Can skipping dinner really help with weight loss

Skipping dinner may lead to short-term weight loss, but in the long run it may affect health and be prone to rebound. The core of weight loss lies in the balance between calorie intake and expenditure. Simply skipping dinner may lead to nutritional imbalance, metabolic decline, and other problems.

The human body will activate protective mechanisms during prolonged fasting, reducing basal metabolic rate to decrease energy expenditure. After resuming dinner, the body is more likely to accumulate fat as a reserve. Skipping dinner may lead to excessive intake of breakfast and lunch the next day, which in turn increases total calorie intake. Some people may experience discomfort symptoms such as hypoglycemia, dizziness, and lack of concentration, which can affect their work and quality of life. Long term lack of nutritional supplements from dinner may lead to health problems such as gastrointestinal disorders and gallstones.

For some special groups, such as diabetes patients, skipping dinner may increase the risk of hypoglycemia at night. If high-intensity mental or physical workers skip dinner for a long time, it may affect their physical functions due to insufficient energy. A small number of people who adopt intermittent fasting should scientifically arrange their eating time window under professional guidance, and it cannot be simply equated with skipping dinner.

It is recommended to achieve healthy weight loss by adjusting the dinner structure and controlling total calories. Dinner can increase the intake of high-quality protein and dietary fiber, such as steamed fish, cold vegetables and other low-fat and high nutrient foods, and reduce the proportion of refined carbohydrates. Establishing a sustainable and healthy lifestyle through regular sleep and moderate exercise is more beneficial for long-term weight management than simply skipping dinner. If there is persistent hunger or physical discomfort, seek medical attention promptly to assess nutritional status.