While a good weight loss plan should include cutting down on unhealthy indulgences, any strategy that hinges on skipping meals entirely will more than likely backfire. “Fasting is the best way to increase your risk of binge eating and unhealthy weight gain,” says Eric Stice, PhD, whose research at the Oregon Research Institute focuses on eating disorders and obesity. People who eat fewer than three meals a day have more trouble controlling their appetite and are more likely to binge on unhealthy foods as a result.