Breakfast. Is it really necessary?

bcattoes

I'm so good at kicking up dirt between people. :sad:

I'm going to post this again and put a different spin on it.

To me it seems like the girls verses the boys on this. I could be wrong though.

I'm a girl, well a 50 yo girl anyway. I eat most of my calories at night and that works for me. But that doesn't prove it would work for anyone else

ArroganceInStep

Seriously dude? First of all, I don't body build. Broscience refers to bodybuilders. But it's a doctor and fitness trainer. One trainer has her degree in nutrition. Trainers learn from results with their clients. Duh.

But that's all very irrelevant. I don't care if someone who has their 'broscience' certificate told me it doesn't affect weight. I have tested it. I'm not going to listen to something tell me something different than what I have experienced. Period.

No one is saying your way is wrong or that it won't work for you. The argument being made is that high meal frequency and eating earlier in the day is not a necessity to weight loss. In the same way you've 'tested' your belief and found it to work for you, other people have used intermittent fasting to great success in their own diets.

The link I provided links to a variety of studies, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3508745 being one of them. That's certainly not broscience.

Stick with what works for you, there's nothing wrong with eating breakfast, or eating earlier in the day. For a lot of people it helps them psychologically and makes it more likely for them to stick with their diet (the same way I can't stick with a diet if I don't exercise, even though you don't NEED exercise to lose weight). To say that your way is the only way to lose weight though simply isn't supported by science.

Sublog

Lots of LOL's in this thread. (Especially the one with the Dr, and 3 trainers confirming) Good thing MD's aren't nutritionists.

And for those who say it works for them - Correlation does not imply causation

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

russellma

I'm so good at kicking up dirt between people. :sad:

I'm going to post this again and put a different spin on it.

To me it seems like the girls verses the boys on this. I could be wrong though.

I'm a girl, well a 50 yo girl anyway. I eat most of my calories at night and that works for me. But that doesn't prove it would work for anyone else

I'm a 36 yo girl and I say "ditto" to what she said!

killagb

Meal timing DOES NOT MATTER.

As a blanket statement, that is probably as untrue as saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

THANK YOU!!!

Ok then I'll clarify....meal timing does not matter with regards to weight loss. It only has bearing on satiety.

Scarlett_S

Some people preach it for metabolism, but I prefer to have a 50 calorie "snack" and go to the gym first thing in the morning and jump start my body. I am never really hungry until 11 a.m. or so, and I tend to want to eat more in the evenings, so not eating a full breakfast helps me keep my calories in check.

alexbelly

I used to always skip breakfast. Then I started eating it because it was part of a new meal plan I had started.
I have to admit I am more awake, alert in the morning and less famished at lunch time.

It works for me, but not for my ex. My ex-boyfriend said breakfast would upset his stomach int he morning.

He ended up being a giant *kitten*, but I doubt it had anything to do with skipping breakfast.

bcattoes

Meal timing DOES NOT MATTER.

As a blanket statement, that is probably as untrue as saying breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

THANK YOU!!!

Ok then I'll clarify....meal timing does not matter with regards to weight loss. It only has bearing on satiety.

Still, even that is not going to be true for everyone. I'm not sure anything is true for everyone when it comes to nutrition, weight loss or satiety.

Acg67

It isn't water weight. I know the difference. I'm not weighing myself the next day.

And I know because I've learned. I spent MONTHS and MONTHS eating most of my calories later in the evening. I could not lose weight. Now I lose weight consistently because I don't eat late in the evening anymore.

Sheesh. How about we agree to disagree because this isn't going anywhere. It works for ME. That's what I'm saying.

So you ate the exact same things, in the exact same measured portions, did the exact same exercise with the exact same intensity and duration, took the exact same number of steps, and the only thing you changed was when you ate, and that is how you determined you gained fat eating late at night?

post hoc, ergo propter hoc

fatboypup

sometimes I have breakfast for dinner ..... and I like turtles

ArroganceInStep

It works for ME. That's what I'm saying.

But before you said:

Yes. You could eat your entire day's calories right before bed if you so wish, as long as you don't create a calorie excess.

This is so NOT true!!! And I hope no one takes this for face value. I have read and heard a million times that eating close to bedtime is not a good idea and can affect weight loss.

NO ONE is saying your strategy will prevent you from losing weight, what they're saying is that you don't have to do things the way you are in order to lose weight.

avonchik

i just watched Dr.OZ and there was a Dr. on there who said to eat your biggest meal at breakfast( eggs bacon etc,, Protein) and have a medium lunch and end with a small dinner.I might try that myself. Im a yo-yo breakfaster so if i eat right i may see better results! Good luck with whatever you decide to do!:bigsmile:

Sublog

It isn't water weight. I know the difference. I'm not weighing myself the next day.

And I know because I've learned. I spent MONTHS and MONTHS eating most of my calories later in the evening. I could not lose weight. Now I lose weight consistently because I don't eat late in the evening anymore.

Sheesh. How about we agree to disagree because this isn't going anywhere. It works for ME. That's what I'm saying.

So you ate the exact same things, in the exact same measured portions, did the exact same exercise with the exact same intensity and duration, took the exact same number of steps, and the only thing you changed was when you ate, and that is how you determined you gained fat eating late at night?

post hoc, ergo propter hoc

Or, they must be a wizard?

doubglass

Yes.
Makes staying with the plan easier.

mscargill

Your body lies dormant while you sleep, processing the food you've eaten during the day. When you wake up your body needs some kind of nourishment to get going. This doesn't have to be first thing but it should be within the first few hours.

VinaAnderson

Eating several small meals throughout the day is best and in order to space them out enough you should probably start early. If you don't like breakfast foods have some lean protein, whole grain carbs and a fruit or veggie to get your metabolism fired up. You may find it helps you lose more weight. I eat breakfast religiously. It helps me start my day with something healthy and prevents me from eating bad for the rest of the day.

bcattoes

sometimes I have breakfast for dinner ..... and I like turtles

You like turtles for breakfast or for dinner?

fatboypup

sometimes I have breakfast for dinner ..... and I like turtles

You like turtles for breakfast or for dinner?

french fried round noon time

ARDuBaie

Not necessary as increased meal frequency does not offer a metabolic advantage. Breakfast and # of meals per day is a personal preference

So I can eat once a day? lol

Yes. You could eat your entire day's calories right before bed if you so wish, as long as you don't create a calorie excess.

This would lead to low blood sugar, which is not healthy.

It is very difficult to achieve low blood sugars naturally. Usually, the only people that have low blood sugars are those who overdid their insulin. If you have fat on your body, the liver will perform glucogenesis and make sugar from the fat.

As for the breakfast question, I have read all sorts of things about eating or not eating breakfast. When you eat breakfast, the digestive system, which has been dormant all night, is reved up. Eating food requires a certain amount of metabolic function. So eating breakfast will rev up the metabolism.

As for those who feel that when you eat does not matter, I have read research on this as well. If you eat carbs at night, your body has a greater tendency of storing them as fat because you are not in metabolic overdrive during sleep. If you eat one big meal a day, consuming all your calories at that time, your body will be deprived of the benefits of fat burning that is inherent in the digestive process.

Whether you eat in the morning or not is entirely up to the individual. Personally, I find that I have better weight loss when I eat breakfast. That's just me, so people have to kind of play with this.

Kurto2021

You should eat breakfast that is high in fiber and protein.....it has a tendency to make you fill fuller throughout the day. The reality is it doesn't matter to me the most important thing I do is schedule when and what I am going to eat.

marquesajen

Talk to a doctor. Different things work for different people, but there is a lot of conflicting advice about breakfast.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

You're are so wrong. Eating later at night DOES matter. If it doesn't for you, you've been a lucky girl.
Cause it matters for me. My doctor has confirmed this and three trainers.

Most Doctors don't have degrees in nutrition and don't know a hill of squat and neither do most trainers............Be careful who you take advise from.

My doctor has a second degree as a registered dietician and also a degree from Bastyr University in Holistic Nutrition.

When and what time you eat does NOT matter.

chachita7

I do believe it is a personal preference...

HOWEVER, personally I have to keep my body fueled on a constant. If you look at it in a healthy habit view - perhaps 3 meals a day with snacks is a healthier habit than eating all calories in just one sitting. This is however not looking at metabolism or weight loss - more as to how your body functions when you fuel on a constant and properly.

Once upon I hated breakfast and water... with my healthier habits - i can't go without breakfast and by 8 am I have consumed at least 3 cups of water.

But again... it is a personal preference!!!

LadyKT

Not necessary as increased meal frequency does not offer a metabolic advantage. Breakfast and # of meals per day is a personal preference

So I can eat once a day? lol

Yes. You could eat your entire day's calories right before bed if you so wish, as long as you don't create a calorie excess.

This would lead to low blood sugar, which is not healthy.

It is very difficult to achieve low blood sugars naturally. Usually, the only people that have low blood sugars are those who overdid their insulin. If you have fat on your body, the liver will perform glucogenesis and make sugar from the fat.
.

^This.

Sublog

Your body lies dormant while you sleep, processing the food you've eaten during the day. When you wake up your body needs some kind of nourishment to get going. This doesn't have to be first thing but it should be within the first few hours.

How do you think we evolved over millions of years if we didn't eat our cinnamon toast crunch upon waking in the grasslands of Africa?

mncardiojunkie

Sorry if I insulted any of the girls...I couldn't tell by some of the photos..like that cat.. who was a boy and who was a girl.

Hummmm.......

I haven't a clue as what to say now.

I guess I have no stomach for food in the am. actually I have no stomach for food period. I personally could go without the messy affair. I gained weight back because of several things, but the biggest thing was wheat beer.....a lot of it.... over a month....I'm wheat intolerant...duhhh... Now I need to eat, yephhers not eating or eating very little messes with one's mind. I know that all to well. Then the holidays played a real number on me, intrupted my work outs, only at pumpkin pie...yeah..I know my sins. Of course there's far more too this.

We eat clean...no sugar, nothing EVER processed passes the threshold of this house. My 7 yr old has occasional pizza OUT or he'll junk out when he gets old enough and tall enough to reach a vending machine....We are very physically active. We have both planned physical activities nearly daily and fun activities we do for "leisure:"

Are we really storing fat because our body is trying to conserve?

My personal trainer told me to post this and see what kind of response I'd get.

My biggest concern is that my son end up with poor eating habits and if not eating breakfast messes with one's metabolism, I need to fix this now. FOR HIM!


I think I'll try to eat five strawberries in the morning for a week and see how that goes.

Thanks so much for everyone's input! Sorry to create a war... definitely not intended or expected.

PaleoPath4Lyfe

Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper. Works for me.

I have to disagree with whoever said it's fine to eat all your calories together though... surely you get that post-meal digestive slump, or more to the point notice a downturn in mental agility when you're very hungry? Even if you're a low-carb eater, it must cause peaks and troughs in nutrients and glucose levels if you eat just one massive meal each day, plus the stomach distention previously mentioned?

I live a controlled carb lifestyle due to reversing Diabetes and I Intermittent Fast almost every day and most of those days eat only 1 meal per day. I have no highs or lows in blood glucose levels, they remain even and no issues with stomach distention either.

I have more energy and sleep much better at night eating this way also. And they only nutrient I am deficient in is Vitamin D and that is due to lack of sunlight...................

Acg67

I think I'll try to eat five strawberries in the morning for a week and see how that goes.

uh oh, you're going to get fat. didn't you just say yesterday if you put any sugar in your mouth you will get fat period?

mrtrik

Pretty sure no one on here is qualified to answer that....

ArroganceInStep

Sorry if I insulted any of the girls...I couldn't tell by some of the photos..like that cat.. who was a boy and who was a girl.

Hummmm.......

I haven't a clue as what to say now.

I guess I have no stomach for food in the am. actually I have no stomach for food period. I personally could go without the messy affair. I gained weight back because of several things, but the biggest thing was wheat beer.....a lot of it.... over a month....I'm wheat intolerant...duhhh... Now I need to eat, yephhers not eating or eating very little messes with one's mind. I know that all to well. Then the holidays played a real number on me, intrupted my work outs, only at pumpkin pie...yeah..I know my sins. Of course there's far more too this.

We eat clean...no sugar, nothing EVER processed passes the threshold of this house. My 7 yr old has occasional pizza OUT or he'll junk out when he gets old enough and tall enough to reach a vending machine....We are very physically active. We have both planned physical activities nearly daily and fun activities we do for "leisure:"

Are we really storing fat because our body is trying to conserve?

My personal trainer told me to post this and see what kind of response I'd get.

My biggest concern is that my son end up with poor eating habits and if not eating breakfast messes with one's metabolism, I need to fix this now. FOR HIM!


I think I'll try to eat five strawberries in the morning for a week and see how that goes.

Thanks so much for everyone's input! Sorry to create a war... definitely not intended or expected.

I haven't read any studies regarding children (as I understand it there aren't a lot out there either) so I can't speak very intelligently on this matter. One thing I will say is breakfast is a meal that you can control, whereas when your son is at school there's less control there.