Is eating breakfast a must?

2

Replies

  • MissFit0101
    MissFit0101 Posts: 2,382
    You can't kickstart your metabolism with breakfast anyway. So eat when you feel like it. Your body can't tell time.

    ^ THIS

    Yup, that!
  • I am the complete opposite! No breakfast in the morning=no energy throughout the day. Dinner on the other hand, I *can* go without.
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    I eat breakfast but I don't do it to 'kick start my metabolism' or anything like that.

    It just keeps me from being hungry until lunch time.
  • No. You don't have to eat breakfast. Your body isn't stupid. If you aren't hungry, and it messes with the rest of your day, that would be a good clue to skip it. There are lots and lots of people who will give you a different opinion, but I've seen WAY too many people lose weight, AND be fit without every eating breakfast.

    Yep, And I'm one of them. From 105KG down to 87 just by reducing the amout of food I eat. I Never have breakfast.
  • It all comes down to one thing; Are you a morning person or a night person?
    If you're a morning person, then eat breakfast. If you're not, then wait until you feel hungry.

    Can your body tell time?
    Not technically. Your body has it's own clock. This clock is set based on how you live your life. When you wake up, sleep, when you eat and what you eat, daily activity among other lifestyle aspects. So, if you're the type to stay up late, odds are your body doesn't realize it's morning and has already adjusted to your lifestyle. It can of course change as you change your lifestyle as it has for many people on this site. However, you don't have to force yourself to do so, unless you feel you want that as a part of your lifestyle.

    Regarding sunlight, this reasoning only applies to those who live in the parts of the world which actually get enough of it. Most states and provinces don't; so that doesn't apply to most people.
  • Geez! EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT! What works for some will not work for everyone so if not eating breakfast works for you, then don't eat breakfast. If it does, then go for it. Don't listen to everybody else, because as you can see they all think differently. Just listen to your body.
  • You know, everyone is different. What works for one might not work for another. you need to find what suits you best, there are no rules.

    However, eating lots of little meals every couple of hours is a good way to PREVENT weight loss.

    The advice to eat five or 6 small meals a day or to snack between meals to maintain a steady blood sugar level and keep metabolism "stoked with food" is among the worst advice possible. It boggles the mind that a majority of doctors, dieticians, nutritionists, and fitness instructors promote this absurd approach to energy management. It is as if someone started a bad rumour and everyone accepted it as a truth.

    If a person does lose weight eating this way, it is usually because he or she is eating fewer calories in total than before. This may "work" for a few weeks, until leptin levels readjust to the new level of calorie intake and slow down metabolism. However, this eating strategy inhibits normal fat burning by interfering with the proper function of leptin and insulin.

    These are the simple facts that will never change: Eating food, raises insulin. Insulin promotes storage of calories and prevents the burning of stored fat for fuel.

    How to Burn Fat
    Three to four hours after a meal, blood sugar levels naturally begin to drop because insulin has done its job of transporting calories about the body. Now it is time to use stored calories. The drop in insulin signals the pancreas to produce another hormone, called glucagon. Glucagon's job is to maintain the blood sugar level in the absence of food coming in from the diet. This is normal.

    Glucagon goes over to the liver and knocks on the liver's door. It says, "You stored sixty percent of the calories following the last meal. I need some of those to maintain blood sugar levels." Glucagon is the manager, the liver obeys orders. The liver now converts stored sugar (glycogen) back into blood glucose to maintain blood sugar levels.

    Yes, the body is getting a "snack." But Instead of the snack coming from food, it comes from sugar stored in the liver. This is liver fitness and normal function. Between meals, about sixty percent of fuel will now be sugar coming from the liver. In the flame of burning sugar, and under the influence of glucagon, the liver will now burn forty percent fatty acids. Triglycerides are now broken down to be used as fuel. This starts happening three to four hours after a meal and continues until the next meal is eaten. This is a fat-burning time.

    The longer a person is in this fat-burning mode, the greater the amount of fat he or she will burn -- as long as energy level is maintained. A healthy person who has not eaten for four to five hours prior to bed will burn sixty percent fatty acids and forty percent sugar the last three to four hours of sleep, a prime fat burning time. If a person eats before bed it shuts off this prime fat-burning time during sleep.

    If a person eats a snack it raises insulin and shuts off fat burning. Even worse, the liver never uses any of its stored sugar. Because this sugar was never used, calories eaten at the snack now can't go into the liver as part of the normal storage function of insulin. Instead, the calories are headed in the direction of fat formation, even if the snack contained no fat grams.

    Snacking flips on the insulin switch at the wrong time, which causes the consumed calories to head for fat storage. This is true even if a snack contains only fifty to a hundred calories. Anything that was a fatty acid headed for energy production is now repackaged as a triglyceride and stored: fat burning stops. This is why snacking and eating five to six meals a day is such a bad idea. Those perpetuating this way of eating as a means to stabilise blood sugar are actually fuelling insulin resistance and leptin resistance. In reality, this significantly contributes to the societal epidemics of obesity and diabetes, inducing metabolism to function in a crippled manner. Snacking or eating too often confuses leptin, and sooner or later this catches up with an individual.
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    If coffee is considered breakfast, then yes.
  • Hah, yeah All I have is a coffee :)
  • You know, everyone is different. What works for one might not work for another. you need to find what suits you best, there are no rules.

    However, eating lots of little meals every couple of hours is a good way to PREVENT weight loss.

    The advice to eat five or 6 small meals a day or to snack between meals to maintain a steady blood sugar level and keep metabolism "stoked with food" is among the worst advice possible. It boggles the mind that a majority of doctors, dieticians, nutritionists, and fitness instructors promote this absurd approach to energy management. It is as if someone started a bad rumour and everyone accepted it as a truth.

    If a person does lose weight eating this way, it is usually because he or she is eating fewer calories in total than before. This may "work" for a few weeks, until leptin levels readjust to the new level of calorie intake and slow down metabolism. However, this eating strategy inhibits normal fat burning by interfering with the proper function of leptin and insulin.

    These are the simple facts that will never change: Eating food, raises insulin. Insulin promotes storage of calories and prevents the burning of stored fat for fuel.

    How to Burn Fat
    Three to four hours after a meal, blood sugar levels naturally begin to drop because insulin has done its job of transporting calories about the body. Now it is time to use stored calories. The drop in insulin signals the pancreas to produce another hormone, called glucagon. Glucagon's job is to maintain the blood sugar level in the absence of food coming in from the diet. This is normal.

    Glucagon goes over to the liver and knocks on the liver's door. It says, "You stored sixty percent of the calories following the last meal. I need some of those to maintain blood sugar levels." Glucagon is the manager, the liver obeys orders. The liver now converts stored sugar (glycogen) back into blood glucose to maintain blood sugar levels.

    Yes, the body is getting a "snack." But Instead of the snack coming from food, it comes from sugar stored in the liver. This is liver fitness and normal function. Between meals, about sixty percent of fuel will now be sugar coming from the liver. In the flame of burning sugar, and under the influence of glucagon, the liver will now burn forty percent fatty acids. Triglycerides are now broken down to be used as fuel. This starts happening three to four hours after a meal and continues until the next meal is eaten. This is a fat-burning time.

    The longer a person is in this fat-burning mode, the greater the amount of fat he or she will burn -- as long as energy level is maintained. A healthy person who has not eaten for four to five hours prior to bed will burn sixty percent fatty acids and forty percent sugar the last three to four hours of sleep, a prime fat burning time. If a person eats before bed it shuts off this prime fat-burning time during sleep.

    If a person eats a snack it raises insulin and shuts off fat burning. Even worse, the liver never uses any of its stored sugar. Because this sugar was never used, calories eaten at the snack now can't go into the liver as part of the normal storage function of insulin. Instead, the calories are headed in the direction of fat formation, even if the snack contained no fat grams.

    Snacking flips on the insulin switch at the wrong time, which causes the consumed calories to head for fat storage. This is true even if a snack contains only fifty to a hundred calories. Anything that was a fatty acid headed for energy production is now repackaged as a triglyceride and stored: fat burning stops. This is why snacking and eating five to six meals a day is such a bad idea. Those perpetuating this way of eating as a means to stabilise blood sugar are actually fuelling insulin resistance and leptin resistance. In reality, this significantly contributes to the societal epidemics of obesity and diabetes, inducing metabolism to function in a crippled manner. Snacking or eating too often confuses leptin, and sooner or later this catches up with an individual.
    Hell yeah, pick up an A&P book!
  • ogosun
    ogosun Posts: 175 Member
    It starts your metabolism burning for the day, so yup, you should try to do it... it makes you hungry when you eat for that very reason.. it's a good thing!! What about a protein shake or a smoothie if you don't actually want to eat?


    Not true what so ever.... for some people it does work kicking up your metabolism but for some not. I find if i have breakfast i am so hungry all day(super hungry) and when i don't eat i am not hungry at all during the day and i drop weight fast and keep it off.

    Read Eat for your blood type... totally true...
  • ogosun
    ogosun Posts: 175 Member
    Geez! EVERYBODY IS DIFFERENT! What works for some will not work for everyone so if not eating breakfast works for you, then don't eat breakfast. If it does, then go for it. Don't listen to everybody else, because as you can see they all think differently. Just listen to your body.



    yes must totally agree with you.... 100 percent... ::))
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Yes! The word breakfast literally mean "breaking fast". when you go to sleep, your body goes into a state of fast, if you dont eat shortly after waking to break that fast, you'll stay in a fast, which means storing...and your body doesn't store muscle when you fast, its stores fat. but don't worry if you're not a morning eater, you dont have to have a massive meal...a piece of toast with peanut butter...or just plain toast...is enough to do the job...and if you keep doing that, believe me you'll get to the point where breakfast will be easy and enjoyable.

    What a bro tastic response.
  • shabbarshaikh
    shabbarshaikh Posts: 136 Member
    Yes! The word breakfast literally mean "breaking fast". when you go to sleep, your body goes into a state of fast, if you dont eat shortly after waking to break that fast, you'll stay in a fast, which means storing...and your body doesn't store muscle when you fast, its stores fat. but don't worry if you're not a morning eater, you dont have to have a massive meal...a piece of toast with peanut butter...or just plain toast...is enough to do the job...and if you keep doing that, believe me you'll get to the point where breakfast will be easy and enjoyable.

    Absolutely True.

    As other said, if you are a Day time worker, without break fast for a long time will lead you to Diabetic. This is what happend to me.

    Best of Luck.
  • Clarecbear82
    Clarecbear82 Posts: 369 Member
    As others have said everybodys different. I personally find that if I don't eat it I'm starving and more likely to eat junk later on but for others this is not the case. So just do what's right for you. As long as you stick within your calorie goals it doesn't matter what time you eat.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Yes! The word breakfast literally mean "breaking fast". when you go to sleep, your body goes into a state of fast, if you dont eat shortly after waking to break that fast, you'll stay in a fast, which means storing...and your body doesn't store muscle when you fast, its stores fat. but don't worry if you're not a morning eater, you dont have to have a massive meal...a piece of toast with peanut butter...or just plain toast...is enough to do the job...and if you keep doing that, believe me you'll get to the point where breakfast will be easy and enjoyable.

    Absolutely True.

    As other said, if you are a Day time worker, without break fast for a long time will lead you to Diabetic. This is what happend to me.

    Best of Luck.

    Not eating breakfast for a long time will make you a diabetic? Skipping breakfast is the sole reason you became a diabetic?

    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQIATLMlM4Z3QvMTNL8OwKL2OPvKxJdVMWurAwCZTZgead6oK7b&t=1
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    It starts your metabolism burning for the day, so yup, you should try to do it... it makes you hungry when you eat for that very reason.. it's a good thing!! What about a protein shake or a smoothie if you don't actually want to eat?
    It's been scientifically proven now that breakfast doesn't kickstart metabolism. Metabolism runs 24 hours.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • ambivalence11
    ambivalence11 Posts: 93 Member
    I've found if I eat a carb rich breakfast I end up starved before noon. If I eat a high protein breakfast with eggs ( I make my own egg mc muffins with a little microwave thing I bought, or sometimes I eat eggs and turkey sausage) I don't get as hungry. You need something a bit more substantial than just carbs because your body will burn them off quickly early in the day. Also, if you still end up hungry, try having yogurt mid-morning, about 3 to 4 hours after breakfast, or eat a piece of fruit. I eat the calories to lose 1 lb a week, but I usually lose nearly 2 because I eat small and often.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,028 Member
    Breakfast is the most important fuel for your day. Try a protein drink instead or maybe oatmeal with berries or even a breafast bar. I eat small meals and snacks , something every couple hours
    Myth.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • If your body isnt hungry, dont feed it
  • Debbe2
    Debbe2 Posts: 2,071 Member
    Is there any way to kick start your metabolism without eating breakfast? I really hate eating in the morning. I have tried a few times since joining this site and all it does is make me extreemly hungry for the rest of the day...


    Lol, you have your hands full with answers and probably more questions than the one you asked on this thread. Since you don't enjoy breakfast, don't have it. Plain and simple. This is a lifestyle that you are creating with the goal of consistency and longevity. Don't do or eat what doesn't fit your tastes and within your life...( Exercise excluded). I love breakfast and always have. So I have something the first hour I'm awake. Then I start my day. Do what you enjoy and if you need to adjust it because you're eating too little or too much then you will adjust.

    Love your horses and profile picture!
  • TDGee
    TDGee Posts: 2,209 Member
    I want a pancake and some bacon now. Thanks.
    :flowerforyou:
  • deegeyspazms
    deegeyspazms Posts: 56 Member
    I think the breakfast theory came about because scientists observed naturally thin people - the majority of whom ate breakfast. So they concluded that breakfast must help keep them thin. I reckon they ate breakfast because they were hungry...
  • I am in the same boat. Breakfast makes me so sick. I am doing okay with it now, but it still makes me sick and hungry like an hour later.
  • R4z0r4Mm0
    R4z0r4Mm0 Posts: 131
    Breakfast is the most important fuel for your day. Try a protein drink instead or maybe oatmeal with berries or even a breafast bar. I eat small meals and snacks , something every couple hours
    Myth.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    What he said.
    http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

    But for runners - a meal after my morning run is apparently a must.
    So I do a bit of fruit and oatmeal, coffee and water after my run and all is good until Lunch.
  • You can't kickstart your metabolism with breakfast anyway. So eat when you feel like it. Your body can't tell time.

    Actually, it sort of can. It reacts differently depending on what your habits are like and the time of day (sunlight).

    No.

    Lol. Okay there.
  • debshedkg
    debshedkg Posts: 28 Member
    Good morning, I agree that eating breakfast makes also makes me more hungry.

    I have read up allot and their is evidence that women who ate breakfast regularly tended to eat fewer calories overall during the day. Those men and women who ate breakfast cereal had lower overall fat intake -- compared to those who ate other breakfast foods.

    Eating early in the day keeps us from "starvation eating" later on. But it also jump-starts your metabolism,

    When you don't eat breakfast, you're actually fasting for 15 to 20 hours, so you're not producing the enzymes needed to metabolize fat to lose weight.

    Breakfast skippers replace calories during the day with mindless nibbling, bingeing at lunch and dinner. They set themselves up for failure.

    I have started eating breakfast every morning and my entire day is different, I don't snack so much and I find waking up early to have time to make and eat breakfast is great, about at 6.45am. Oatmeal, Kellogs with fruit or yoghurt and even a healthy vegy sandwich keeps me going until snack time which is about 10am.

    My blood sugar is constant and my mood :smile: ,we are all still like children, when babies are hungry, the first thing we always ask is "maybe it is feeding time" same thing with toddlers and even now my kiddos age 9 and 11.

    Hope this helped and it really is a great start to the day.

    Have a great week, regards

    DD
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I think its going to be different for everyone. If you don't like eating breakfast or it doesn't work for you - then experiment til you find what makes you feel good and helps you stay healthy.
    For me, missing breakfast makes me more likely to want to snack later in the day. I'm not quite sure why this is, but I've observed it enough times now to decide that I'm better off if I eat in the morning. I'm also better if I have a reasonably substantial breakfast - usually fruit before I run and oatmeal when I get back.
  • hush7hush
    hush7hush Posts: 2,273 Member
    actually thats not true..not about breakfast..who cares if you skip breakfast, but yes body can tell time..for instance the body during the early morning hours goes through a phenomenon known as "twilight" where bloodsugars start to raise and insulin has a tendency to increase to make up for that difference..just wanted to correct you sunkisses :).

    So what about someone that works overnights, and goes to sleep in the early morning hours?
  • ComeAroundSundown
    ComeAroundSundown Posts: 69 Member
    I don't eat breakfast unless I wake up hungry. Which is never. Sometimes, I may become hungry after being awake for 2-3 hours, but I wouldn't consider what I eat at that time breakfast. I rarely eat anything before 11am.
    You don't have to eat breakfast, if it makes you sick, just don't eat it. I honestly see it as a completely unnecessary "meal", unless you're about to run a marathon or work out intensely, etc.
    Those saying that it "kick starts your metabolism" - no, it doesn't.
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