Photo: Tim Samuel

What happens if you stay hungry for 3 days?

Low blood sugar causes people to feel irritable, confused and fatigued. The body begins to increase production of cortisol, leaving us stressed and hangry. Skipping meals can also cause your metabolism to slow down, which can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight.

piedmont.org - What Happens to the Body When You Skip Meals? - Piedmont Healthcare

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What happens to the body when you skip meals?

Decking the halls can take a lot out of you, but don’t become so frazzled that you start skipping meals. “During the holidays, we are often so hurried we don’t have time to sit down for a meal,” says Haley Robinson, a Piedmont clinical dietitian. “Some people also tend to think that if they skip breakfast and lunch, they will be able to indulge more at holiday dinners without exceeding their calorie limit for the day.” But forgoing food isn’t healthy, and it can actually lead to weight gain.

What happens when you skip a meal?

“First, your blood sugar decreases, which causes interruption in your ability to think straight,” says Robinson. “The brain uses glucose to run efficiently and if there is not enough glucose for the brain to use, your body does not function at 100 percent.” Low blood sugar causes people to feel irritable, confused and fatigued. The body begins to increase production of cortisol, leaving us stressed and hangry. Skipping meals can also cause your metabolism to slow down, which can cause weight gain or make it harder to lose weight. “When you skip a meal or go a long time without eating, your body goes into survival mode,” says Robinson. “This causes your cells and body to crave food which causes you to eat a lot. We usually tend to crave unhealthy foods and all attempts at eating healthy go out the door. When you are that hungry, anything goes.”

Tips to avoid skipping meals

Let’s face it—the holiday season can be hectic. If you are extremely busy, try following these tips:

Eat smaller, frequent meals throughout the day rather than skipping meals.

Always have a snack around like yogurt or a granola bar to hold you over until your next meal. Eat snacks high in protein and fiber. They will keep you full longer.

Plan your meals in advance or prepare them the night before.

Make a schedule for the week to avoid over booking yourself or falling behind. Set an alarm to ring at lunchtime if you are going to be running around all day. Make a lunch date. You cannot skip a meal if you have already made plans with friends or family. Need to make an appointment with a Piedmont physician? Save time, book online.

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What happens when you do a 3 day fast?

72+ hours. Once you've been fasting for three days or more, your body enters a deep state of ketosis. All the previous benefits: Autophagy, the uptick in the production of beneficial chemicals and hormones, fat loss, and mental clarity continue to increase.

mindbodygreen.com - What Actually Happens To Your Body During A Fast, Hour By Hour

The second phase kicks off after four hours and lasts up until about 16 hours from your last meal. This is the "catabolic," or breakdown, phase, when all those extra nutrients start being released from storage to be used for energy. Once the energy stored in your cells runs out, your body starts to rely instead on stored fat. The process of releasing fat and burning it up for energy releases chemicals known as ketone bodies for energy, which usually happens around the 16-hour mark. The rate at which you reach this stage really depends on what you ate for the last couple of meals before your fast. If you ate a lot of carbs and starch, it will take a bit longer than if you ate mostly fats and protein. One of the most powerful features of fasting, called autophagy, also kicks off during this phase. Autophagy is triggered by a reduction in a growth regulator called MTOR, and this process is basically a spring cleaning for your cells. It gets rid of any dead or damaged cellular material3 , which can otherwise contribute to aging, cancer, and chronic disease.

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