Breakfast?

bethclabburn

Is breakfast really the most important meal of the day?

I've read things that say it's important because it breaks the fast and starts off your metabolism for the day and gives you energy.

Is this really true? Because after reading through some things on here I'm not so sure.
Please give me your insight.

MelaniaTrump

I happen to be hungry since I eat my dinner early and then "close the kitchen". Some people eat right before they go to bed and are not as hungry when they wake.

richardgavel

When you eat has no bearing from a calorie math aspect. But it could have positive or negative impact in other ways. Some people feel hungier if they skip meals and might overeat at that next meal. Others have trouble coming up with three separate meals that do not exceed their total calories. I personally prefer to eat 3 equal meals, but that's just me.

MommyL2015

No, meal timing makes no difference, as far as weight loss is concerned. I don't eat breakfast, other than coffee.

malibu927

Your metabolism never quits, so starting it up isn't necessary. If you don't feel like eating breakfast, don't eat it.

bethclabburn

Not from a weight loss point of view. Just from a healthy life style point of view.
I've always been told breakfast is important so just wondering if it actually is.

queenliz99

Still doesn't matter

bethclabburn

Just pulled this from the internet... This is why I'm confused.

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast! Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!

Nutritionists advise:
breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking
a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily allowance (GDA).
Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fibre. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether that be a banana or glass of fruit juice.

Breakfast can be good for waistline too, research shows those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and more likely to be within their ideal weight range compared with breakfast skippers. If you skip breakfast, you're more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning.[\i]

MelaniaTrump

Wish your diary is open. Sometimes people that skip have a coffee with sugar and cream that fills them up. then they eat a snack later on. You don't eat anything till noon and wake up at 6 am?

AnvilHead

Bottom line: if it helps you with satiety (feeling full/satisfied), adherence (sticking to your diet) or energy, there's nothing wrong with eating breakfast. If you don't need it for those reasons and don't feel like eating in the morning, there's nothing unhealthy about that (within the context of an overall well-rounded diet which stays within your caloric goals).

To classify eating breakfast as "healthy" or "unhealthy" completely ignores context. There are plenty of successful and healthy people who eat breakfast, and also plenty who don't.

MommyL2015

bethclabburn wrote: »

Just pulled this from the internet... This is why I'm confused.

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast! Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!

Nutritionists advise:
breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking
a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily allowance (GDA).
Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fibre. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether that be a banana or glass of fruit juice.

Breakfast can be good for waistline too, research shows those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and more likely to be within their ideal weight range compared with breakfast skippers. If you skip breakfast, you're more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning.[\i]

I have never been a breakfast eater, ever since I was in elementary school. I drink two cups of coffee with a bit of 1 or 2% milk and no sweetener and eat lunch around 12 to 1:00. "breaking fast" is whenever you eat after you get up, no matter when that is. Meal time makes no difference and metabolisms don't need to be jump started. As long as you are meeting your goals, whenever that is, you're good.

bethclabburn

Ok I guess I'm just worrying too much about what's "right"

bethclabburn

JanetYellen wrote: »

Wish your diary is open. Sometimes people that skip have a coffee with sugar and cream that fills them up. then they eat a snack later on. You don't eat anything till noon and wake up at 6 am?

I try and eat at the same time ever day. So we have porridge at about 8.30-9.00am most days, but have been sleeping in the past couple days that's why I was asking.

AnvilHead

bethclabburn wrote: »

Ok I guess I'm just worrying too much about what's "right"

What's "right" is what works best for you. What matters is sticking to your caloric goals (for weight loss) and doing your best to hit your macros (for general health, body composition and performance). The rest is "majoring in the minors". As far as how many meals you eat, when you eat them, how many calories in each meal - the only important thing is whatever leaves you feeling most satisfied and able to stick to it. Some people skip breakfast, some make it the biggest meal of the day; some like a light dinner, some like to save the majority of their calories for dinner (me!). Some like to save a few calories so they can have a dessert/treat/snack late at night, others don't feel a need for it.

Even if there were an "optimal" eating time/pattern, how "optimal" would it be if it doesn't fit into your schedule, leaves you unsatisfied, or makes you hate it so much that you don't stick to it? People ask the same question about "when is the best time to work out?", and the answer is "whenever it fits best into your schedule and you'll consistently do it".

brb2008

malibu927 wrote: »

Your metabolism never quits, so starting it up isn't necessary. If you don't feel like eating breakfast, don't eat it.

x2!

I do not eat breakfast because I prefer to have two larger meals. At the end of the day a nice big dinner just feels better than breakfast did. Also with breakfast a smaller lunch I really needed a snack between lunch and dinner otherwise I ended up snacking while cooking and not counting those calories! This schedule is definitely working for me, it may not for you but also don't rule it out just because of this incorrect information meal timing truly makes no difference, it's simply calories in versus calories out.

malibu927

bethclabburn wrote: »

Just pulled this from the internet... This is why I'm confused.

Breakfast provides the body and brain with fuel after an overnight fast - that's where its name originates, breaking the fast! Without breakfast you are effectively running on empty, like trying to start the car with no petrol!

Nutritionists advise:
breakfast should be eaten within two hours of waking
a healthy breakfast should provide calories in the range of 20-35% of your guideline daily allowance (GDA).
Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fibre. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day. Fruit and vegetables are good sources of vitamins and minerals so try to include a portion of your daily five at breakfast, whether that be a banana or glass of fruit juice.

Breakfast can be good for waistline too, research shows those who eat breakfast are less likely to be overweight and more likely to be within their ideal weight range compared with breakfast skippers. If you skip breakfast, you're more likely to reach for high sugar and fatty snacks mid-morning.[\i]

Unless something like this comes from a peer-reviewed journal, take it with a grain of salt. Yes, some people who skip breakfast may binge later, but the opposite can also be said (eating early can cause some to eat all day). For some, eating in the morning makes them nauseous. Yesterday I woke up at 5:30, went to work, and didn't eat breakfast until almost 10:30. That's what works for me.

melonaulait

The human body is great at adapting to our schedules. It's really quite a relief that meal timing doesn't make a difference in weight loss, or health in general. It's all about what works for you. Growing up, I used to not be a breakfast person at all (in fact it would make me sick), but now it's one of my favorite meals of the day.