, rice or pasta. I don't like wheat, I only like white so I am not including that in this diet. I am 39 yrs old, 5'4 and was 174 lbs, now 7 days later I'm 167 lbs. My goal is to lose 30-35 lbs by the end of April. I know that this weight loss will eventually slow down a bit, but as long as I lose 10 pounds a month, I'm happy!!!!! I will post next Sunday to let everyone know my current weight!!!

Hi guys, it's been two weeks since I've started eating once (a huge, balanced meal) every 48 hours. You can google ADF--alternate day fasting for more info on this.

I have been losing inches off my waist and losing body fat. I am also building muscle at the same time. It seems that protein is taken up by the muscles much more rapidly after fasting.

I have also been taking daily hot water enemas to clean and irrigate the colon.

While fasting my mind is also going into a meditative state with little to no thoughts. It is amazing.

Also, this is great because you don't need to exercise if you do fasting. Yoga is the best exercise for body and mind anyway. And your metabolism does not slow down because when you eat you are feasting and boosting the metabolism and hormones.

Anyways, it is probably a big change for some people so try it gradually.

Also, always eat fruit 2 or 3 hours before your feast because that is the proper way to break a fast.

I have cured my poor digestion and constipation problem for the past 8 years due to this.