Is It OK To Skip Lunch?

[peace-love-couture]

Lunch at my school is so unhealthy and on both days I have it late into the school day so anything I bring will spoil.I normally eat a slice of toast with peanut butter for breakfast and for dinner I was thinking a salad with spinach,romaine lettuce,tomatoes, maybe cucumbers and cheese(very little) with EVOO as a dressing.I take multi-vitamins and fiber.I'm trying to shoot for my goal weight and have slowly been weaning myself off of ...well,everything haha,other than salads.

Is it OK? Because for one,I'm annoyed with the same food day in and day out and secondly that crap is unhealthy.OK or no?

Save me the love yourself lectures or health lectures or "you're not getting enough protein" blahblahblah,that's lovely,that's dandy,I'll consult you when my period stops or my hair falls out,mmk?Thanks!

Updates

+1 y

Skip lunch=skip eating food.If you aren't going to read,don't f'ing answer and assume sh*t

[ravvo99]

basically, your goal is to lose weight. if so you definitely should *not* skip lunch. the ideal metabolism for constantly burning calories is to eat 5 small meals a day with ideally one being protein rich (its best if its either the first or last meal since protein is filling but pretty low in calories). Simply put cutting out meals (yes even 3 meals is considered "cutting out," so two is even worse) will lead to your metabolism slowing down. So while you might be limiting your caloric intake, your body responds to the low calories and less frequent feedings by lessening the calories it burns for "every day" activities, which makes up the huge majority of the calories you burn in the course of the day.

I honestly cannot give you any good advice as to what you should be doing for lunch if what is provided at your school is unhealthy and keeping lunch fresh is a problem. That's tough stuff. Is purchasing a little insulated lunch bag an option to allow your lunch to preserve better?

as for protein? as someone in the medical professions I have to *heavily* urge you make sure you do work protein into your diet. Its a little bit more serious than you made it out to be. But, you eat peanut butter, that should give you most of the protein you need. The only thing I could suggest would be to occasionally put some beans into your diet too as they tend to be super rich in protein. You're doing fine right now with daily peanut butter. Though, in the greater scheme of things, lean meat has less calories than many vegetables and all fruits and grains so don't exclude them if calories are your worry.

[peace-love-couture]

Um,lovely,didn't care for a healthy lecture or whether it will slow my metabolism down

[ravvo99]

Slowed metabolism = you will *gain* weight.

[peace-love-couture]

I think not

I rather eat as little calories as possible than eat like a pig

[ravvo99]

Eat as little calories as possible, but do it over many means. Ideally only cutting out about 300 or a little more calories per day. If you cut out more than 300 or eat fewer meals than you should the amount of calories your body uses goes from 2,000 to, well, much less. I've heard the number 1400 thrown around before. I don't know anyone but inpatient anorexics who can consistantly eat less than 1400 calories. and skipping lunch may mean that you will need to even less than that to lose weight.

[ravvo99]

You clearly have your mind set already so go ahead and do what you would have anyway. I was just trying to remind you that eating (slightly) more calories over more meals (as long as they remain healthy and low calorie in general) will make you lose weight faster and with more ease than straight limiting calories and intake. It seems counter-intuitive, but your body is created to only "lose weight" if you are dying or are eased into it. meal cutting makes your body panic and start fat retention

[peace-love-couture]

Yea,why don't I gain 200 lbs to fit in with everyone else in America.Normally I eat less than 1400 calories a day,not on purpose but I don't have a big appetite anymore,and it would take me hours and hours to burn over 1000 calories to lose weight.I rather eat less and burn what I can

[ravvo99]

The body works in a terribly ingenious way. You eat 2000 calories, being alive burns 1,200 calories all by itself and daily activities burn another 600-8000. That's how the 2,000 calorie number was created. its how many calories are burned by someone who walks a few miles a day (not exercise, I mean just from the bed to the desk to the bus and down the hallway all added together).

[ravvo99]

On the other hand if you cut out 500-700 calories your metabolism drops *more* than that. aka. you only eat 1500 calories a day twice a day, but your basal metabolism drops from a (known value) 1,200 cals burns by breathing to (estimated) 600. So now you are eating much less than you used to, yet as far as caloric intake goes, you are now *GAINING* 100 calories a day. This is because your body is a bitch and gains weight when you cut out meals. spread out the same calories and this won't happen

[ravvo99]

Spreading out your diet over multiple meals is so effective that you can be "gaining" calories at 1400 or 1500 calories, but yet losing weight at 1700 or 1800 assuming the latter example is taking in over multiple frequently small meals. You don't have to *add* food, just don't cut out a meal, replace it with a small meal (and replace all your meals with smaller meals). just saying you *could* eat a regular sized (still low cal though) meal for lunch and lose more weight than you do now.

[peace-love-couture]

I'll stick to my system

[peace-love-couture]

I'm trying to get to a certain weight and I don't know why you care so much what I eat.I'm trying to get to 100 or 95 lbs and I'm pretty sure eating 1500,2000 or 14000 calories isn't going to get me there

[ravvo99]

I care because I am a year away from having to tell people this stuff as a job. Nutritional advice is part of being a physician. People will do what they are going to do, but I have an obligation to explain at best as I can that the body (and weight loss) is nowhere near as simple as people think it is and sometimes things (like cutting out a meal) can do the opposite of what you'd expect and make you gain weight even when you eat less. No matter what, good luck. really :-) I hope it goes well!

[Anonymous]

Yeah, nothing wrong with skipping. Just don't let yourself get tired.

I skip lunch on the weeks I don't have to walk home.

[Anonymous]

I personally think it's alright as long as you eat right after school and as long as you eat breakfest cause I do the same thing, I eat my lunch my mom gives me as my breakfast in my class which is at 9 (teacher let's us eat) and then when school gets out at 2:05 I go home and eat something and then eat dinner later that night...so I think your fine nothing wrong with it and don't listen to what's a healthy time to eat and not a healthy time to eat cause it's about you not others and if it works for you then great...just be smart about what you eat and a salad is fine maybe throw some grilled chicken or shrimp would add a little more but it's your choice

[Universe]

Are you planning on eating right after you get out of school?

I remember I skipped lunch in high school a couple of years to go the library instead. I don't feel it affected me negatively, but my mom did always brought me something right after I got out.

So it's not too bad to skip lunch but you should try to eat again as soon as you get out.

[eSHkidd]

There is a ton of food that won't spoil for that long what are you talking about. Id recommend some fruit, apples and bananas, plus a chicken or tuna sandwich or something. I mean geez, you are probably eating 400 calories a day. The average human with minimal exercise should be eating 2000 calories. As you know you are losing weight because of this, BUT, you're body will start to adjust, and you're metabolism will start to get even slower, you'll start to lose more and more energy as time passes and you'll start gaining more weight than normal if you start eating correctly again.

You need to eat, you don't have to eat 2000 calories but please don't eat that little calorie-rich food. That's fine if you don't want to listen to the "health lecture" I'm just saying that if this continues any weight goals will only get worse and worse as time goes on. You'll end up either terribly energy-deprived or overweight.

[peace-love-couture]

Chick/tuna sandwich?Bread is bad,too many calories,bananas have too much sugar and certain apples have too many calories

[Totts]

Bread is bad? It's 120 calories for 2 pieces of bread... A tuna salad sandwich in and of itself, with celery, tomato, and lettuce in addition to the bread and tuna salad is 240 calories. Which is very, very little considering you should be getting 1500 MINIMUM calories unless you want your body to go into starvation mode, at which point all that'll happen is your body will catabolize and you'd lose mostly muscle.

[thatchalaznkid]

Bread is bad unless it's 100% whole wheat bread. That you can have 1-2 slices per day. The sugars in fruit are healthy as long as you don't over do it. It's a lot better than the artificial sugars in other food and juice. Also juice isn't good either, it's better to just eat the fruit

[eSHkidd]

It seems like you've been reading too many magazines or something. Bread is bad? Bread is a staple energy-rich food. Whole wheat bread fills you up immensely, has tons of nutrients and fiber and gives you nescessary calories for activities but is by no means high-calorie. Bananas and apples are also very nutrient rich and contain once again nescessary sugars/carbohydrates for your day. Get this through your head, you NEED sugars, you NEED calories. Just stay away from white bread, and artifical

[peace-love-couture]

Whole wheat bread has a lot of calories,why do you think I only eat one slice a day?Because it has over 100 calories,useless calories that I can easily avoid

Sugar=bad

Calories=good or bad,in my case,I'm trying to get to my goal weight so it = bad

[eSHkidd]

I just checked my fridge and my whole wheat bread is 65 calories per slice. it even has a tiny bit of added sugar. Sugar is not bad, fruits are not bad, On your current diet you are getting almost no Vitamin C, you need those sugars for energy and you need the vitamins they supply, calories are NOT bad if you want to lose weight! If you keep eating 500 calories a day, your body will slow down, and your metabolism will shoot rocket slow, its been proven how barely eating anything dusnt make you

[eSHkidd]

Lose weight long term. Your body will adjust to the amount of food your getting and you'll be in starvation mode, having your body adjust to burning 500 calories a day. Let me put this in terms you can understand because you aren't getting this. Let's say you're 140 lbs, and you want to be 110 lbs, on what you are doing, you will lose weight until about 120 lbs, at which point you'll stay there and won't lose any weight, and you'll be eating extremely unhealthy, you'll get sick much more often, and

[eSHkidd]

You will start aging much faster than normal. If you try eating regularly again, say about 2000 calories, 1500 of those calories will be weight gain. And it won't stop at your original 140lbs, you'll keep going. Probably very loosely around 180-190lbs, you'll eventually stop. If you don't want to listen that's fine, it will be your own problem a year into the future. But if you ACTUALLY want to lose weight, eat whole grain breads, pasta, and rice. Eat your fruits, eat your vegetables and keep em

[eSHkidd]

Variety. Drink lots of water, milk, and ocassionally tea and fruit juice. Have beans, peanut butter, and lean protein like chicken and especially fish. And most importantly EXERCISE. then you will lose weight right, not some scheme you made up yourself

[peace-love-couture]

I'll stick to my system

[Totts]

I'm not trying to lecture, just offering the help of someone who has been involved with nutrition in the past, but you do need more protein than just a salad and some peanut butter on some toast in the morning. I realize you're trying to lose weight and I know it's difficult, but consider getting some sort of casein protein supplement to mix with water and take.

It's great because it fills you up and gives you a nice boost of protein (~24 grams of it). It's only about 120 calories which should fit easily in ANY diet not designed by a concentration camp operator. It's basically protein extracted from milk, and it it coagulates in your stomach due to the acid and slowly digests over ~5-7 hours, keeping you full and releasing a steady supply of amino acids for your body.

You really do need protein though :( The average cell in your body has 10^10 proteins in it, and the average human has around 10^12 cells in your body.

[peace-love-couture]

Most protein shakes have too many calories

[NerdyJock]

I would suggest trying to find something that doesn't spoil. When I was in High School I took my lunch, I would get some pita bread and stuff it with pizza sauce and pepperonis, but since your eating healthy you could find alternative things, maybe into a Chicken with some type of sauce that's low on fat. Also taking Vitamins are OK but the thing is if your not low on what ever your taking then it'll just pass through your body, the body doesn't store vitamins for an emergency. One last things when trying to lose weight it's OK to eat things other than a salad, look through some healthy cook books, I've seen some great recipes for meals that only have 300-500 calories and it tastes a lot better than a salad

[nermalinda]

Skipping meals slows down your metabolism and causes there to be more fat on your body versus muscle.

Just put your salad or whatever you want to have a in a small insulated lunch bag with a little ice pack.

also, one thing you can do is pack the wet and dry ingredients separately so they don't get mushy.

link

[LiaLove]

I would advise you to not skip meals. My personal trainer told me that I should try eating 5-6 small meals a day. You should eat about every 2.5-3 hours throughout the day; this will speed up your metabolism. When you skip meals, you’re slowing down your metabolism.

Take some healthy snacks to school, so you can eat those throughout the day.

[Crescendo]

Poor innocent girl is about to be corrupted. Here's the answer:

It's your time. Do what you will with it.

Now, I suggest being smart. If you get busted for skipping lunch, you'll have a hard time getting into a good college, and skipping class would just be stupid. However, you're not being graded on lunch, and what's on paper is what's important. You've gotta play the game, and the game is politics.

Have you approached your parents about this? They usually give good advice. They care, even if it doesn't seem like it all the time. Also, they can make life reeeaaaally hard for cocky administraters to keep their jobs.

Anyway, my answer is go for it, just don't get caught! lol! And don't lie to your parents if they ask you about it. If the school admins ask you about it, don't tell them ANYTHING! Silence. :)

The rule is that if your parents are OK with it, you can get away with it.

[peace-love-couture]

Do you even get what I mean?I mean skip eating food

[Crescendo]

OK, the short version: It's OK if your parents are OK with it. Don't get caught.

[Crescendo]

And don't get all bitter. I'm just trying to help. In my high school, "skipping lunch" didn't mean simply not eating. It meant ditching campus and going somewhere else to eat, both of which are perfectly acceptable.

[peace-love-couture]

I'm not bitter but had you read you would know what I meant.DUH

[thatchalaznkid]

Well I guess it's OK but I wouldn't recommend it :-/ you should at least eat something like a bag of healthy popcorn or like an apple. Things that won't perish :-)