Want to know what happens to your brain when you start skipping meals to lose weight? Brain fog, irritability, and finally downright rage. Why does this happen? You’re not losing weight, you’re starving your brain. For people in recovery, who need lots of healthy food to heal their brains, starving it is a very bad idea.
Guess what? Your brain needs glucose to function well. When you skip meals your blood sugar drops and the first thing that happens is your ability to think straight is hampered. You’re literally starving the most important part of your body. Your thinker. When there is not enough glucose for the brain, the rest of you your body does not function at 100 percent either.
Do you have friends (or relatives) who get super grumpy sometimes? Low blood sugar causes people to feel irritable, confused and fatigued. The body begins to increase production of cortisol, leaving us stressed and hangry.
Skipping meals can also cause your metabolism to slow down, which can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight. Skipping meals puts your body into survival mode. It causes you to crave food and eat more when you get the chance.
When we skip meals, we tend to crave unhealthy, fatty, sugary foods. When that happens, we succumb. Forget eating healthy. When you are that hungry, you’l go for anything.
7 Tips to avoid skipping meals
- Eat smaller, frequent meals throughout the day rather than skipping meals.
- Always have a snack around like yogurt or a granola bar to hold you over until your next meal.
- Eat snacks high in protein and fiber. They will keep you full longer.
- Plan your meals in advance or prepare them the night before.
- Make a schedule for the week to avoid over booking yourself or falling behind.
- Set an alarm to ring at lunchtime if you are going to be running around all day.
- Make a lunch date. You cannot skip a meal if you have already made plans with friends or family.
