Breakfast is the most important meal of the day...

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Replies

  • I am up early, i need about 20 minutes to wake up before I work out. I find if I drink some water before (4 oz) and after my work out (4-8 oz), by the time I am done showering, I am hungry. When I dont drink the water or if I drink a small amount, I dont get hungry.
    I also will eat a protein bar sometimes before I shower, or I will eat it on the car ride to work. Thats what works for me.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    Why do people think they have to be hungry to eat?

    I try to eat something every 2.5 to 3 hours of awake time no matter what...Even if it's an apple with PB...or Almonds with Brown Rice Cake...
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because, that is what it does, starts your metabolism.

    Sorry but, nonsense.

    Why did that comment make me feel I am at a NASCAR event...and breakfast is the key to ....(START YOUR ENGINES)
    ********************************************************************************************************************
    Why does eating a healthy breakfast help control weight?
    Answer
    from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
    Here are some of the ways that regularly eating a healthy breakfast may help you lose excess weight and maintain your weight loss:

    Reduced hunger. Eating breakfast may reduce your hunger later in the day, which may make it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix — such as vending machine candy or doughnuts at the office. In addition, the prolonged fasting that occurs when you skip breakfast can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.

    Healthy choices. Eating breakfast may get you on track to make healthy choices all day. When you eat breakfast, you tend to eat a healthier overall diet, one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day, too.

    More energy. Eating breakfast may give you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply your muscles with immediate energy. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity.So, if you skip breakfast — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119
  • sweetnlow30
    sweetnlow30 Posts: 497 Member
    I am not a morning person to say the least and I rarely eat breakfast aside from my one morning coffee with skim milk. Of course on the odd day that I wake up hungry, I will eat something. I actually enjoy the intermittent fasting. I tend to eat all my calories within a 10 hour window and it has always worked very well for me. I am rarely hungry until about noon so I just have a larger lunch. Two large meals and a small evening snack is much more satisfying for me than several small meals. I have lost 100 pounds using this method.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Breakfast is the most important meal of the day because, that is what it does, starts your metabolism.

    Sorry but, nonsense.

    Why did that comment make me feel I am at a NASCAR event...and breakfast is the key to ....(START YOUR ENGINES)
    ********************************************************************************************************************
    Why does eating a healthy breakfast help control weight?
    Answer
    from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
    Here are some of the ways that regularly eating a healthy breakfast may help you lose excess weight and maintain your weight loss:

    Reduced hunger. Eating breakfast may reduce your hunger later in the day, which may make it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix — such as vending machine candy or doughnuts at the office. In addition, the prolonged fasting that occurs when you skip breakfast can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.

    Healthy choices. Eating breakfast may get you on track to make healthy choices all day. When you eat breakfast, you tend to eat a healthier overall diet, one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day, too.

    More energy. Eating breakfast may give you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply your muscles with immediate energy. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity.So, if you skip breakfast — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119

    These are all behavioral reasons and not physiological reasons. This doesn't make the article invalid by any means, but for those of us that can monitor behavior and make the conclusion as to whether or not skipping breakfast causes us to behave differently, it's perfectly fine to skip breakfast -- purely from a physiological standpoint.

    www.leangains.com
    http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,282 Member
    I thought having something in your stomach was important when you start a day of activity. I am more alert and energetic when I have breakfast. If I don't , I feel lathargic. Doesn't hxve to be a lot.....but something. And now its even more important because I have to take my meds with food or I feel sick. And if do any exercising before breakfast I also feel sick.

    I skipped breakfast for years and never felt ready for the day when I did. I thought that was just the way it was. Now now.
  • BrettPGH
    BrettPGH Posts: 4,716 Member
    IF you do like eating something for breakfast, go right ahead. I'm not saying not eating breakfast is a good tool for success or anything. What I (and others) are saying is that it's not necessary if you can function without it and you aren't having any problems regarding your weightloss or health.

    If you don't like to eat in the morning, you don't have to. That's all.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,282 Member
    I agree, but some of the posts were making others out to look like idiots. A general statement that you don't what you are talking about if you say breakfast is important, to me seems a bit mean. What would make more sense is what YOU just said....not comments like you don't know what you think you know. Each person knows what is right for them. We aren't cookie cutter beings. And you can't believe everything you read.....on a medical site or an online group.
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    I agree, but some of the posts were making others out to look like idiots. A general statement that you don't what you are talking about if you say breakfast is important, to me seems a bit mean. What would make more sense is what YOU just said....not comments like you don't know what you think you know. Each person knows what is right for them. We aren't cookie cutter beings. And you can't believe everything you read.....on a medical site or an online group.

    I don't believe you (lol)
  • cutchro
    cutchro Posts: 396 Member
    I am up at 4:30 and have Steel Cut oats by 4:45. It took some getting use to but now I am hungry within the first half hour of waking on any date.
  • kewkdb
    kewkdb Posts: 207 Member
    I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if you're not hungry right away in the morning? I wake up at 3:30 am, go for a walk, get ready, and go to work. I'm usually not hungry until at least 7-8:00. Is it bad to wait that long to eat or should I be eating breakfast earlier, even if I don't think I'm hungry?

    Any time I'm not hungry in the AM I just eat some nuts. I have mixed peanuts, almonds, and walnuts in a bag just for this purpose. They are dense in calories so not even a full hand full and you are good.
  • islandnutshel
    islandnutshel Posts: 1,143 Member
    3:30am your body is in it's elimination cycle. i would save breakfast for a few hours. in this case listen to your body. Some hot lemon water will speed up the cycle. Fruit maybe.
    That's early, do you work in a bakery?
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,282 Member
    Congratulations!!! LOL!
  • michaelgilstrap
    michaelgilstrap Posts: 74 Member
    Well, I know it's been beaten in to me to eat something within an hour of getting up, to jump start the metabolism, It definitely could be wrong, and I've noticed that there are a lot of people that respond differently than others in a lot of situations. So, I would say it wouldn't hurt to get something healthy in your stomach in the morning, whether for psychological reasons, or for metabolism reasons, but finding what is working for you is more important than what any one person says. I've been grabbing something really light on my earlier mornings so I don't throw it up at my first workout and trying to eat a better breakfast in my 2nd meal, and most days that seems to be working for me. All that to say, if you're losing and feeling and getting healthy doing what your doing than I wouldn't change, if not than it couldn't hurt to start getting a healthy breakfast earlier in morning and seeing if that makes a difference for you. I'm starting steel cut oats and egg whites this week, will see how it goes :) I'm new to all this though, but if nothing else wanted to say hi and send some encouragement :).
  • swordsmith
    swordsmith Posts: 599 Member
    I dont really eat breakfast. I never believed that most important meal of day ad.
  • DGK12
    DGK12 Posts: 117
    I take a thyroid pill when I get up that requires it be taken on an empty stomach, with no food for at least 30 mins after I take it. So I get up, take my meds with a cup of coffee, get ready, and eat oatmeal at the office an hour and a half later. Works for me, and oatmeal fills me up all morning long.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
    3:30am your body is in it's elimination cycle. i would save breakfast for a few hours. in this case listen to your body. Some hot lemon water will speed up the cycle. Fruit maybe.
    That's early, do you work in a bakery?
    Really now, you think your body can tell time?
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    I've always heard that eating breakfast kick starts your metabolism for the day. Even if its late, even if its something small. My boyfriend is the same way as you, he cant eat for a few hours or so. I would say just eating something. Its better than to wait too long to eat something then you go into blind hunger mode and just eat whatever you want.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    The actual "kickstart" that you get from eating is called the Thermic Effect of Feeding or Diet Induced Thermogenesis. It's based on the calorie total and macronutrient composition of your food and for lack of a better way to put it, it's the energy requirement to process the food you eat.

    The myth is that "Hey, I burn calories to process food, I should eat more often therefore I'll burn more calories" and it's absolutely false assuming we're holding calories and macronutrients (in total) constant.

    For an analogy, if I lay a table of food in front of you, and lets just say that it's the rack of ribs that tipped over the Flintstones car in the beginning episode.

    If you eat it all in one meal, your body will have to expend a hefty amount of calories to process all of the food. If you eat it in equal portions over the course of 5 meals, it will require 1/5th of that energy (because you're eating less of it) but since you're doing this 5 times, the net expenditure you get strictly from consumption is essentially a wash.

    I wrote a post about this effect, and I'm not suggesting you just take my word for it. I've referenced the post to several different reliable sources, and I'd suggest going into the thread and using it to navigate to those sites for better info:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/529002-a-compliation-on-meal-frequency
  • LiddyBit
    LiddyBit Posts: 447 Member
    Why do people think they have to be hungry to eat?

    I try to eat something every 2.5 to 3 hours of awake time no matter what...Even if it's an apple with PB...or Almonds with Brown Rice Cake...

    Are you joking?

    Not learning to listen to your body's cues is probably how most people became overweight in the first place.

    Also, I have NEVER understood why eating breakfast is supposed to curb hunger. I ALWAYS over eat and am far hungrier throughout the day if I eat breakfast. I usually just have coffee and my first meal of the day will be 3-4 hours after I get up, sometimes later.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    I skip breakfast on a regular basis. You don't need to eat it to "rev up your metabolism" or any such nonsense. If you don't want to eat breakfast, don't. You have to find a way of eating that is sustainable and doable for you.
  • capnwo85
    capnwo85 Posts: 1,103 Member
    Every time I come across this thread, which is at least 3x daily...

    Fight_Club_by_iceman5008.gif

    If you're not hungry don't eat, just don't over eat later. Hit goals, then repeat.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Every time I come across this thread, which is at least 3x daily...

    Fight_Club_by_iceman5008.gif

    If you're not hungry don't eat, just don't over eat later. Hit goals, then repeat.

    LOL
  • nicehormones
    nicehormones Posts: 503 Member
    I know that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but what if you're not hungry right away in the morning? I wake up at 3:30 am, go for a walk, get ready, and go to work. I'm usually not hungry until at least 7-8:00. Is it bad to wait that long to eat or should I be eating breakfast earlier, even if I don't think I'm hungry?

    I have heard that being hungry first thing when you wake up is a sign of a fast metabolism, and not being hungry later is a sluggish one. Is it true? Who knows. But I would try starting to eat when you get up, even if it's just a banana. You'll get your body used to it so it won't be in a fasting state any more... Break the fast.... heh heh, get it?
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Provided you don't have any medical issues that necessitate eating frequently, and provided you don't have any behavioral issues from not eating (for example, if skipping breakfast causes you to overeat later in the day) then I wouldn't worry about it.

    The whole idea of breakfast being "most important" is basically sillyness.

    It doesn't "boost your metabolism" as people claim, and additionally there is no harm in short-term periods of not-eating.

    www.leangains.com for one well-referenced site about this.

    This! Skip breakfast!
    Workout at 12pm or 1pm.
    Eat at 2pm and make it count!
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member


    I have heard that being hungry first thing when you wake up is a sign of a fast metabolism, and not being hungry later is a sluggish one. Is it true?

    No. Your hunger signaling is largely hormonal. Ghrelin is one such hunger signaling hormone and it's adaptive to feeding patterns to a large extent.

    In short, one major reason you're hungry for breakfast is because you are used to eating breakfast.

    Those of us that don't eat breakfast (IF'ers) aren't hungry for it. It works out quite nicely.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Every time I come across this thread, which is at least 3x daily...

    Fight_Club_by_iceman5008.gif

    If you're not hungry don't eat, just don't over eat later. Hit goals, then repeat.

    HAHA!
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member



    Not learning to listen to your body's cues is probably how most people became overweight in the first place.

    Wrong...People who are not monitoring their Calorie intake is the reason they become overweight in the first place....

    I know plenty of people who only one or two meals a day....roughly lunch and dinner...and they are extremely overweight because they are waiting until they are hungry to eat....and they fill their plates up with portions so huge they could feed a small village....

    If they took the time to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and a healthy snack they will be more inclined not to overeat....

    Have a good day
  • Deedsie
    Deedsie Posts: 348 Member
    If I skip breakfast, I don't realize I'm hungry until I'm reaching for a Snickers or something else that I shouldn't be eating. Also on the days that I skip breakfast I find that instead of maintaining my blood sugar all day, I'm bouncing up and down which causes me to have mood swings and overeat at night. I don't think that it is necessary to eat breakfast every morning and I also think that fasting is fine when done with a doctor's oversight but I do eat breakfast most mornings. It is what works for me. I find I am hungry for breakfast as long as I stop eating at least 3 hours before bed. (I typically sleep 7 hours per night.)

    For an early morning start, I eat more bland foods like sugar free steel cut oats and egg whites. I find really early in the morning that highly sweet or spiced foods make my stomach upset.

    Hope this helps!
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member



    Not learning to listen to your body's cues is probably how most people became overweight in the first place.

    Wrong...People who are not monitoring their Calorie intake is the reason they become overweight in the first place....

    I know plenty of people who only one or two meals a day....roughly lunch and dinner...and they are extremely overweight because they are waiting until they are hungry to eat....and they fill their plates up with portions so huge they could feed a small village....

    If they taking the tme to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and a healthy snack they will be more inclined not to overeat....

    Have a good day

    ^ THIS is exactly how I got obese. I wouldn't eat all day then binge on a 1500 calorie meal then do it again later that evening. I have a problem with food binging when I don't eat during the day. Not everyone has that problem, but many of us do.