Why are the meals so large?/Do I have to eat if I'm not hungry?

Here at the Fit Father Project, we recommend some meals that are quite large by design. This mixed with our hydration recommendation (half your body-weight in ounces + 32...for a max of 150oz/day) can really fill your belly! So oftentimes we get asked if it's OK to skip meals if the hunger just isn't there. If this is you, read on for more information.

Before determining if you can skip meals, let's break down why the meals are quite large in the first place. When we consume food, our insulin levels rise to help shuttle the food to our cells for use. Our goal is to allow our insulin levels to naturally rise and fall throughout the day when we eat. However, if we are eating too often or snacking too much, our insulin levels stay elevated, making it harder for our bodies to burn fat. Additionally, chronically high levels of blood insulin levels can cause our bodies to become resistant to its effect, leading us to a diabetic track. So if we eat larger meals and space out our meals enough, we can prevent our insulin levels from staying chronically elevated. However, sometimes this causes us not to be very hungry at meal time, especially for newer members.

If this is the case, you CAN skip meals if you meet the following requirements:

  • You aren't crashing and binge eating later on
  • You have ample energy and are feeling good
  • You are sleeping well
  • Exercise is going well and you're seeing results

If you are meeting these requirements, it's OK to skip a meal...though once you get in the heart of the routines, there is a good chance that hunger will return and it'll be a good idea to bring the meal(s) back.

Note: If you are physically unable to eat this much food in one sitting (i.e. Gastric Bypass surgery) that is definitely OK! You can consider cutting the meals in half and spacing them out. As much as we want to avoid insulin/blood sugar pumps, choosing healthy options and working in a caloric deficit is still the most important part of this weight-loss journey. Plus, you can combat any spikes by focusing more on proteins, healthy fats, and carbs from fibrous sources instead.