Breaking the breakfast cycle

TROUBLE2

I was speaking to a nutritionist yesterday and she told me to break the breakfast cycle, she said there is nothing that says we have to eat oatmeal or cereal, or even bagels or donuts… she recommended, eating vegetables, fruit, and whole grain wheat bread. She even went as far as to ask “why not eat dinner for breakfast?” eat the most calories that you will intake for breakfast, then less for lunch and even less for dinner.
This is not a new concept I have heard this before but what my question is;
Who has done this? What do you eat as your dinner/breakfast? I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but should I be having a Chicken sandwich, with carrots, Broccoli and brown rice for breakfast?
I would rather eat a lot of small meals throughout the day than 3 big meals 4-5 hours apart from each other. What is everyones preference?

TROUBLE2

I was speaking to a nutritionist yesterday and she told me to break the breakfast cycle, she said there is nothing that says we have to eat oatmeal or cereal, or even bagels or donuts… she recommended, eating vegetables, fruit, and whole grain wheat bread. She even went as far as to ask “why not eat dinner for breakfast?” eat the most calories that you will intake for breakfast, then less for lunch and even less for dinner.
This is not a new concept I have heard this before but what my question is;
Who has done this? What do you eat as your dinner/breakfast? I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but should I be having a Chicken sandwich, with carrots, Broccoli and brown rice for breakfast?
I would rather eat a lot of small meals throughout the day than 3 big meals 4-5 hours apart from each other. What is everyones preference?

Shannon023

Interesting.

I don't like to eat a lot when I first wake up, but would be interested to read if this has worked for others too.

nickybr38

Oh man, I can barely eat breakfast as it is. My stomach is usually really upset and unsettled by morning. Foods like cereal, fruits and the like are easiest for me to digest (so I feel anyway). I've tried having more 'lunch' like foods for breakfast but it just doesn't work.

Haha, anyway, my body tends to be a bit picky so breakfast foods for breakfast is what works for me.

Hollychan

I work the early morning shift, 4am to 11am most days.. By the time our morning show is over, at 7am, everyone usually sends me somewhere to get breakfast. I often go for a more filling sandwich rather than a small biscuit or a donut. Although, i believe your metabolism can stay high through the day if you eat many small meals rather than trying to stick with the big 3.

Just my .02

Chellekk

I had left over soup for breakfast yesterday.

My meals are pretty even, unless I work out and then my dinner is still 100-200 calories bigger then breakfast and lunch.

Denise Austin came to speak at my work last year and said the exact thing. Eat breakfast like a KING, lunch like a PRINCE, and dinner like a PAUPER. I agree with this, but don't follow it.

My dinners aren't larger portions by any means, but what I choose to eat at that time or add to my dish has more calories. IE Cheese.

PS. Waffles for dinner are the best!!

jdelisle

I agree with her on the bagel part. I heard somewhere that eating a bagel is like eating 1/2 loaf of bread.

You have to look at food as fuel for your body. As a society we tend to fill up our gas tank when we are running on empty instead of making sure that we have enough nutrients and 'fuel' to keep us going.

I'm not sure if I could do supper for breakfast though! I think that's a bit extreme. I do agree though that we should not be eating the majority of our calories before bed. Isn't it lunch that is supposed to be your 'big meal'?

I myself have an appt. with a nutritionist next week, I'm looking forward to see what she will say!

Lizjkp

I know the saying eat like a
King at breakfast
a Prince at lunchtime
and a Pauper at dinnertime (The Pyramid reversed) but I think with most people having to work we have become used to eating smaller meals at breakfast and larger meals at night, dont think that I could eat a dinner in the morning, I woulsd love to have 4-6 smaller meals a day but who has the time (my boss would have a cadensa).

When cavemen cursed and beat the ground with sticks, they had just missed another buffalo!
Today, it's called golf and is a very expensive hobby/sport.

Chellekk

I used to eat 5 mini meals a day. I now eat 3 meals a day and snacks when ever I feel like adding them and then dessert. I think what ever works for you is the best route to take.

TROUBLE2

I think I am going to try this, maybe make my breakfast in the evening before, and have things like chicken and fresh vegetables...

I will let everyone know how it goes, maybe do a daily update. we will see... I think I can do it, I just need to get out of the mindset that i have to have cereal or toast or something like that.

I smell a challenge coming on...

hwilliams519

I can't eat a lot for breakfast. And I'm very picky when it comes to breakfast food. I do like bread, fruit, peanut butter, eggs, cereal, whatever. I try to keep it between 150-300 calories. If I try to eat a bigger breakfast, I just end up eating too many calories throughout the day. It's funny...I can eat breakfast food at dinner time, but I just can't eat dinner food at breakfast.

I used to eat 3 meals and 2 snacks a day, and that really worked in the beginning. Now I'm eating 3 small meals a day with only 1 snack. I stay so full, that sometimes I don't even want a snack. I think the key is trying to balance your meals more (with calories and food pyramid).

msarro

Most countries outside of the US tend to eat higher calorie meals during the day, and then eat a sparse dinner. It's just one of those weird things we do, lol.

I eat snacky foods for breakfast, but they're fast, simple, and healthy

pepamint83

I think I am going to try this, maybe make my breakfast in the evening before, and have things like chicken and fresh vegetables...

I will let everyone know how it goes, maybe do a daily update. we will see... I think I can do it, I just need to get out of the mindset that i have to have cereal or toast or something like that.

I smell a challenge coming on...

please do let me know how this works for you i am very curious. :huh: personally it takes everything i have for me to eat breakfast although i have been trying and since signing up for this site last tues i have been being good and eating it (usually im not hungry till diner) anyway i actually read a people magazine article i believe it was a year or so ago (ill try to find out and post the link) about this very topic dinner for breakfast. this family started doing it becuase they thought well why eat my heaviest meal at night if i burn most my calories during the day so they did dinner for breakfast lunch for lunch and breakfast for dinner. (a typical days menu was also in the article) and they all lost wieght it was incredible so like i said i am very curious to see how this goes for u. good luck and please update :bigsmile:

MisoSoup79

I eat a big breakfast on days I workout. If I work out in the morning, I'll have a small bowl of cereal and maybe a piece of fruit before I head to the gym, then I'll have boiled eggs and turkey sausage with yogurt afterward (for example). For me, eating a large, satisfying breakfast helps me to eat less throughout the day. But as for choice of foods, well, I'm not hungry for veggies and chicken first thing in the am! I'm hungry for eggs and sausage, cereal, grits, yogurt, fruit, etc. It's all about taste for me.

I can, however, sit down to a dinner of breakfast foods no problem!

lessertess

I prefer to eat small meals through out the day. I used to hate eating breakfast but I love it now. In the mornings I'm so busy getting ready for work that the "traditional" breakfast works really well for me. It takes absolutely no time to pop some oatmeal in the microwave or to scramble a couple eggs. On the weekends I'll make an omelet. Thing is, I really love most breakfast food. Sometimes I have it for dinner. However, I've been know to have left over dinner for breakfast.

coronalime

I LOVE the idea but not sure how I can make it a family thing. I have kids and I cant imagine switching them and making different meals everyday for different people is not an option.
I totally agree though since I eat most at night. Its maybe a combo of eating too little and overstuffing at night or just the mindset that dinner is the bigger meal of the day..Not sure.
Good luck though.

dewpearl

I know the saying eat like a
King at breakfast
a Prince at lunchtime

Or:

Eat breakfast alone,
lunch with your friends and
dinner with the enemy (who'd steal your cheese cake in no time :laugh: ).

I moderate the food I have for breakfast, to make sure I'm not having half my calories :grumble: , but I used to eat a sandwich (bread,some ham, low-fat cheese). And then a fruit yogurt. I had to force myself to switch to cereals, but still need to supplement that at times (specially when I'm having coffee, which makes my stomach growl within an hour).

Still not sure how to cook oatmeal. Somebody help? :embarassed:

astridfeline

I sometimes eat pinto beans & rice for breakfast--yummy. This originated from my time in guatemala where the only thing I ever ate was black beans & eggs twice a day.

TROUBLE2

OK so two weeks in and I have been eating different things from Chicken, Turkey, Veggies, Brats, Hard boiled egs, and even went as far as having left over steak mmmm

So far I have noticed that my muscles are not as sore the next day after a weight lifting workout, with the added protien from the chicken, brats, and the hard boiled eggs, i think its helping my muscles repair themselves.

it was really hard at first but now two weeks into it I feel fine, and I do not automatically grab for the cereal or oatmeal. I do like t occasional have oatmeal but that is because i like my banana bread oatmeal!

good luck to anyone who trys this.

I have also noticed my energy levels jumped up a bit, i have more energy and I no longer at 2:00 pm crash at work!

Alisha28

I have a hard time eating oatmeal early no way could I eat dinner but I have heard about this and heard it works to eat less in the evening. Wish I could do it. But no way could my stomach handle dinner in the morning.:noway:


Alisha

MyaPapaya75

I eat lean meat and veggies for breakfast ..it works well for me so far. It seems to help with plateaus I havent had any yet.

Summarain

I was speaking to a nutritionist yesterday and she told me to break the breakfast cycle, she said there is nothing that says we have to eat oatmeal or cereal, or even bagels or donuts… she recommended, eating vegetables, fruit, and whole grain wheat bread. She even went as far as to ask “why not eat dinner for breakfast?” eat the most calories that you will intake for breakfast, then less for lunch and even less for dinner.
This is not a new concept I have heard this before but what my question is;
Who has done this? What do you eat as your dinner/breakfast? I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day but should I be having a Chicken sandwich, with carrots, Broccoli and brown rice for breakfast?
I would rather eat a lot of small meals throughout the day than 3 big meals 4-5 hours apart from each other. What is everyones preference?

I believe that it is a great idea to do because you would end up burning more calories and losing more weight that way. If you think about it, you dont want to eat your biggest meal last as it would be the one that keeps the calories on you without you burning them cuz you would be sleeping...lol.

I am doing this now, I dont have any results as I am on a Scale Strike but I will let ya know what the out come is. Heavy breakfast, light lunch and very light dinner it is!:flowerforyou:

TROUBLE2

OH i had not posted my weight loss,

2 weeks:
Start weight = 190
finish weight = 185
5 pounds lost
0 cardio
5 days a week bulk weight lifting

big breakfast, medium lunch and little to no dinner. It was not easy but now that I am getting used to it i found that its quite easy!

not to mention i did not have thta much weight to loose so it should have been harder, yet it was not that bad!

drewzaun

A typical Swedish breakfast when I was there was a ham and cheese sandwich. They eat pancakes for dinner, never for breakfast.

In the Army I often ate all kinds of things for breakfast. I don't know if it is better or not, (though eating more calories early and less late is a good idea on its own) but I do know that anything you eat, you can eat for breakfast. And its usually good cold.

Fitness_Chick

OK so two weeks in and I have been eating different things from Chicken, Turkey, Veggies, Brats, Hard boiled egs, and even went as far as having left over steak mmmm

So far I have noticed that my muscles are not as sore the next day after a weight lifting workout, with the added protien from the chicken, brats, and the hard boiled eggs, i think its helping my muscles repair themselves.

it was really hard at first but now two weeks into it I feel fine, and I do not automatically grab for the cereal or oatmeal. I do like t occasional have oatmeal but that is because i like my banana bread oatmeal!

good luck to anyone who trys this.

I have also noticed my energy levels jumped up a bit, i have more energy and I no longer at 2:00 pm crash at work!

What a great challenge...glad you posted Hiand Sounds like it's working well for you...that's awesome, just saw this thread today so I may just give it a go:flowerforyou:

FC

Hannah_Banana

Wait wait... not have BREAKFAST food?! Somebody is trying to kill me. I could have breakfast for every meal of the day. Of course, I don't have oatmeal or cereal. I have eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast and (sometimes) pancakes. Not all at once of course, but I couldn't give those things up! :embarassed:

Fitness_Chick

Wait wait... not have BREAKFAST food?! Somebody is trying to kill me. I could have breakfast for every meal of the day. Of course, I don't have oatmeal or cereal. I have eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, toast and (sometimes) pancakes. Not all at once of course, but I couldn't give those things up! :embarassed:

oh but you don't have to give them up!:noway: You could mix it up a bit and eat them for dinner sometimes:drinker: :bigsmile:

thury

I really like this idea but I am usually in a rush in the morning and doing very little besides my workout in the evening. I like my big meal at the end of the day so I am full while I am not as occupied. Have you felt hungry at all in the evenings??

TROUBLE2

I really like this idea but I am usually in a rush in the morning and doing very little besides my workout in the evening. I like my big meal at the end of the day so I am full while I am not as occupied. Have you felt hungry at all in the evenings??

Yes at first i felt hungry but after about 3 or 4 days that feeling went away, typically i have something really small, for dinner, like a peanut buuter and jelly sandwhich or something light, sometimes i make breakfast at night before i go to bed, like the brats i cooked them up and microwaved them in the morning... it was easier than i thought, i have always been a real big cereal person, now im more of a dinner for breakfast person... i did make teh sacrifice to get up an extra 15 minutes earlier so that i had time to re-heat my breakfast... as far as the feeling full at night i have nuts (pecans, or almonds) and a hard boiled egg its filling and easy to make 6-12 of them at a time!

tomorrow is spahgetti, with brown pasta and home made sauce mmmmmm i can not wait... i have been filling in alot of calories with a protein shake so it is difficult to eat your 600-800 calories for breakfast, (2000cal diet for me)

yellow_pepper

I used to do this... back when I was a student with no dinner budget or a summer intern working in a city where I hardly knew anyone. At the time, I had no one to go to dinner with so I could easily eat a small salad for dinner and call it a day.

But now I go out for dinner several nights per week, and I find it very impractical to front-load my meals. I haven't mastered the art of ordering very little while my dinner companion is eating a full meal. So, I struggle through the day on less than 1,000 calories so that I can eat a 3-course dinner without gaining weight.

I know it's not conducive to weight loss. But I love going out to dinner with my boyfriend. I just try not to eat too much before dinner on those nights so that it evens out. And no, I haven't been losing weight since we adopted this schedule of several dinners out per week. It's a little frustrating.

I think I'm beginning to understand what it's like for you married MFPers! I'd gotten used to living on my own and eating frozen dinners every night. Then Mr. Wine-and-Dine came along, and don't get me wrong, he's wonderful but fattening! Just like the dinners we have together!

TROUBLE2

Its hard hard hard to loose dinner when you go out to eat... thats because of all teh extra fat and stuff they add to teh food to make it taste extra tastegasmic...

i have not been out to eat in at least 3 weeks, and when i do i usually go with soemthing chickenish and or soup...