What happens when you skip a meal while on the HCG Diet?

We all skip meals in the hope of losing a few pounds. We usually skip meals at breakfast but often lunch as well but some skips their meals much more regularly. What’s the real danger? A meal is very important for our body whether we are on or off the diet. It’s where our body gets the nutrient needed for proper function. The HCG Diet, in fact, promotes a healthy meal plan that you should strictly follow for maximum weight loss. Phase 2 of the HCG Diet, specifically, restrict you to eat only 500 calories a day following a proper meal plan. The meal pattern, however, is different from other meal plans. You are only allowed to have your proper meal during lunch and dinner. Your breakfast must be in liquid forms like unlimited coffee, tea or water. This meal plan is perfectly safe. The amount of calories you get from is enough to sustain your body. The HCG hormone works amazingly in curbing your hunger, distributing the nutrient throughout your body and burning the stored fats as the main source of energy. We skip meals without knowing the possible consequences most of which are all negative. Below are some common negative effects of skipping a meal when on the HCG Diet:

• Tendency to overeat

Overeating is the psychological result of skipping a meal. HCG dieters are not allowed to skip a meal because this can cause them to overeat on the next meal. When you skip meals, you feel like you owed something later in the day so you tend to overeat.  Each meal on the HCG Diet is an important part of the weight loss process. Skipping lunch is even worse. By 3 or 4 pm, you’ll get very hungry that you’ll reach for the first food that you can find or you’ll eat anything when you arrive home.

• Hold onto calories

Your body goes into a starvation mode causing your body cells to crave more food. When you eat your body will hold onto calories for future storage. The foods you eat will transform into fat more readily and get deposited around your belly. When your body goes into a starvation mode, it looks for a new source of energy. As it transformed fat into energy you will feel nauseated and constipated. You’ll become irritable and stressed. Your blood pressure and blood sugar level are affected.

• Sluggish and unable to focus

Skipping a meal will literally make your head spin. You will feel dizzy, low in energy and even feel like you might pass out. This is all due to a drop in the blood glucose level affecting your body organ’s normal function. Fluctuation in the blood sugar levels can increase your risk of developing diabetes later in life.

• Does not lead to more weight loss

If you think skipping a meal is a smart way of losing and maintaining weight, then you are wrong. You will consume fewer calories for sure but there’s a great chance for you to binge on unhealthy foods and cave in to your cravings.

When you skip a meal your metabolism will slow down causing you to gain weight and making it harder for you to lose the weight you have gain. All this can lead to a dangerous cycle of yo-yo dieting. Yo-yo dieting can mess up with your metabolism. Your body won’t burn the calories from the foods you binge after skipping a meal efficiently. Your hunger hormone, leptin, will also take a hit. Your body might produce less leptin making it harder for you to discern when you’re already full.

• Risky metabolic changes

Studies found out that skipping a meal during daytime and eat one large meal at nighttime resulted in risky metabolic changes such as an elevated glucose level and delayed insulin response. When persisted on a long-term basis could lead to diabetes.

Bottom line: Skipping meal on the HCG Diet is a BIG No

Skipping a meal can happen from time to time but it can negatively impact your health if you are doing it consistently. Skipping a meal when on the HCG Diet is not promoted as this will not make you lose additional weight. Here are some tips for you to avoid skipping a meal:

• Keep a healthy snack ready. Having a nutrient-rich snack ready like low-sugar protein bars, plain Greek yogurt, granola bars and roasted almonds to hold you over until your next meal.
• Eat frequent meals throughout the day rather than to skip a meal. You may eat your fruit or carb portion as morning, afternoon or evening snacks.
• Have a meal replacement shake handy. A meal replacement shake can help you get a complete meal on the go along with some healthy snacks. Just remember not to turn this meal replacement shake into a regular habit. Even if you have a very busy schedule, making time to prepare for your meal is a priority.
• Plan your meal.  Prepare a nutritious breakfast a night before so you can have something ready to eat in the morning. You don’t necessarily have to prepare a meal for the entire week.
• Make a lunch date. Setting a lunch date won’t give you any excuses for not having a proper meal.
• Eat less but do not skip a meal. Eating less is different from skipping a meal. When you have not eaten for a very long time your brain receives messages from your body for nourishment. When you are very hungry the more you eat and this happens when you skip a meal.