What Are the Negative Effects of Eating One Meal a Day?

If you think that eating one meal a day is going to help you lose weight, think again. You may be busy working and unintentionally skip meals, but you need to realize that your body needs food and nutrients to function and help you get through the day. Eating only once a day will affect your body's metabolism and, due to the lack of nutrients, you may get sick. Before you decide to skip your next meal, and only eat one meal a day, educate yourself on the risks involved.

Lack of Energy

• The foods you eat, mainly carbohydrates, provide your body with energy. If you only eat once a day, your body will lack energy. You may get fatigued and tired and may have problems concentrating. Your blood sugar may be stable after eating, but will come down again if you don't provide your body with food. If your one meal consists of sugary, fatty foods, your blood sugar will quickly spike and drop and you may start feeling lethargic. By eating several times per day, you continually provide your body with new energy and you will be able to concentrate and focus on tasks at hand.

Weight Gain

• If your body is used to getting three meals per day, you may shock it when you switch to eating only one meal per day. At first you may lose weight, but eventually your body will go into survival mode. Instead of getting rid of fat, your body will start holding onto fat because it's not sure when you will eat again. Your body protects itself. Your metabolism may slow down and there is a chance you may gain weight.

Nutritional Deficiencies

• One meal doesn't provide sufficient nutrients. You need a large variety of foods to get the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Physical symptoms of nutritional deficiencies may start emerging. Your hair, skin and nails may get dry, brittle and dull due to a lack of essential fatty acids. Your oral health may suffer due to lack of calcium and B vitamins. Circles may form underneath your eyes due to a vitamin C deficiency and you may be cold frequently due to a lack of iron, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Eating a wide variety of nutritious foods spread over the day can prevent nutrient deficiencies.

Binges

• Depriving yourself of food and calories, may lead to food binges. When you don't eat all day, you may be eating everything in sight by the time you allow yourself to eat. You may eat all the calories you normally consume over the entire day in one sitting. This causes metabolism and digestive problems and can lead to weight gain. It may also permanently affect your body's ability to regulate your blood sugar, according to a study in the December 2007 issue of "Metabolism." Even if you manage to maintain your one meal a day, once you start eating normally again, your body will start gaining weight. You may get trapped in a yoyo-dieting cycle which may trigger an eating disorder.