Skipping Breakfast?

maaleka

I used to never eat breakfast... I got fat.

Now I'm trying to be healthy, the popular thinking is that "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day".

Since I'm trying to be healthier and loose weight I eat breakfast, sometimes something very small, sometimes more...

Now you tell me it's a myth! It sounds like almost every principle of weight loss is a myth.

Augh!

I feel the EXACT same way... *smiles* I am not alone!!

Acg67

^This page

johnpangan

Breakfast is way too important to skip it. Like they said, its called "break fast - breaking the fast" . IMO, when it comes to diet and working out, its about being consistent. Having a structured eating time, I'm less prone to eating bad food and staying within my caloric goal. That what works for me!

usmcmp

^This page

Quite!

scdegroot

I just have coffee and a 110 cal biscotti for breakfast. I have wondered why so many people are not hungry in the morning. It may be that insulin levels are low after an overnight fast and as soon as you start eating the levels rise and make you hungry. There was a carb diet that recommended eating carbs at night for weight loss, which would fit this theory. So, a low glycemic breakfast should work including protein instead of carbs to keep your blood sugars level. I did well by small portions and snacks all day, starting at noon however.

Actually low blood sugars make you incredibly hungry. Some may say even more hungry than with high blood sugars. Type 1 diabetic....

Athijade

^This page

Derpy is best pony!

I am still shocked at the number of people who believe the dieting myths of "boosting metabolism" or "don't eat late at night". It really is sad. There is so much SCIENTIFIC evidence that meal frequency and timing have nothing to do with weight loss as long as calories are met.

Now, I do eat a banana (EVIL!) and have an almond milk in the morning because I work out in the mornings. Otherwise, I don't worry about it.

Samscape

As it relates to weight loss, I’m not sure of the correct answer. I’m a chronic “non-breakfast” eater, and I honestly think it’s been detrimental. I have found that whenever I do try to lose weight, it comes off much faster if I do eat breakfast regularly. It also means I’m hungry all day long, whereas if I don’t eat breakfast, I can go most of the day without eating. This seems to corroborate the notion that eating early turns on the metabolism for the rest of the day, at least in my case.

But there’s another reason to eat breakfast not related to weight management. It has to do with blood sugar levels. I was recently doing some research on how to lower blood sugar levels because I have been steadily creeping toward “pre-diabetic” levels over the last several years. Without getting too technical, adult onset diabetes is usually related to the body developing an insulin resistance. Insulin is needed to break down the glucose derived from what we eat. The more insulin the pancreas has to secrete over time to handle the blood glucose, the less effective that insulin becomes. Then it has to secrete more to keep up with glucose levels. Over time, it can’t keep up, and blood sugar rises along with the insulin resistance. Since insulin is secreted in direct response to how much glucose there is to handle, eating smaller meals more often will help level out the amount needed. With each small meal, only a small amount of insulin is needed. And if these meals are spread out throughout the day, it allows for a steady state blood glucose level, rather than peaks and valleys.

If you ate only one meal a day, but that meal was 1,400 calories, you still might lose weight. But you’d create a situation where the pancreas has to secrete a huge amount of insulin to handle that much food. And it’s the large amount of insulin that can cause the body to become resistant to its effects.

So it stands to reason that breakfast is important, not only because there might be metabolism benefits, but it also helps to smooth out the blood glucose curves and allows for as little insulin use as possible. That’s a clear benefit that makes sense to me. Hence, I eat a small breakfast (since I’m not really hungry), then I snack on healthy things all day long (since I’m hungry the rest of the day). I just have to make sure that lunch and supper are not gigantic meals. I’m able to stay within my calorie range, and I’m helping my body by allowing it to not have to use much insulin.

For what it’s worth…

This guy is right on the money, in my opinion (I am not a health care professional or nutritionist).

I believe that it is important to regulate your blood sugars, and try not to make your insulin sky-rocket, which it can do if you wait too long to eat. I don't believe that it would have any effect on weightloss either way (calories in vs calories out is the key), but having your blood sugars get too low can cause cravings for naughty things, which can lead to other health issues, and possibly have you go over your calories for the day. This is not the truth, just my opinion. Also, since I exercise first thing in the morning, I find it is important for me to eat breakfast soon after (with plenty of lowfat protein).

This has definitely been helpful; reading all these posts. Thanks to everyone who's participated! As I said, I am not a professional in this area, so I appreciate reading many of the articles that people post about this.

p_m_g

Actually there have been studies that show that eating breakfast, lunch and dinner show a link to greater weight loss.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/13/three-simple-weight-loss-strategies-that-work/

Should read what you link to. The "study" says people skipping meals tend to over compensate their calories later (correlation, not causation).

Additionally, it suggests REGULAR meals. Meaning eating at the same intervals every day. So if your interval does not include the standard conception of breakfast, then that is fine.

The study you mention is in regards to skipping regular meals, not specific meals as designated by ideology (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Calories in vs Calories out. Not what time you eat them. You body does not magically not absorb calories before 10am or during a blue moon or whatever crazy timing idea pops up next.

I have a MBA, so I have mastered the art of learning to read.

I see you have lost 2 lbs in your weight loss journey and therefore must be a weight loss expert. I am sure the people who spent time on this study are nowhere near as educated as you are. How silly of me to not defer to your wisdom.

Responses like yours are the reason many choose not to participate in the message boards.

Sidesteal

Actually there have been studies that show that eating breakfast, lunch and dinner show a link to greater weight loss.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/13/three-simple-weight-loss-strategies-that-work/

Should read what you link to. The "study" says people skipping meals tend to over compensate their calories later (correlation, not causation).

Additionally, it suggests REGULAR meals. Meaning eating at the same intervals every day. So if your interval does not include the standard conception of breakfast, then that is fine.

The study you mention is in regards to skipping regular meals, not specific meals as designated by ideology (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Calories in vs Calories out. Not what time you eat them. You body does not magically not absorb calories before 10am or during a blue moon or whatever crazy timing idea pops up next.

I have a MBA, so I have mastered the art of learning to read.

I see you have lost 2 lbs in your weight loss journey and therefore must be a weight loss expert. I am sure the people who spent time on this study are nowhere near as educated as you are. How silly of me to not defer to your wisdom.

Responses like yours are the reason many choose not to participate in the message boards.

Way to lead by example.

Acg67

Actually there have been studies that show that eating breakfast, lunch and dinner show a link to greater weight loss.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/13/three-simple-weight-loss-strategies-that-work/

Should read what you link to. The "study" says people skipping meals tend to over compensate their calories later (correlation, not causation).

Additionally, it suggests REGULAR meals. Meaning eating at the same intervals every day. So if your interval does not include the standard conception of breakfast, then that is fine.

The study you mention is in regards to skipping regular meals, not specific meals as designated by ideology (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Calories in vs Calories out. Not what time you eat them. You body does not magically not absorb calories before 10am or during a blue moon or whatever crazy timing idea pops up next.

I have a MBA, so I have mastered the art of learning to read.

I see you have lost 2 lbs in your weight loss journey and therefore must be a weight loss expert. I am sure the people who spent time on this study are nowhere near as educated as you are. How silly of me to not defer to your wisdom.

Responses like yours are the reason many choose not to participate in the message boards.

LowcarbNY

Shiver me timbers! What blasted landlubber would have though that me Pirate lads were keeping the world cool.

Blast it all, maybe it is the other way. Those warming temperatures have melted all me Pirate lads away.

LizaArg

I'm too busy to eat sometimes but I like to have something like a protein shake after my coffee so I'm not too jittery. I usually like to work out in the morning, so I need something light.

cindylou1992

On a serious note, I personally found eating breakfast to be very beneficial for me. Sets you up for the day and in my experience leads to eating less.

I never used to eat breakfast and I would find myself getting really hungry within a couple of hours, so I tend to have a low fat yogurt and a slice of toast or two and I feel much better for it as it keeps me going until my next meal!

Because of my working hours I start work between 10am and midday so my "lunch" isn't until 4pm.

dhiammarath

I've never been able to stomach breakfast. I don't wake up ready to eat, and if I try, I get ill. At least until several hours after I've woken up. Which usually is like around 11 am, so I might as well hold out for lunch! So I eat lunch and dinner only and sometimes I have a snack.

Thus far, it's not negatively impacted my weight loss that I can tell. I've recently tried to eat breakfast and still no-go.

Lunch and dinner it is!

ninerbuff

MFP is a great place to get 100 different opinions and answers to your question. If you are really serious about your health, contact a professional. Their advice will be night and day different from this thread. I'm a fitness and nutrition professional, but my prescriptions revolve around exercise and eating healthy. If you are exercising properly and care about your muscles, you would never willingly allow them to enter Cannibalism (the breakdown and use of body tissue for energy in the absence of nutrients).

Isn't it actually a called "catabolism"? Cannibalism is the physical eating of your own kind. And just what state does the body actually be in to have catabolism be activated? What I'm asking is how can you tell when you're on the cusp of catabolism? Also please provide a scientific source (not an article, but an actual peer reviewed study) because I would be interested in seeing it since I haven't found any real evidence yet of it happening if you fast.

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

ninerbuff

eating breakfast is proven to help u loose weight, u should eat breakfast!

So is using crack. Have you read Sidesteal's links?

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

lolly2721

I personally am hungry in the morning. I make a frozen fruit and protein shake and that holds me until around 10. I have found that eating smaller meals more often helps me and breakfast is just one of those.

I say eat when you are hungry but if you don't see any weight loss them try a low cal breakfast or breakfast shake. It may kick start your day. Do what works best for you as long as it is healthy.

Athijade

Actually there have been studies that show that eating breakfast, lunch and dinner show a link to greater weight loss.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/13/three-simple-weight-loss-strategies-that-work/

Should read what you link to. The "study" says people skipping meals tend to over compensate their calories later (correlation, not causation).

Additionally, it suggests REGULAR meals. Meaning eating at the same intervals every day. So if your interval does not include the standard conception of breakfast, then that is fine.

The study you mention is in regards to skipping regular meals, not specific meals as designated by ideology (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner).

Calories in vs Calories out. Not what time you eat them. You body does not magically not absorb calories before 10am or during a blue moon or whatever crazy timing idea pops up next.

I have a MBA, so I have mastered the art of learning to read.

I see you have lost 2 lbs in your weight loss journey and therefore must be a weight loss expert. I am sure the people who spent time on this study are nowhere near as educated as you are. How silly of me to not defer to your wisdom.

Responses like yours are the reason many choose not to participate in the message boards.

Please don't give the rest of us MBAs a bad name. The person you quoted was correct. Correlation does not equal causation (which you should have learned in your business statistics course work). The study being discussed does not show that BREAKFAST alone helps with weight loss. It simply shows that for some people, skipping that meal can lead to over consumption of calories later on. However, if you are tracking your calories, then this will not happen.

There is NO proof that eating breakfast will have an impact on losing weight. There is no causation here. There is no such thing as "boosting" your metabolism or having to eat X number of meals a day. Those are myths that have no real scientific backing.

AnvilHead

As usual, Sidesteal's info cuts through all the broscience crap and is right on the mark....backed by actual scientific studies rather than random articles from "diet" websites. Props to Sidesteal, acg67 and ninerbuff for posting consistently accurate info - and having the personal experience and RESULTS to back it up.

I eat breakfast every day, but for two specific reasons:

1) I shoot for at least 173g of protein a day and I always have high-protein breakfast foods available to me at home. My breakfast usually contains a minimum of 25-30g protein, which gives me a good running start at hitting my macros.

2) If I don't eat breakfast, I'm starving by mid-morning and more prone to making bad food choices (i.e., cramming whatever I can find into my mouth).

SomeoneSomeplace

I know breakfast kick starts your metabolism but personally when I eat it I cannot under any circumstances stay anywhere near my goal. Once I force myself to eat in the morning I am STARVING an end up eating 1800 calories. If I wait until I feel hungry around 1 PM for lunch then I am easily able to keep my calories at my goal.

So I stopped eating breakfast as well. I still eat three meals a day (normally lunch, dinner at work and then some kind of late night meal when I get home at night) this works best for me.