Breakfast - how late can you eat it?

sector7b

Hi, I hear all the time that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and I don't disagree. However I've always wondered how long after you wake up until you eat breakfast does it lose its ability to be the most important meal of the day? 1 hour? 2 hours?

Thanks,
j

cardbucfan

I'm curious to hear the answers to this. I divide my breakfast into 2 parts. I eat a piece of toast with almond butter when I get up with my high schooler at o dark thirty (and drink my coffee!) then eat the rest of it after I work out, about 3 hours later!

therobinator

The basic definition of breakfast is "the first meal of the day" and obviously, it's traditionally eaten in the morning when one wakes up from sleeping (thus not being able to eat) all night.....hence "breaking the fast." I think the general idea of always eating breakfast is to give your metabolism that boost after the (albeit short) nightly fast that we have while we are sleeping. So, to answer your question, it's always best to eat breakfast, but I don't think there is a time limit on when it starts to defeat the purpose.

littlemo78

I try to eat breakfast within an hour of getting up. Here's an article talking about breakfast that you might be interested in.
http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/breakfast_when.htm

nurse_jenie

I'm not sure what the right anwser is but I eat at 10am in the mornings because that is when i get hungry and I am losing weight just fine, and I maintain weight just fine eating at that time also.

aquallama22

Ugh, I don't like eating breakfast, I feel more hungry once I've started eating vs waiting until lunch to start. I wind up consuing more calories when I eat breakfast...isn't it the total amount of cal intake vs when the intake occurs?

Jananilove

I was told easting breakfast 30 minutes after you wake up is best for your metabolism, but i dont know how much of a difference it really makes

Pandemonium

I think as long as you space out your meals throughout the day properly, it should not matter when you eat breakfast.

Personally, I wake up at 6am but do not eat until I get to work at 8:30am, and I am still loosing weight. I have always been told that if you do not work out after you wake up, to eat breakfast within 2 - 3 hours so you can kick-start your body from it's fasting.

xDeannaGarciax

I try to eat breakfast within an hour of getting up. Here's an article talking about breakfast that you might be interested in.
http://nutrition.about.com/od/askyournutritionist/f/breakfast_when.htm

Me too, first hour of waking!

cindymccauley

I think your breakfast is that first part you eat with your coffee, then when you eat the rest, you are really having your mid-morning snack. If you are eating 5-6 small meals a day, it should be satisfactory to divide that "meal" into breakfast & snack.

mrsbland1

aquallama22: I am just starting on here but have had this talk with my doctor because I'm the same way. What he told me is that the reason you get hungry is because your metabolism starts working. He said to eat breakfast and then a piece of fruit in between bf and lunch. You will still consume calories but your body is already working it off vs not eating bf and you lose all that time your metabolism is sitting doing nothing. Since I have started eating breakfast I have lost 8 pounds doing nothing different than that. Hope this helps out.

jrich1

I wake up at 6 and dont eat breakfast till 8, never had a problem

determined99

ive heard within 2 hours of getting up....

DrBorkBork

You should eat breakfast within 30 mins of waking up. An hour or two later is snack time/brunch, lol.

lordofultima

As soon as you get up. Your body needs energy then, you've been in a catabolic state for like 6-10 hours.

sunnysashka

I absolutely HAVE to eat my breakfast in 30 minutes after I wake up because I stop eating after 6 pm, so by the morning I'm really hungry!:laugh: LOL
And it is my heaviest meal of the day: 500-600 cals
This is just me. No science under that:flowerforyou:

smilhet

oh my goodness I so agree--When I eat breakfast I am So hungry the rest of the day!!!!I prefer to skip it all together!!!I am now trying for 2 weeks to make myself eat something to see if it makes any difference---I have lost 30 pounds and I am now stuck!!!for about 4 weeks I have stayed the same and I am eating less--so I told myself that I would try this --will see if this makes a difference!!

sector7b

wow, thanks for all the input. It will take me a while to 'digest' it all. (pun intended, pun failed). I personally love breakfast, as its my favorite meal. I've been getting up and walking hills for 30-40 minutes in the morning though, and prefer eating after that and stretching, and a shower and getting dressed. So wondered if I should be eating first. According to the article it looks like im ok. Again thanks for all the input.