On a weight loss diet , we are all sometimes tempted to take quick shortcuts, only to find that what you actually did was deviate. In their attempts to lose weight quickly , many people turn to fasting . But skipping meals doesn’t save you time. When you skip meals a few times, it doesn’t present much of a 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 obtain a healthy body. In fact, doing so could make it even harder for you to shed the extra weight .
Skipping meals puts blood sugar on a roller coaster ride
When you skip meals, you don’t provide your body with the fuel that makes it run. Consequently, blood sugar levels drop and the body experiences a shortage of energy. Glucose (sugar) is something that all of our organs need for normal function 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 difficulties with attention, memory, concentration, and general 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 just don’t feel the energy to do it. Or, you start to crave unhealthy snacks only to drive your sugar levels up. Sticking to a healthy eating routine can become much more difficult when you’ve skipped the last meal.
When your sugar levels fluctuate dramatically between highs and lows, your efforts to maintain a diet 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 be working well and fast, as it will be much easier for you to lose weight if you increase your metabolism – this will help you burn calories faster and with less effort. Read about these ways that you can increase your metabolism , as well as the factors that affect your metabolic rate.
However, when you skip meals, your metabolism slows down. It gives you nothing to do. The next time you feed him food to break down, he will find it difficult. As a result, food turns into fat more easily and gets deposited in all the places you don’t want.
When your body goes into starvation mode, it searches for new sources of energy. Your metabolism begins to transform fat into energy. This may sound like a good plan, but it can have health consequences that include:
- sickness
- constipation
- fatigue
- kidney stress
- low blood pressure
Over time, the body gets used to the shortage and begins to hold on to fat stores, while reducing its muscle tissue.
Proper nutrition is of the utmost importance to your health and can help improve and prevent numerous diseases, including cardiovascular disease , cancer, and stroke.
N or no shortcuts, and long – term, skipping meals will only hurt you. It is much better to devise a sustainable eating plan and exercise and make it part of your daily life.