One Meal a Day

I finished my 6th 1/2 marathon in March 2017. The day after I finished, I was achy and contemplative. I asked myself, “Why do I eat three meals a day?” I came to the conclusion that there are two reasons. First, everyone else does. It is ingrained into human culture throughout the entire world. The words (breakfast, lunch, dinner) translate perfectly into every language that I have studied. And then second, I realized that as a boy, we learned it in school because the government mandated it. We all remember the food groups and three square meals, etc. Warning bells are going off. Why is the government so concerned about how often I eat?

Then I decided that I would eat one meal a day. I had no idea what to expect. Simply put, it has been amazing experience, and I doubt that I will return to typical human eating patterns. Here are some of the benefits of eating once a day.

Energy.

Sometimes, but not all, I would feel lethargic after eating lunch. I now never feel that way. In fact, I have more energy now than any time that I can remember in my life.

Time.

With the extra energy, I have more time to get more done each day. I am more productive at work, and I have more time for exercise.

Sleep.

I sleep better than any time in memory perhaps because I have less food to process. Or maybe because I have more time to burn calories.

Food.

I love the benefits but the most important one is that food has never tasted so good. I look forward to each time I eat, and I relish each bit. It does not matter. It always tastes great. Sometimes, not so often, I feel hungry, and I just think, “It will taste even better, when I sit down.”

Weight Loss.

It was not my plan but I have lost some weight. The day after I ran the 1/2 marathon, I weighed 165 pounds, and I have dropped to roughly 150 pounds, maybe a little less. I honestly feel no desire to put back on the weight. I feel like I am running faster and I feel healthier without the extra weight.

It has been 9 months since I started this regimen and I feel it is sustainable. The only downside is people sometimes look at me strange when I choose not to eat with them.