Big breakfasts make me overeat

moe5474

Does anyone else have this issue? Every time I eat a larger breakfast (350-400 cals) I end up overeating the rest of the day. I make sure the breakfast have lots of protein and fiber in it, but it still happens.

You would think it would have the opposite effect on me, but when I start the day with a bigger meal I end up craving even more food at lunch and dinner. But if I eat something really small ~150 cals then I do fine.

I guess my question is, is this going to come back and bite me in the rear end later during my weight loss journey? Has anyone ever lost weight and kept it off eating a much smaller breakfast?

Spence_

Seriously: what ever works for you!

I'm intrigued by this, though... I'm going to have a small breakfast tomorrow and see if I eat less I have a feeling it'll have the opposite effect on me.

Sidesteal

Has anyone ever lost weight and kept it off eating a much smaller breakfast?

Plenty of people have lost weight eating no breakfast.

The whole concept of breakfast being "necessary" is a myth. You can literally eat nothing until the evening and be just fine.

Considering that your large breakfasts are causing you to go over your calories (I have the same problem), I would suggest either eating a very small breakfast or even nothing at all.

If you choose to skip breakfast it will take a short while to adjust.

1nsanity

do what you gotta do. if eating smaller in the morning helps you eat less throughout the day go for it! its more about calories in v. calories out than "eat big breakfast... lose weight!" everybody has different styles and techniques.

UponThisRock

sounds like there's a simple solution to a complex problem

SteveTries

Are you sure that it's cause and effect and that the larger appetite for that day overall isn't an effect of some other cause?

I absolutely find it easier throughout the rest of the day when I have a larger breakfast. When I AM hungrier all day I've realised it's when I had a heavy cardio workout the day before and didn't eat enough to cover that extra caloric burn. Could that be the case here?

moe5474

Has anyone ever lost weight and kept it off eating a much smaller breakfast?

Plenty of people have lost weight eating no breakfast.

The whole concept of breakfast being "necessary" is a myth. You can literally eat nothing until the evening and be just fine.

Considering that your large breakfasts are causing you to go over your calories (I have the same problem), I would suggest either eating a very small breakfast or even nothing at all.

If you choose to skip breakfast it will take a short while to adjust.

Well I don't skip breakfast, I just eat something much smaller than what most nutritionists would typically recommend. For some reason if I eat something larger it makes me crave more food throughout the day instead of giving me great fuel and willpower to push the plate away sooner at lunch and dinner.

Go figure....

mistikal13

It's the opposite for me. Large breakfasts make me not want to eat for like 6-7 hrs after!
I try to keep my meals a decent size so that I'm not starving by the next meal.

ZugTheMegasaurus

If I force myself to eat in the morning, I'm extremely hungry for the rest of the day, no matter what I eat. If I just wait until I'm hungry (usually 12 or 1PM), then I feel great.

If it's not working for you, stop doing it.

myfitnessnmhoy

I'm a snacker, and I need breakfast, but I find the same is true of me. If I eat a big breakfast, I'm hungrier during the day and tend to eat more.

But, oddly, I also feel more energetic, so I'm wondering if I'm burning off more of that larger breakfast and making up for some of the calories?

Either way, I've dealt with it by eating relatively small breakfasts, which set me up for relatively small snacks all day long, which keeps me from being hungry and keeps me feeling pretty energetic. Then, at supper, I can have a small meal and a snack later, and I'm almost always within my calorie budget. But that's what I've found works for ME. I'm also 6' 3" and running a 1000 calorie deficit so I'm eating 1450 calories a day. That's a lot of body to feed on 1450 calories, so I need to keep small amounts of food coming in nearly constantly or I find myself near a vending machine and HUNGRY!HUNGRY!HUUUNNNNGRRYY!! and I make piss-poor food decisions.

When I get out of maintenance, I may slowly adjust back to 3-4 meals a day. With the extra 1000 calories to use, I may be able to craft meals that keep me satisfied long enough. But any such adjustment will be done slowly, because I want a smooth transition from loss to maintenance - I've worked my *kitten* off (quite literally) on this weight loss and I don't want to do it again. Ever.

Your body doesn't care when you eat calories in terms of weight loss, but it does care how many of them there are. If skipping breakfast or having a small breakfast works for you, it works for you.

missikay1970

i am the exact same way. i was just telling my dad about this very thing. if i don't eat at all, or eat very little, i do better, but if i eat alot for breakfast, i am starving the rest of the day. weird!

Jacwhite22

I skip breakfast so I can eat more later in the day......Thats how I roll.

BodyElectric1

I normally have a small breakfast,. Big breakfasts keep me full till dinner, and then I end up eating a big dinner due to not eating lunch/ having a very small lunch. But my calories still kind of even out to my normal days.

Mayorcheeseheadbrownpants

About a year ago I didn't eat breakfast, ate salad for lunch, and nothing for dinner. It is a great way to lose weight! It really sucks because I can't get back in that groove again! I've put on 10 pounds! But make sure you never eat breakfast! Once you get the taste of food you body goes nuts and starts craving everything.

Kitty582

When I eat breakfast (normal or big portion sizes) I always overeat that day. So I skip breakfast and eat my first meal around 2 pm (getting up at 3:45 am).

It works for me, staying in my calories

hannah_ryann

I'll eat a protein bar and have some coffee in the mornings because like you, if I eat a 300-400 calorie breakfast I'm starving throughout the rest of the day. I'd rather save my calories for dinner also so I always eat a light breakfast.

shauner03

I'm the exact same way. Those commercials on TV constantly advocating breakfast being the most important meal of the day for weight loss drive me nuts!

I typically eat a very small breakfast or none at all. On days I have a large sized breakfast I end up hungry all day and overeat considerably. I guess we are just wired differently!

aarar

About a year ago I didn't eat breakfast, ate salad for lunch, and nothing for dinner. It is a great way to lose weight! It really sucks because I can't get back in that groove again! I've put on 10 pounds! But make sure you never eat breakfast! Once you get the taste of food you body goes nuts and starts craving everything.

:noway:

rosemary98

I don't know the science behind it...but yes, a big breakfast always leads to more hunger and more food by day's end.

DeterminedToLoseIt02

I like to save calories for lunch and dinner and snacks. But if I'm especially hungry in the morning I do eat something like oatmeal or cereal or toast

Escape_Artist

Has anyone ever lost weight and kept it off eating a much smaller breakfast?

Plenty of people have lost weight eating no breakfast.

The whole concept of breakfast being "necessary" is a myth. You can literally eat nothing until the evening and be just fine.

Considering that your large breakfasts are causing you to go over your calories (I have the same problem), I would suggest either eating a very small breakfast or even nothing at all.

If you choose to skip breakfast it will take a short while to adjust.

Well I don't skip breakfast, I just eat something much smaller than what most nutritionists would typically recommend. For some reason if I eat something larger it makes me crave more food throughout the day instead of giving me great fuel and willpower to push the plate away sooner at lunch and dinner.

Go figure....

Do whatever works for you. When I eat in the morning it's like I am starving all day. I used to force myself to eat in the morning because of the whole morning break fast myth.

Keep in mind that breakfast = breaking the fast which can be done at any time in the day.

I don't eat until 1:30pm now and only eat twice a day. Works best for me.

Pamstimelines

I really don't think there are many absolutes - just take pay attention to what your appetite is telling you. Don't eat more or less just to do it, eat when your hungry and stop when your full. Make the best choices you can and/or eat in moderation. If eating a large breakfast makes you feel that way then try cutting back and see how you feel.

Daisychain65

Thought this might be of interest . http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2012/08/17/eating-breakfast.aspx

Calliope610

I didn't eat breakfast for years, coffee only in the mornings, because I would get so hungry by mid-morning and I would overeat at lunch. I joked that breakfast "wakes up" my stomach, and once awake, my stomach realizes it wants food.

Now I eat breakfast regularly and find that when I eat breakfast (cottage cheese and fruit - high protein and fat - about 400 calories, coffee included), I am satisfied all morning, don't eat a huge and heavy lunch. I sometimes have a smack mid-late afternoon. And I'm not ravenous for dinner.

Breakfast works for me and my weight loss.

queenbekks

Same for me, so do what works for you! I find that if I have sugar before noon (even good sugar from fruit), I will overeat the rest of the day, so I stick to eggs and black tea in the am.

Fitnin6280

I normally eat between 100-200 calorie breakfasts. It seems to work for me. Just do what works best for you and dont worry about what the "studies" say. Everyone is different. Good luck!

ndj1979

breakfast is overrated..

does not matter if you have a large one, small one, or skip it..

as long as you stay in a calorie deficit and hit your macro goals for the day you will be fine...

ndj1979

About a year ago I didn't eat breakfast, ate salad for lunch, and nothing for dinner. It is a great way to lose weight! It really sucks because I can't get back in that groove again! I've put on 10 pounds! But make sure you never eat breakfast! Once you get the taste of food you body goes nuts and starts craving everything.

if this is such a great method, how d id you put ten pounds back on?

Yet more proof that starvation diets are unsustainable...

liloldDee

I never feel like eating until a couple of hours after getting up, I have to have a mug of tea though. I work a few mornings a week and usually have an Atkins daybreak bar to keep me going until 2 pm when I will next get chance to eat.

If my first meal of the day is big then I'm hungry for the rest of the day too. One thing I am learning is to listen to my body and to do what works for me.

Appalachia7

For me too - eating breakfast just leads to too many calories over all throughout the day. I can do Insanity just fine first thing in the morning on an empty stomach (with just a small amount of calories from coffee, skim milk, and xylitol or small amt of sugar). Plus I am naturally not as hungry in the mornings. I get by on things like an apple, tomato, or celery in the morning. I like to eat my biggest meal at dinner - plus it works best because I prepare meals for husband and kids, and find it next to impossible to prepare dinner and not eat it myself.

My husband who is 40+ and naturally lean has never been a big breakfast eater either. Or if he does eat a big breakfast then he doesn't need to eat again until after dark.

MarineCodie

I don't eat breakfast. I like to keep the bulk of my cals for when I get home from work. Breakfasts and snacks make me hungry. So, I just avoid them.