You can physically live on eating just one meal a day, although it can result in nutritional deficiencies.
There have been times where I had not enough money to eat more than one meal a day and sometimes I had to even skip a meal because of not enough money and to stretch my food until I could get more.
I survived a month of doing that until I got more income and was able to get some more food.
Eating only one meal a day, will keep you alive and it's also possible to skip a meal and go a day or two without food, but it's not healthy.
When you don't eat more than one meal a day, it leads to a lack of the necessary minerals, vitamins and calories, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies in calcium, iron and vitamin D.
Not eating more than one meal a day can also result in weakness, dizziness, low energy and even constipation and it's also risky for people with diabetes, as a result of hypoglycemia.
Not eating more than one meal a day is also risky for pregnant women, children and people with a history of eating disorders.
Eating just one meal a day, can also help you lose weight and is effective for reducing your calorie intake, but extreme fasting can result in a loss of lean body mass or muscle in addition to fat.
And if you eat one massive meal instead of 3 meals spread throughout the day, it can lead to digestive discomfort, and the long fasting period can also increase your levels of ghrelin, which is the hormone that is responsible for hunger and lead to intense cravings and irritability.
Some people even skip meals, for fasting and weight loss and even f medical procedures.
Although if possible you should eat as much as you can and if you need help with getting food, you can look for food banks and churches that can help out.
We have a church here that asks no questions, but just has you sign a form so that they know who you are and they will provide you with some food.
Many homeless people survive longer than a day even without any food, but it's not healthy.
A healthy well nourished person can survive without foo for 3 weeks to 8 weeks, or around 1 month to 2 months, as long as they have access to enough water and electrolytes.
While food is critical to life, water is more critical to sustaining life.
Water allows the body to maintain organ function as dehydration can be deadly in just 3 to 7 days.
People with higher body fat can also survive longer without food because the body burns stored fat for energy once the glycogen is exhausted.
Eventually your body begins to break down the muscle for protein for energy, which results in weakness and over time even organ failure.
And extreme cold or extreme heat can also drastically reduce your survival time by forcing your body to use more energy for regulation.
During day 1 to 3 without food, but with water, the body uses it's stored glucose or glycogen reserves.
Days 4 to 7 without food, but with water, the body enters ketosis, and burns fat for fuel.
And weeks 1 to 4, fat stores diminish and your body begins to break down muscle tissue and causes significant weakness.
And weeks 4 to 8, critical organ failure becomes a major risk and leads to death.