What happens to your body when you skip meals?

When you skip meals, your blood sugar levels drop, causing fatigue, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and hunger pangs. Your body initially burns stored glycogen for energy, then shifts to breaking down fat and eventually muscle tissue if fasting continues. Stress hormones like cortisol rise, which can increase fat storage around the abdomen over time. Skipping meals also slows your metabolism as the body adapts to conserve energy, making weight loss harder in the long run. When you finally eat, you're more likely to overeat and choose high-calorie foods due to intense hunger. Regular meal skipping can also cause headaches, dizziness, and digestive issues, and may negatively affect hormone regulation and sleep quality.