One meal a day

[Phoenix3]

It’s often recommended by Buddhists and similar people to have 1 meal a day at noon, and many Daoists recommend this also, because that is when one’s body is most yang, and therefore probably most able to digest food.

 

Does having just one meal a day cause problems though? I’ve heard having one meal a day slows one’s metabolism and makes one fat. 

[Marblehead]

I have been eating only one meal a day for many years now.  I eat only after I have finished any physically active projects I had for the day.  That way my body can use all its energy for digestion.

 

I have no comparison to offer regarding eating only one or three meals a day.

 

My system hasn't killed me yet so I guess I can say it is working for me.

 

[thelerner]

You do see it popping up in a couple cultures.  I think in India it was considered a Royal approach.  Perhaps for its health or simply because it took discipline.  I was listening to a podcast by a U.S general who only ate once a day and felt it boosted his energy and gave him much more time. 

[Marblehead]

For me, it helps to drink coffee in the morning though.

 

[MBZ]

It’s actually suppose to be very good for you because it gives the system a break and your getting the added benefits of intermittent fasting. Look up the OMAD diet. The thing is you need to eat a lot for that one meal to make sure you get your daily requirement for calories. I’m extremely thin so it was too difficult for me to keep the weight on while trying to eat 2500+ calories at one sitting. 

[Gerard]

My recommendation is this:

 

Try what suits you best. Maybe is 3 meals a day ...and so be it. You eat 3 meals a day.

 

Don't follow what someone else is doing like a blind fearful sheep. 

 

FYI I eat two meals a day:

 

1. First large breakfast like a king; ie baked fish fillets + 2 steamed potatoes + 1 baked sweet potato + steamed broccoli + 1 piece of kiwi fruit. Time: between 6 and 7 am

2. Second small meal; ie vegetable soup made of bone broth (in summer no soup) + homemade banana bread slice + various nuts. Time: 12:30-1 pm

 

Also bear in mind your geographical location and seasonal changes and your Ba Zi.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited June 13, 2018 by Gerard

[Pavel Karavaev]

I often eat 1 time a day when I have a lot of work. The organism is going through it quite well. I also think that the right rhythm of work helps the body to function correctly. When a lot of chaos appears in the work, then I want to eat more and more often .

[Wells]

 

[joeblast]

On 6/10/2018 at 7:25 AM, Phoenix3 said:

It’s often recommended by Buddhists and similar people to have 1 meal a day at noon, and many Daoists recommend this also, because that is when one’s body is most yang, and therefore probably most able to digest food.

 

Does having just one meal a day cause problems though? I’ve heard having one meal a day slows one’s metabolism and makes one fat. 

fat?  hehe....have you seen sotg, he eats once a day like that, and he's absolutely rip shredded muscle

[futuredaze]

If I am working out or doing lots of physical labor in a day, I like to eat at least 2 meals.  Otherwise, one meal a day is good - usually I will have 2 snacks though (fruit and nuts for breakfast and something light for dinner, leaving my meal for lunch).  I'm pretty active though, so I usually end up eating my two meals.

[dawei]

Spreading out eating is generally best and that may simply be some fluids spread out as a complement of a low calorie diet.   Herein is a big issue I see among folks who talk about eating, as if that is a cure-all.  If you want to lose weight, then you can eat like you are in a concentration camp for sure.  Cut your calories to 300 a day and you will lose weight... and you'll have no energy to do anything.

 

Here is another issue along the lines of Gerard:  Most of your life, were you athletic or sedentary?   There are extremes in both groups that play out problems.   Notice how great athletics (tons of exercise) and great actors (tons of talking) both go rather fat in later age?

 

As an athlete, you burn calories at an incredible rate due to exercise... you can't eat the same when you stop the sport !

 

As an actor, they all are poor and eat very little in their beginnings but when they are famous, they eat like they own the right to eat whatever they want.

 

I will talk from the athlete side as I was never an actor.   Metabolism is very important to understand.  You can revive it or you can make it lazy.   As you get older, it shifts slower and a few things can keep it up, other than those chinese who eat 5x their normal weight and are still skinny...  they are just not digesting anything.   That is another problem.

 

If you are serious, find what tweaks metabolism: Exercise, weight training, eating does, herbs help like green tea, etc.   

 

Here is a finding I have.   The less I eat and the more I exercise the more energy I have.  Did that go past you?  The LESS I EAT AND THE MORE I EXERCISE THE MORE ENERGY I HAVE.    That sounds counter-intuitive because if you exercise more you must need more food, right???    Test it?  But that is my history and experience.  

 

I found I can exercise 3 times day and not need that much more than 1500 calories if it is spread out.   I can go much lower at times if I want.   I've done it at 500+ with other metabolism raising and herbs as needed.  For me, protein is essential; Blood type O.  Know thyself.    

 

The main issue will be when you suddenly change or stop... the entire system can go out of kilter.   Depends on your history.  If you are not an athlete, likely you remain more in some middle area but if your gaining weight, consider what is shared in posts here. 

  

 

 

[Phoenix3]

5 hours ago, dawei said:

I've done it at 500+ with other metabolism raising and herbs as needed.  For me, protein is essential; Blood type O. 

 

I’m blood type O too. I remember you mentioned the blood type diet before, but I researched it and the guy behind the blood type diet books says that coconut is one of the worst foods a blood type O can possibly have, but I love coconut and I’ve had it since I was young. 

[dawei]

11 hours ago, Phoenix3 said:

 

I’m blood type O too. I remember you mentioned the blood type diet before, but I researched it and the guy behind the blood type diet books says that coconut is one of the worst foods a blood type O can possibly have, but I love coconut and I’ve had it since I was young. 

 

Listening to a researcher or scientist tell you what they believe in a book may or may not be based on their own experience.      

 

I have no feeling or wont of coconut but it has lots of positive press:

 

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/top-10-evidence-based-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil

 

Quote

 

Coconut oil is one of the few foods that can be classified as a "superfood."

Its unique combination of fatty acids can have positive effects on your health.

This includes fat loss, better brain function and various other impressive benefits

 

 

One must consider their culture, their exposure to life up-bringing, their level of interest in terms of sedentary vs exercise.   What is your forward movement desire to be a part of life.   Know thyself.

 

So, I would ask:

1. WHere did you grow up and what time period for each area?

2. What are the foods you just feel you like regardless of what your parents tried to stuff down your throat?

3. How open are you to finding new food options that are 'for you' ?

4. Have you tried something you have never considered because another culture says it is great ?

5. How open are you to eating something you never considered but it is otherwise an animal organ, eye, neck, etc ?  What is your reaction?

6. What is your exercise per week or per month... or just your desire ?  Or just living and eating ?

[Aetherous]

On 6/10/2018 at 7:25 AM, Phoenix3 said:

Does having just one meal a day cause problems though?

 

Yes...you will have less nutrients, so your body will end up not lasting as long as someone else's (in my opinion). Buddhists etc do it because it makes the mind more clear...it's a process of supporting shen, but not tonifying qi and jing.

[Wells]

Long-term calorie restriction diet has one important effect and that's the bottom line, the one thing that's all about.

The effect is to trigger autophagy ("cell repair mode").

The one key to get into "autophagy mode" is to cut at least 1/3 of your daily calorie intake over a longer period of time.

In other words: Eating calorie reduced or even eating nothing for only one or two day won't trigger autophagy.

One of the most easy ways to achieve autophagy is to eat just one meal a day which doesn't include more than ca. 1,600 calories, so you at least can eat once a day until you feel filled and then fast for the rest of the day. Eating several smaller meals which in sum don't exceed 1,600 calories would probably have the same effect.

Eating one meal a day which includes no calorie restriction (a meal that is >1,600 calories) will definitely not trigger autography and is therefore mostly a waste of time.

In other words: Intermittent fasting without calorie restriction will not trigger autography. The fasting phase during intermittent fasting in itself will not trigger autophagy if the overall calorie intake is not reduced at least of 1/3.

It doesn't matter what you eat, the key is calorie reduction. Simply eat a balanced old-school diet with the foods you like, but give your body the full range of nutrients it really needs. That means: No idiotic new age vegan bs diet which will ruin your connective tissue due to the lack of proteins which are similar in amino acid composition to the proteins which constitute our body and especially our connective tissue! All the strict long-term vegan guys ultimately end up with flabby and weak connective tissue, probably the one worst side-effect of vegan nutrition which can not be reversed in its effects (the typical worst-case-scenario irreversable-effect examples of women after diets without enough animal connective tissue protein: sagging boobs, sagging butt, cellulite (connective tissue of the skin ripping apart) without actually being fat, etc.! Ever realized that lots of those of celebrity women actually looked better before their diets? Well, now you know why!). In other words: Ladies, eat your red meat! Make sure to eat one animal protein source like like meat, fish or eggs in most (better: in every one) of your daily meals! Eat whole foods like meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, potatoes, salads, fruits etc. Only drink calorie-free drinks like natural mineral water or tea (sugar-free!) over the rest of the day. Drink some cups of black coffee during the "fasting period" of the day to keep your hunger low (diet-coke probably would instead probably make you more hungry due to its sweet taste). It would be ok to eat almost-calorie-free snacks over the whole day like carrots, tomatoes etc., but that probably would increase your hunger more than simply eating nothing at all during the daily "fasting period".

 

Edited June 26, 2018 by Wells

[Wells]

 

 

Please note:

Both apes get only one meal a day, but only the young looking ape is additionally calorie restricted!

 

Edited June 26, 2018 by Wells

[dawei]

3 hours ago, Wells said:

 

 

Please note:

Both apes get only one meal a day, but only the young looking ape is additionally calorie restricted!

 

 

never heard of this but was rather fascinating to see what I found is being tested.

 

The bottom line is: Eating more you will either/both shit more and/or gain more weight.   The extra goes somewhere:  Out or in.

 

I don't weight my food on a scale.  That seems obsessive.   Don't you know intuitively what is more or less?

 

Here is my main thought on this:

 

It is not a short term diet idea,  but a life time eating habit.    Start by picking 5 things you will stop eating.  Focus on bad fat items or carb stuff.   But be sensitive to your blood type diet needs and your understanding of your body knows what works.

 

You really must exercise.  The body loves it.  The metabolism loves it.  You will find you love it.

[Wells]

 

That's what I call great results!!! OMAD obviously works!

 

[Wells]

 

[Wells]

 

[Wells]

 

OMAD - Follow the One Plate Rule!

[Mandrake]

On 10/06/2018 at 1:25 PM, Phoenix3 said:

It’s often recommended by Buddhists and similar people to have 1 meal a day at noon, and many Daoists recommend this also, because that is when one’s body is most yang, and therefore probably most able to digest food.

 

Does having just one meal a day cause problems though? I’ve heard having one meal a day slows one’s metabolism and makes one fat. 

 

With one important detail: This recommedation is for monks (actually a vinaya rule)! If you're at a monastery, you eat your last meal before noon. For many that in practice means one meal a day (been there, seen that). As a monk, your physical intensity is quite low and you spend considerable time in meditative states so your fuel needs are quite low.

If you work a heavy industrial job, one meal a day is probably not what will work out in practice long-term.

 

 

M

[thelerner]

Eating is a very communal affair.  Eating only one meal would inevitably create social awkwardness at times.  Not the worst thing, compared to its benefits, but undoubtedly problematic. 

[Gerard]

Indeed, a shared event.

 

Only some Buddhist monastics eat like that and they live a different life as we know compared to ordinary people. Does it make any difference eating one meal a day, not really. 

 

Eating in good company, happily , in a relaxed environment (this 'togetherness' effect nourishes the Heart Fire which is the mother of the Spleen Earth, so double benefit) has a tenfold effects compared to the modern Western way of eating which is an absolute aberration.

 

When I first met Bagua teacher He Jinghan in Taipei I still remember the best part of the training which happened actually after park practice, it was a warm talk in a restaurant all of us seated together in a round table sharing a traditional Chinese meal. Tea was served after dessert. What a difference eating like that!  

 

Edited July 1, 2018 by Gerard

[dawei]

On 6/30/2018 at 9:46 AM, thelerner said:

Eating is a very communal affair.  Eating only one meal would inevitably create social awkwardness at times.  Not the worst thing, compared to its benefits, but undoubtedly problematic. 

 

That's an interesting point for sure... 

 

I'm type O blood... and very much liked the Blood Type diet book that emphasized for me, protein; very true for me.

 

But as life goes on, I just want to eat less and less of anything... but I'm also fighting body issues of injuries... so my case is not likely normal.

 

I used to really question God on the singular basis that we need to eat and consume anything...  Now that God is out of the picture, I just consume less.   That's just me.