How to Lose Weight With a Large Lunch & No Dinner

People often try using calorie-restricting diets to lose weight. By not eating dinner, you may find that you can safely lose weight, if you do it correctly. You need to make sure you are getting enough nutrients throughout the rest of the day if you plan to start an intermittent fasting diet.

​Read more:​ How Intermittent Fasting Can Get You Lean

A no dinner diet is a form of intermittent fasting. Intermittent fasting is a type of dietary plan where you do not eat for a long stretch of time. In some extreme forms, you are only allowed to eat one meal a day. During the time of fasting, you may only consume noncaloric drinks, such as water.

Proponents of intermittent fasting believe that they will experience rapid weight loss without the need to restrict what they eat. However, there is only a small amount of evidence that following an intermittent fasting diet will yield results.

For example, a study published in ​Nutrition Reviews​ in September 2015 on intermittent fasting indicated that time-restricted plans, such as not eating after 2pm, show inconclusive results, and that more research is needed. However, they warn that other forms of intermittent dieting may be effective, but that it remains easy for a person to regain weight once they stop the diet.

Another small study of 23 women with obesity published in ​The Journal of Nutrition, Health and Aging​ in 2017 indicated that intermittent fasting could reduce the risk of disease with or without weight loss. The researchers attribute the benefits to changes in eating and sleeping patterns associated with the diet.

Finally, another study published in the ​World Journal of Diabetes​ in April 2017 studied how eating only during a 4 to 8 hour window affected the health of people living with Type II diabetes. The researchers found that intermittent fasting helped participants reduce their weight and manage their blood sugar levels.

Just as there are limited studies indicating the effectiveness of an intermittent diet, there is not much known about the possible risks associated with fasting. Some possible side effects may include fatigue, extreme hunger, trouble concentrating or shakiness.

​Read more:​ Why Intermittent Fasting Can Be Dangerous for Women and How to Get It Right

In addition, a study published in ​Eating Behaviors​ in August 2015 indicated that people who follow a restrictive diet are more likely to develop an eating disorder such as binge eating disorder. In addition, the study suggests that if you eat only one or two meals each day and skip dinner, you may overeat during the meals you do consume.

In a study published in ​Nutrition Reviews​ in September 2015, researchers also indicated some potential risks of intermittent fasting. Some risks they identified included that after following the diet for a long period of time, participants will likely find that their desire to eat food increases. Also, they indicated that body fat may increase while muscle mass decreases. Finally, people following that diet will likely have trouble fitting all the calories they need to consume into one or two meals, which can lead to nutritional deficits.

If you decide to try the no dinner diet plan, you should make sure you are aware of the dos and don'ts of intermittent fasting. Make sure you are consuming enough calories and nutrients during the meals you do eat. You should look for nutrient rich foods, such as sweet potatoes, broccoli, lean proteins and whole grains.

However, you should talk to your doctor before starting a new dietary plan that restricts either calories or times when you can eat food. If you have certain health conditions, such as diabetes, changing eating patterns can affect how much insulin you need.