Coffee is not breakfast.

cwade1021
cwade1021 Posts: 95 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I got into a rather heated conversation (if you will) with a coworker who continues to complain about not being able to lose weight. I asked her to tell me what she eats during the day and the first thing I noticed was that she didn't eat breakfast. But debated with me about the fact that coffee is a perfectly acceptable breakfast and that would be enough to "jump start" her metabolism.

So, wondering what MFP's thoughts are on breakfast? Yay? Nay?
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Replies

  • ITS_MY_CHOICE
    ITS_MY_CHOICE Posts: 62 Member
    Always eat as soon as I get up.

    I feel horrid If I don't.
  • 1Kristine1
    1Kristine1 Posts: 697 Member
    Having only coffee for breakfast doesn't make sense to me. Sure coffee may suppress hunger but if you are drinking the coffee because you are tired its a little counter productive. Not eating will make you tired. IDK. I like breakfast, my favorite meal.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,423 Member
    I think the times that you eat are all about personal choice - I'm willing to bet that the reason she hasn't lost weight is that she eats too much and/or doesn't move enough.
    Whether she has coffee or a big brekky of eggs and bacon first thing doesn't matter - if she is eating too much in total during the day, she won't lose weight.

    I think we make this whole weight loss way more complicated than it needs to be with rules about timing and what you have to eat and when and where. Calories in/calories out works in my experience.

    Edited to add: I eat breakfast (2 breakfasts sometimes) because that makes me feel good. Not everyone is the same as me!
  • restoreleanne
    restoreleanne Posts: 217 Member
    I had to learn to get up and eat. I use to never eat till about 12 or 1 in the afternoon. now I have my protein shake in my hand by 6:30. It has helps me this far
  • mrskatie80
    mrskatie80 Posts: 133 Member
    I have coffee for 'breakfast'.
    And never eat till at least 10:30am. I'm full of energy :)


    http://www.leangains.com/
  • onyxgirl17
    onyxgirl17 Posts: 1,722 Member
    If I only have a choice between coffee or food, I'll take coffee. I try to get something with it though on most days because breakfast is important. I am guilty of having only coffee on some days though... when I'm rushing out the house. I pay for it later....
  • ashesannes
    ashesannes Posts: 11
    I wish there was a like button for these comments! haha
  • WifeNMama
    WifeNMama Posts: 2,876 Member
    I eat when I'm hungry.
  • photorific
    photorific Posts: 577 Member
    If she puts enough milk in it, it can be. :wink:
  • Rayman79
    Rayman79 Posts: 2,009 Member
    haha, don't you just hate it when you start a thread about arguing with a coworker... and YOU are the one who's wrong! :laugh:
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    I get up at about 7-8 am and do not eat my "breakfast" until 2pm. All I have is coffee for breakfast everyday.
  • ponyfan81
    ponyfan81 Posts: 24 Member
    More likely that she snacks randomly throughout the day because she's so hungry from not eating for hours. It doesn't matter when you eat, and breakfast doesn't "jump start" anything.

    She's either eating too little (killing her metabolism) or too much throughout the day. It's as simple as that for 99% of people.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
    I think it's a lot more likely that she's eating more than she realizes, either through non-measurement, non-tracking (including partial non-tracking), or 'cheat' meals/days which cancel out weekly deficits.

    Breakfast isn't really an issue unless you skip breakfast and then pig out at lunch and dinner because you're freakin' starving.
  • drmerc
    drmerc Posts: 2,603 Member
    coffee for breakfast is fine, you don't need to eat to "jumpstart" you metabolism
  • jazzedorange
    jazzedorange Posts: 184 Member
    Coffee is my breakfast too. I eat at 11:30am.m. but still get in 1200 calories a day. Everyone is different and isn't going to be on the same daily schedule. As long as they are getting at least 1200 calories a day they will be fine.
  • tsh0ck
    tsh0ck Posts: 1,970 Member
    I got into a rather heated conversation (if you will) with a coworker who continues to complain about not being able to lose weight. I asked her to tell me what she eats during the day and the first thing I noticed was that she didn't eat breakfast. But debated with me about the fact that coffee is a perfectly acceptable breakfast and that would be enough to "jump start" her metabolism.

    So, wondering what MFP's thoughts are on breakfast? Yay? Nay?

    timing of meals doesn't matter. jump-starting metabolism doesn't happen.
  • RunMyOregonBunsOff
    RunMyOregonBunsOff Posts: 862 Member
    Just having coffee probably isn't helping her maybe because it isn't enough to fuel her metabolism or maybe because she ends up having a ton of calories at the end of the day because she didn't eat enough in the earlier part of the day. She could probably benefit from eating even just something small with her coffee.

    If somebody is actually watching their calories though, they may be able to lose weight without more than just coffee though.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    i put coconut oil and cream in my coffee. its pretty substantial!
  • vytamindi
    vytamindi Posts: 845 Member
    Some people just don't like breakfast. Even when I wasn't watching calories, I hated breakfast food (except bacon; I'm not insane!). After my coffee, I'm good till 1:00pm. I don't skimp on calories, I just eat my daily allowance in a shorter time span.

    Just mind your own business.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    I get up at 5 AM. I can't eat at that time of day, it makes me sick. I have a cup of coffee while I check Facebook at 5:30 and eat breakfast at my first break 8:45 AM. Doesn't seem that unreasonable to me.
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    haha, don't you just hate it when you start a thread about arguing with a coworker... and YOU are the one who's wrong! :laugh:

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Correct. Total macronutrient consumption is far more important than when it is consumed.
  • Hayley189
    Hayley189 Posts: 12 Member
    I guess I never got the big deal with breakfast. I eat it, because I like to, but what does it matter if you don't? You haven't eaten since say 8pm, what's it matter if you don't for a few more hours?

    Edited to add: I eat less calories when I eat breakfast later. If I eat it super early, I'm hungry again at 10am and because I'm a huge night snacker, if I eat too many cals early on in the day, I eat way too many overall because I still feel the need to eat later. If I eat it about 10 I can eat my lunch about 1pm and stay on track, I'm rarely hungry earlier than that.
  • apedeb09
    apedeb09 Posts: 805 Member
    I try to eat breakfast within an hour of waking up but sometimes I don't always do that.


    I highly doubt her coffee intake in the morning with no breakfast has anything to do with her not losing weight though.
  • jesusHchris
    jesusHchris Posts: 1,405 Member
    A lot of people have excellent results with a caffeinated beverage in the morning followed by a moderate workout before eating any food. I am working with a professional nutritionist who I trust and he has actually suggested this exact routine for me a couple of times a week.

    I have heard arguments on each side. Just like every single topic ever discussed on this site.

    I personally have had good experience with eating shortly after I wake up.

    Whatever floats your boat.

    Edit: Oh, and to be a bit more helpful: Your coworker isn't losing weight because she is eating too much. End of story.
  • EnchantedEvening
    EnchantedEvening Posts: 671 Member
    Some people simply can't eat in the morning. If my boyfriend eats before noon, he feels sick to his stomach, even if it's just something small (like a granola bar). He usually has coffee with a bit of milk and then eats a nutritious, filling lunch.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
    I'm not hungry until about 11am, coffee and heavy cream starts my day.
  • ToughTulip
    ToughTulip Posts: 1,118 Member
    haha, don't you just hate it when you start a thread about arguing with a coworker... and YOU are the one who's wrong! :laugh:

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Correct. Total macronutrient consumption is far more important than when it is consumed.

    That made me LOL too xD
  • cwade1021
    cwade1021 Posts: 95 Member
    Interesting. I always thought breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Maybe I am wrong (it happens, sometimes ;))

    I'm trying to convince her to join MFP but she seems reluctant.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    I'm not hungry until about 11am, coffee and heavy cream starts my day.

    If I have a latte I count it as a meal.
  • lyttlewon
    lyttlewon Posts: 1,118 Member
    Interesting. I always thought breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Maybe I am wrong (it happens, sometimes ;))

    I'm trying to convince her to join MFP but she seems reluctant.

    Is it? Or is that the kind of thing our moms tell us so we eat breakfast before school and they don't feel guilty that we are some how starving to death while they aren't watching us?

    <--- Mother who has said such things and also abstained from breakfast.

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