Do you need to eat breakfast?

Iceman1800
Iceman1800 Posts: 476
in Food and Nutrition
No! Don't believe the myths you hear from muscle mags and cereal companies. Calories in a day is what matters. One meal a day or 8 meals a day, as long as you get your daily calories and hit your macros, you are golden.
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Replies

  • Sarah_Wins
    Sarah_Wins Posts: 936 Member
    But that said, I don't feel right when I skip breakfast. It screws up my whole day!
  • Iceman1800
    Iceman1800 Posts: 476
    But that said, I don't feel right when I skip breakfast. It screws up my whole day!
    and that's the right reason to eat breakfast! I eat breakfast because if I skip it, I need to find a way to add 275 grams of protein into the rest of my day.
  • HauteP1nk
    HauteP1nk Posts: 2,139 Member
    I like to eat pretty much as soon as I wake up, otherwise I become this freak of nature that will tear down anyone in my path! *see tazmanian devil*

    Plus, I find food wakes me up better than any cup of coffee or tea.
  • dhakiyya
    dhakiyya Posts: 481 Member
    I need to eat breakfast. Not eating breakfast, for me, results in blood sugar crashes, worsening of mental health problems (my brain does not function well at all without sugar) and dizziness/lightheadedness (I have low blood pressure too so low BP + blood sugar crash = big problems). And it's not just a matter of eating something, it has to be good quality carbs like weetabix. (actually I prefer oatibix but it's not on sale here). Cheerios (even though they claim to be 70% wholegrain) don't prevent me having these problems, if anything they and other poor quality cereals make them worse.

    That said if someone is doing fine without breakfast, i.e. losing fat the healthy way or maintaining a healthy body composition, then I don't see the point in forcing yourself to eat it. As the OP says, so long as you're getting your macros, meal timing is about what works for you. I function way better on several small meals a day.
  • Elen_Sia
    Elen_Sia Posts: 638 Member
    I eat breakfast because I love eating breakfast. Nom nom nom.
  • freyamaclachlan
    freyamaclachlan Posts: 22
    EAT BREAKFAST ! If you dont your baody will start to convert muscle and your important tissue for energy rather than fat.
  • Iceman1800
    Iceman1800 Posts: 476
    EAT BREAKFAST ! If you dont your baody will start to convert muscle and your important tissue for energy rather than fat.
    total bs. There is zero science to back up that theory.
  • Iceman1800
    Iceman1800 Posts: 476
    I need to eat breakfast. Not eating breakfast, for me, results in blood sugar crashes, worsening of mental health problems (my brain does not function well at all without sugar) and dizziness/lightheadedness (I have low blood pressure too so low BP + blood sugar crash = big problems). And it's not just a matter of eating something, it has to be good quality carbs like weetabix. (actually I prefer oatibix but it's not on sale here). Cheerios (even though they claim to be 70% wholegrain) don't prevent me having these problems, if anything they and other poor quality cereals make them worse.

    That said if someone is doing fine without breakfast, i.e. losing fat the healthy way or maintaining a healthy body composition, then I don't see the point in forcing yourself to eat it. As the OP says, so long as you're getting your macros, meal timing is about what works for you. I function way better on several small meals a day.
    excellent post
  • kluvit
    kluvit Posts: 435 Member
    Eat ONLY when you are truly hungry whether it's 6am 6pm or somewhere in between.
  • Merc71
    Merc71 Posts: 412 Member
    I prefer to "front load" my calories in the morning, then taper off as the day goes on. I have to eat breakfast, otherwise the rest of my day is just shot, and I end up binge eating.
  • vodkoffee
    vodkoffee Posts: 160 Member
    It depends on how I feel. It also depends on how I ate the day before. Yesterday I was feeling ill and did not eat nearly enough. Today I am up and eating breakfast. Many days I don't need or want to.
  • andreamelo1
    andreamelo1 Posts: 161 Member
    EAT BREAKFAST ! If you dont your baody will start to convert muscle and your important tissue for energy rather than fat.
    total bs. There is zero science to back up that theory.
    if you dont do homework please dont post. just because smo said it dosent make it true fact is as long as you are feeding your body right it will never start convverting muscle into energy geez
  • hellraisedfire
    hellraisedfire Posts: 403 Member
    I need to have something when I get up, or else I'm foggy for the rest of the day. my time getting up depends on what shift I do at work though, so it might not be considered "breakfast". :wink:
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    EAT BREAKFAST ! If you dont your baody will start to convert muscle and your important tissue for energy rather than fat.


    This was a nice attempt, but incorrect.
  • andreamelo1
    andreamelo1 Posts: 161 Member
    Eat ONLY when you are truly hungry whether it's 6am 6pm or somewhere in between.
    you should never wait till you are trully hungry that is when binge eating occurs
  • queenhiphop
    queenhiphop Posts: 286 Member
    EAT BREAKFAST ! If you dont your baody will start to convert muscle and your important tissue for energy rather than fat.

    bull**** :D
  • Senrabk
    Senrabk Posts: 6 Member
    I think it depends on the person. I personally eat breakfast and then have a small mid morning snack about 2-3 hours later and then eat lunch 2-3 hours after that and then a mid afternoon snack 2-3 hours later and then dinner and possibly a small evening snack before bed. This schedule of eating helps me feel the best. If I wait too long to eat I get sluggish and crabby.

    I say do whats best for you. Play around with your meal times and see what makes you feel the best.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Eat ONLY when you are truly hungry whether it's 6am 6pm or somewhere in between.
    What's wrong with eating after 6pm?
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I am currently on my second serving of breakfast! So hungry this morning! I usually do eat breakfast somewhere between 1 and 3 hours after waking up, but I agree with the OP, it really doesn't matter if and when you eat it!
  • annafonte
    annafonte Posts: 82 Member
    skipping breakfast means you're more inclined to snack more throughout the day and more likely on junk food.

    the best way to get your metabolism up is by having breakfast in the morning as you've been asleep all night and therefore your metabolism is low.

    eat high fibred and high protein food in the morning - less likely to snack on junk, feeling fuller for longer. trust me it works. your muscles need food - food is fuel for your muscles!
  • Jenky85
    Jenky85 Posts: 190 Member
    Up until a week ago I always ate breakfast as I felt it gave me the best start but my husband never has because he says it wakes his hunger up. I figured I'd try not eating it and he was totally right...I used t have breakfast and a mid morning snack now I eat nothing at all until at least 12, it was 2pm the other day, and I feel less hungry. I'm very happy now not eating breakfast and it means I have more calories to play around with in the day and evening :)
  • jsj024519
    jsj024519 Posts: 400 Member
    There are days when I do and days when I don't and I still lose weight no matter what I do. The belief that everyone needs to eat breakfast because they will benefit from it is bogus IMO.

    What might work for someone else, might not work for you.
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    Everything doesn't have to be so hard. Eat in a way that works for your schedule. Eat in a way that you are comfortable and satisfied. Make sure you get the calories, macros and nutrients you need. Look at the big picture, not just one day. You can eat breakfast, you can not eat breakfast. You can eat after 8pm. If you try to force yourself into something that just isn't a fit for your life, you won't be successful. Some people can't get away to eat a snack every few hours. It just can't happen. They can still lose weight. They can still be healthy. If arbitrary rules help you out, then follow them, but that doesn't make them scientific or needed.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    skipping breakfast means you're more inclined to snack more throughout the day and more likely on junk food.

    the best way to get your metabolism up is by having breakfast in the morning as you've been asleep all night and therefore your metabolism is low.

    eat high fibred and high protein food in the morning - less likely to snack on junk, feeling fuller for longer. trust me it works. your muscles need food - food is fuel for your muscles!
    Your muscles, metabolism or any other bodily function have no concept of time.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    skipping breakfast means you're more inclined to snack more throughout the day and more likely on junk food.

    This is not arbitrarily true for everyone. Eating breakfast makes me overeat. Skipping it makes me hit my nutritional targets.
    the best way to get your metabolism up is by having breakfast in the morning as you've been asleep all night and therefore your metabolism is low.

    This is essentially dogma that hasn't ever been true or proven. To see why, note the references in this post. Cliffs: Diet Induced Thermogenesis is not frequency based.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/529002-a-compliation-on-meal-frequency
  • loveskinny27
    loveskinny27 Posts: 94 Member
    I have to eat breakfast on work days as it stops me snacking before lunch I usually dont eat lunch till 2.30 -45pm At weekends I eat breakfast a little later. I heard that eating in a morning kick starts your metabolism?
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    skipping breakfast means you're more inclined to snack more throughout the day and more likely on junk food.

    No, it might mean that YOU are more inclined to snack and eat junk food.
    the best way to get your metabolism up is by having breakfast in the morning as you've been asleep all night and therefore your metabolism is low.

    Your metabolism is always up and running. As long as you are eating the proper number of calories for your body to function over time, your metabolism will be just fine. Even a few days of low calories won't be a problem in the big picture.
  • swissmardi
    swissmardi Posts: 57 Member
    Wow, quite a heated discussion topic... I eat breakfast because I like breakfast. I've been working with a nutritionalist and she has changed what I eat for breakfast but I don't like leaving it out. Leaving out meals for me leads to feelings of deprivation and those are deadly...
  • Illona88
    Illona88 Posts: 903 Member
    I eat breakfast, because when I wake up I am always really hungry and really low energy, so I need some food to get me going.
  • ZivileZu
    ZivileZu Posts: 56 Member
    I don't eat breakfast... I'm not a morning person and I feel absolutely no hunger until noon or early in the afternoon.

    I used to make myself eat breakfast as I thought this was the "normal" thing to do. But I never enjoyed the meals I had. Now I only eat when I'm hungry and I love my food.

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