Skipping a meal after a surplus: Is it a good idea to lose weight?
Pastries, burgers, ice cream... After indulging themselves, some skip their next meal in an effort to make up for the excesses of the day before or the day or to lose weight quickly. But is this really recommended when you want to lose weight? Dietitian and nutritionist Laura Tagan enlightens us.
Many misconceptions about nutrition are circulating. Among them, we find the idea of removing all fatty foods from your diet to lose weight. Some also believe that fresh fruits and vegetables are richer in vitamins than frozen. The list of nutritional beliefs also includes the idea that starchy foods make you fat. Another idea received: skip a meal after a surplus to avoid weight gain. But is this the best option to lose a few pounds?
Weight loss: Is it advisable to skip a meal after overeating?
According to dietitian and nutritionist Laura Tagan, skipping breakfast, lunch, or dinner after overeating is a "bad idea," especially when it comes to weight loss.
"If we eat a lot at noon, for example, we can tell ourselves that it's better to skip the evening meal. But that's wrong! Excess food or not, the body expects energy at the next meal, as we usually do." If we don't bring calories into the body, it will build up reserves during the following meals and will store energy as fat, in anticipation of skipping another meal.
By skipping a meal, we are also likely to feel hungry or want to eat later in the day, due to the lack of energy we are taking in. This regimen will promote weight gain in the short to medium term, depending on the body.
Should we eat after the surplus?
The dietitian points out that it is essential to listen to your body and advise against forcing yourself to eat a large meal as usual after overeating, especially if you are still feeling full. But it is important to provide the body with a minimum amount of energy while maintaining a balanced diet.
A dietitian recommends eating a balanced meal while betting on small amounts. She explains that it's important for some families to eat foods, such as:
- Vegetables are rich in dietary fibre, vitamins and minerals
- Meat, fish, and eggs provide protein
- Starchy foods or semi-whole or whole legumes that are high in dietary fiber
- Dairy products (yoghurt, cheese or cheese) and fruits, whether fresh or cooked
Weight loss: what to do after gaining weight?
“To compensate for excess food, it is necessary to balance 'energy consumption / energy expenditure.' It is therefore advisable to engage in physical activity or sports, such as walking, gardening or running, in order to burn off the calories eaten. You can exercise during the day or in The next day, but it is not recommended to exercise immediately after a meal, as this may cause nausea and bloating, which is counterproductive.” It is best to wait an hour and a half or even two hours after a meal before starting to exercise.