Should You Really Be Eating 3 Meals a Day? This Study Says... Maybe Not.

August 22, 2025

You’ve heard it your whole life: breakfast, lunch, and dinner — the traditional trinity of meal timing. But what if that pattern isn’t as essential for a healthy diet as we’ve been told? Especially if your goal isn’t just to eat less — but to eat smarter?

Many people turn to the OMAD diet (One Meal a Day) in an effort to cut calories and lose weight. It’s become a popular strategy for weight loss, intermittent fasting, and even maintenance.

But what if you didn’t cut calories — and just looked at the effects of eating once a day?

A group of researchers decided to find out what happens when healthy adults eat just once a day… without cutting any calories.

Yes. One. Single. Meal.

Here’s what happened.

One Meal a Day — Without Eating Less?

In this pilot study, a group of healthy, normal-weight adults followed two different eating patterns:

Three meals a day
One meal a day

They did this for 8 weeks each, eating the same number of calories either way. No dieting, no fasting, just shifting when they ate.

And they didn’t lose weight — not really. On paper, their weight stayed within a couple of pounds.

But inside their bodies? Things started to shift.

Same Calories. Different Results.

When participants ate only one meal per day, a few surprising things happened:

They got hungrier — no shock there.
Their body composition changed — they lost fat mass, even without losing overall weight.
Their cholesterol went up — including total, LDL (“bad”), and HDL (“good”) cholesterol.
Blood pressure increased.
Cortisol (a stress hormone) dropped.

So what does this all mean?

It means that when you eat might matter almost as much as what you eat.

Wait… Higher Cholesterol? Isn’t That Bad?

Not necessarily. The increase in HDL (the “good” kind) was actually considered a positive sign, and the drop in cortisol could mean less daily stress on the body. But the rise in total and LDL cholesterol and blood pressure? Those might need a closer look — especially for anyone with cardiovascular concerns.

It’s not all good or all bad. It’s just… different.

So, Is One Meal a Day the Secret to Health?

Short answer: not quite. But this study suggests that reducing meal frequency without reducing calories can still shift your health markers in meaningful ways.

Think of it as your body responding to a new rhythm. Less frequent insulin spikes. Longer periods of post-meal rest. More sustained fasting windows.

Some changes might benefit your metabolism. Others might raise red flags.

It’s a mixed bag — and definitely not one-size-fits-all.

What This Means for You (and Your Lunch Plans)

Before you swap your lunch break for a water bottle and a prayer, here’s what to keep in mind:

One meal a day is doable — participants actually stuck with it.
It’s not about calorie cutting — this study did not involve weight loss dieting.
Your body will adapt — maybe in unexpected ways.

And while this isn’t a green light to ditch breakfast forever, it is a reminder that there’s more than one “right” way to fuel your body.

The Bottom Line

Three meals a day isn’t quite scientific, it’s cultural.

This study shows that healthy adults can handle — and even benefit from — reduced meal frequency, at least in the short term. But it also shows that changes in meal timing can ripple through your body in ways we’re still learning to understand.

So if you’re thinking of trying one meal a day, do it with awareness. Listen to your body, talk to your doctor, and don’t assume less frequent = automatically better.

Because when it comes to eating patterns, science is still catching up with our habits.