How Important IS breakfast??

SergeantSunshine_reused

Ok folks please get off this "it boosts your metabolism" kick. You dont lose weight any faster by eating breakfast nor is it any healthier. Intermittent fasters dont eat breakfast, and they lose weight and are healthy. You think if you eat breakfast but eat junk you'll be healthy? What is unhealthy is being obese and sitting on the couch all day.

Some of the broscience in this thread is also unhealthy. Seriously.

I was wondering when you would join us!
hehe

liftingbro

The bottom line here is that eating breakfast has no metabolic advantage.

However, there are non-metabolic advantages.

#1- Some people will be lethargic without breakfast.
#2- If you are hungry when you wake, it's best to eat something instead of potentially melting down going to mcdonalds.
#3- It might be a way to make an eating routine which can be as important as a workout routine for some people.

However, if you feel better eating later then by all means eat later, you won't be slowing down metabolism.

BerryH

Eat when you want, timing is irrelevant. It's just calories in versus calories out. I eat less and lose more weight when I wait until I get into work to eat - around 9 instead of "breakfast time" at 7am - because I don't need a mid-morning snack to keep me going.

grrrlface

Eat when you want.
I only mostly eat breakfast on the days I'm at college and I know I might not get a break/lunch until 1 or 2pm if we're having a busy salon day.
If I'm hungry for breakfast I'll also eat.

There isn't any advantage to eating it unless you feel you need a boost of energy when you get up on a morning but then I just have a coffee.

engineman312

i have found that when i eat a nice big breakfast, about 1/4 of my daily calories, i tend to lose weight more. yesterday i didn't eat breakfast until about 10am, and i gained (retained) weight. it also helps keep me full longer, and i love the feeling of having a 5am breakfast, and not being even the slightest bit hungry for a snack until 10am, and even then i only have a granola bar and a cup of coffee.

Sidesteal

It's already been mentioned but I'll reiterate:

It makes ZERO difference as far as metabolism goes. You can eat all your calories before bed if you want and it wont matter one bit as far as NET fat gain or fat loss for the day, provided we are hitting macros/cals at end of day in both scenarios.

That being said: You should structure your meal timing/eating schedule with the following in mind:

1) What best fits your lifestyle?
2) What provides you with the greatest gym performance?

And for the above, there is no right answer. This is where I'd default to "we're all different".

It's personal preference, but it won't make one bit of difference as far as providing you with some metabolic edge.

<

---

Eats most of his calories before bed.

Gigi_licious

Ok folks please get off this "it boosts your metabolism" kick. You dont lose weight any faster by eating breakfast nor is it any healthier. Intermittent fasters dont eat breakfast, and they lose weight and are healthy. You think if you eat breakfast but eat junk you'll be healthy? What is unhealthy is being obese and sitting on the couch all day.

Some of the broscience in this thread is also unhealthy. Seriously.

:flowerforyou:

engineman312

i don't understand how ppl can say the meal time is irrelevant. while no, you don't have to eat every 4 hours, or on a set schedule, you should have some kind of regularity to your meal intake. no one is saying "breakfast must be eaten by 8am," however, i feel that within 90 minutes of waking up, ingesting something has really helped me out. i used to skip breakfast all the time, or not eat until after i got to work, which was at least 2 1/2 hours after i woke up.

vim_n_vigor

Even as a small child, I would get ill eating breakfast. It doesn't matter what I eat, but if I eat before about 9:30 in the morning, I get sick. Not just an I don't feel good sick, but physically ill. For me, forcing myself to eat breakfast before I am ready is not going to happen. Eat when it works for you, and eat your calories.

asyouseefit

i don't understand how ppl can say the meal time is irrelevant. while no, you don't have to eat every 4 hours, or on a set schedule, you should have some kind of regularity to your meal intake. no one is saying "breakfast must be eaten by 8am," however, i feel that within 90 minutes of waking up, ingesting something has really helped me out. i used to skip breakfast all the time, or not eat until after i got to work, which was at least 2 1/2 hours after i woke up.

Eating breakfast within 90 min of waking has worked for YOU and might work for others. But that doesn't mean EVERYONE must eat breakfast. Some people aren't hungry in the morning and don't eat before lunch. Several of my coworkers are like that and none of them has weight problems!

brit49

You really don't need to eat breakfast it not a big deal I start eating at about 11 too, and your schedule about the same has mine, I eat my dinner at around 5 and then light snacks up until around 8 nothing heavy after 6 Its like IF

engineman312

Eating breakfast within 90 min of waking has worked for YOU

yeah, thats what i said.

rosebarnalice

Personally, I couldn't handle a day without breakfast, because if I don't eat something in the morning, I'm fussy and thinking constantly about food until lunch. It's probably a blood sugar thing.

I'm a light breakfast eater, but I aim for protein and a serving of fruit or veggies. I alternate between a scrambled egg with a cup of veggies mixed in (spinach, eggplant, artichokes, mushrooms) or oatmeal/flax meal with a cup of blueberries or blackberries. Both very filling for ~ 160- 180 calories

SergeantSunshine_reused

i don't understand how ppl can say the meal time is irrelevant. while no, you don't have to eat every 4 hours, or on a set schedule, you should have some kind of regularity to your meal intake. no one is saying "breakfast must be eaten by 8am," however, i feel that within 90 minutes of waking up, ingesting something has really helped me out. i used to skip breakfast all the time, or not eat until after i got to work, which was at least 2 1/2 hours after i woke up.

Glad it has worked for you :]
I just think that people should do what works for there lifestyle.
I have skipped breakfast for so long and it hasn't hindered me

asyouseefit

Eating breakfast within 90 min of waking has worked for YOU

yeah, thats what i said.

and not eating breakfast has worked for others. So meal timing is indeed irrelevant.

Sidesteal

i don't understand how ppl can say the meal time is irrelevant. while no, you don't have to eat every 4 hours, or on a set schedule, you should have some kind of regularity to your meal intake. no one is saying "breakfast must be eaten by 8am," however, i feel that within 90 minutes of waking up, ingesting something has really helped me out. i used to skip breakfast all the time, or not eat until after i got to work, which was at least 2 1/2 hours after i woke up.

Sometimes people shorten it to "meal timing is irrelevant" which isn't a true statement. Meal timing is irrelevant in providing a metabolic boost. Meal timing is VERY relevant (to the individual) in that it may make you feel better or function better to follow a certain schedule. In that regard it is a personal choice, but not one that arbitrarily provides universal advantages.

The problem comes in when people make claiims about it "kickstarting your metabolism" or "you've not had food all night, you must eat to get out of your catabolic state immediately". These are broscience claims and they cause people to do unneccessary (sp) things.

Lastly, it's great that you've found what works for you, and you should keep doing it.

engineman312

i don't understand how ppl can say the meal time is irrelevant. while no, you don't have to eat every 4 hours, or on a set schedule, you should have some kind of regularity to your meal intake. no one is saying "breakfast must be eaten by 8am," however, i feel that within 90 minutes of waking up, ingesting something has really helped me out. i used to skip breakfast all the time, or not eat until after i got to work, which was at least 2 1/2 hours after i woke up.

Sometimes people shorten it to "meal timing is irrelevant" which isn't a true statement. Meal timing is irrelevant in providing a metabolic boost. Meal timing is VERY relevant in that it may make you feel better or function better to follow a certain schedule.

The problem comes in when people make claiims about it "kickstarting your metabolism" or "you've not had food all night, you must eat to get out of your catabolic state immediately". These are broscience claims and they cause people to do unneccessary (sp) things.

Lastly, it's great that you've found what works for you, and you should keep doing it.

thanks. i love #5 in your signature. i don't know about "jump starting my metabolism," but i have noticed that i have better work outs and experience a weight loss on days that i have breakfast. its always something healthy, and i try and mix it with carbs and protein, and a fruit or a veggie.

oh, and "broscience." lol.

koosdel

So I am not a good breakfast eater. I don't feel well in the morning generally and by the time I feel hungry it is about 11...which of course throws me off the schedule of the rest of my family and I am left eating at 11, 3, and 8 while everyone else eats at like 8, 12, and 6...it is annoying to say the least.

So in terms of health etc how important IS it to have breakfast in the morning? Would I benefit from forcing myself to eat earlier in the morning or am I better off just leaving it alone?

So.. if you're eating at 11, 3, and 8 wouldn't that count as breakfast, lunch, and dinner?

BodyRockerVT

Meal timing is irrelevant.

Yea except for the part where I like to eat with my family....

BodyRockerVT

I'd be questioning why you're not feeling well in the morning.

That's easy, IBS.