Skipping Meals To Lose Weight
Does It Mean You Have Anorexia?

Skipping meals, especially breakfast, is among the many weight loss techniques. People believe that they're still eating healthy, but this kind of behavior may trigger, or cause anorexia in some individuals.

I'm sure we've all done it -- skipping breakfast in the morning is a very common occurrence, especially on work days when you're in a mad rush to get out the door. There's no time to make a full meal, and sometimes not even a moment to pour a bowl of cereal.

The question that comes to mind is, are all of us really that rushed for time -- every single day -- or are there some of us who use it as an excuse not to eat?

I remember when I was really sick, I used every excuse in the book to avoid eating. For me, it was more of a food phobia at the time, but there are many who use skipping meals as their primary weight loss method. They assume they'll get skinnier by the day if they simply don't eat.

Well, that may be true at the start, but that "success" is usually short-lived. If your body thinks it's starving, it will begin to conserve energy, burn fewer calories, and you develop a slow metabolism. Any food that is eventually consumed will be stored as fat.

Teen Eating Habits - Skipping Meals And Hunger Pains

If you've ever been around young people, it's quite easy to see that teen eating habits, such as skipping meals, are getting more and more out of control.

In extreme cases, they even seem to be able to ignore the hunger pains and just keep going. These are the individuals who are likely prone to anorexia or other eating disorders.

In January 2010, a Canadian poll showed that 26 percent of fourteen and fifteen years olds were regularly skipping breakfast, and at least 22 percent were also not eating lunch.

Even more shocking is that for younger children (ages 10 to 13), the poll showed that up to 20 percent of them are missing breakfast.

Keep in mind that if you miss breakfast, lunch or dinner every now and again, it does not mean that you're anorexic or that you're going to develop anorexia. Eating disorders are about much more than just food. There are many psychological factors that must come together with certain eating patterns and other behaviors in order for one to be diagnosed with an actual eating disorder.

However, it isn't healthy to skip a meal, and the results of this poll are nothing less than staggering. It indicates a trend that pre-teen and teen eating habits are reaching a danger zone. These kids are not just skipping the occasional meal, they seem to be doing it on a regular basis - and this is the precursor to anorexia and disordered eating.

What Are The Dangers And Effects Of Skipping Meals?

Skipping meals on a short-term or occasional basis will not produce any dangerous effects. However, going for days at a time (or longer) is harmful and may cause permanent damage to the body.

All of us have probably experienced that feeling of light-headedness when we haven't eaten anything for a certain length of time. Not eating regularly causes our insulin and glucagon levels to get out of whack. At this point we often crave sweets or the wrong types of carbohydrates. It's our body's way of telling us that we need to "up" our insulin levels.

When we go for long stretches without eating, it becomes extremely serious because our body ravages itself and goes into starvation mode. If you know someone who is skipping meals and/or consistently not eating, please seek professional help as soon as possible.

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