what if i skip a meal?

today i havent had lunch and dont really feel hungery my calories so far are at 350. should i try have a higher calorie dinner to reach 1300 cal my daily intake? or maby a few more snacks?

I would strongly suggest against skipping a meal. Perhaps look to have something high calorie but not super filling such as a yogurt smoothie or something like that.

How many calories/day should you be eating to lose weight?

On the other hand, skipping one meal on one day won't do much harm.  But do try to take a snack with you - some almonds or an apple?  You could eat a normal dinner and then have a snack later.

Actually, Claire, I disagree with that. I think skipping one meal DOES do harm. Your blood sugar dips down, and then when you finally break the fast, you tend to eat more than you would if you'd kept your blood sugar more or less stable.

That's why eating breakfast is so important too!

I read that the best thing to do is eat little and offen rather than a few big meals..

I eat 6 times a day. fortunatly i work in an office where i can munch so i dont have a problem eating.  I would keep you calaries up otherwise your body will do that "starvation mode" that is mentioned alot on the forums.

I think if u eat a big meal you body will store so that it has the energy for the rest of the day but if you get into the habbit of eating all the time, you body will keep its motabalisum up and be burning fat at a grater rate.

I personally dont like skipping meals. but somtimes im bizzy and forget. last saterday i only had one meal. but it filled up my calaries for the day.

The right answer is that you shouldn't skip meals.  Your body needs to have a more constant energy input, not all the calories at once.  

I try to stay away from more than 700 calories in one sitting.  I read somewhere (don't remember where), that your body does not normally process more than 700 calories in one sitting.  As in, its had enough at 700 and the rest is just stored.

While its ok to undereat on a day here and there, it should never become a habit and it should never be part of an actual eating plan.  Fact is is that it happens to everyone here and there.  No biggy.  Just as you shouldn't freak out if you overeat on a day, you shouldn't freak if you undereat for a day.

As to what to do, I'd probably have snacks and then a more sensible supper.

cc says i should have 1500 but i think that is too high 1300 is working good for me and i rarely fell hungery i did have weetabix this morning so im not starveing myself maby i will grab something while im picking my son up from school.

if you really aren't hungry, have a yogurt smoothie, V8 juice, glass of milk or something along those lines. those carnation instant breakfast drinks are good too-sometimes you just don't feel like eating, but you can usually always drink something. that way you still keep your blood sugar on an even keel, since you've put some calories into your body.

skipping meals, unless I'm really ill or just too busy to notice, always make me eat like I haven't seen food in a week at the next meal.

Skipping meals can be a bad thing and totally throw off your balance, but for some people it doesn't even register. If you're not hungry have a small something to keep yourself from falling off the wagon and don't make it a habbit. If you're starving remember to eat slowly and start your plate with the healthier items first. Or start off with something like a salad and then wait a bit before you decide what ELSE you want to eat.

I've found that if I miss a meal and am starving I'll eat twice as much of pretty much anything heavy and unhealthy, but if I eat slow and start by eating something like a salad or at least eating my veggies first I don't really eat more. And slowing down helps me from getting that sick feeling.

I wouldn't say its a great idea to have dinner infront of the TV, but it distracts me and slows me down so not only does my food get cold, but I realize I'm no longer hungry and stop eating rather than shoveling food in my mouth continuously.

BigTwinky- I read for woman- that if you eat more than 500 calories in one sitting- the rest goes to "fat". 

jen32966, it could very well be.  Most of my readings are about numbers for men. 

Thanks for the info though!  =)