Health for Body Mind and Soul

There are many different techniques for dieting, some of which work better than others.

A study published in the October Journal of Appetite examined the technique of eating less at one meal only, and eating normally throughout the rest of the day.

In this study, 17 participants ate a reduced-calorie (200 calories) lunch along with as much as they wanted during the other meals of the day.  Overall, reducing the size of the lunch portion reduced the overall daily calorie intake by 245 fewer calories.  This reduction in calories resulted in a loss of 1.1 pounds per week on average.

Prior to this study, many believed that eating one lower calorie meal would result in a higher consumption of calories during other meals, thus canceling out the benefit gained from the reduced calorie meal.  This study showed that the opposite was, in fact, true.  Individuals who consume less calories at one meal saw an effective loss of weight.

Some ways to reduce calories at a meal include substituting higher calorie foods for lower calories foods and/or reducing portions.