Thinking About Flipping Breakfast and Lunch

dachiri

I read some research recently that a bigger breakfast and smaller later meals was more effective for losing weight. From what I read, they put two groups on the same calories, and the ones who ate more of their calories at breakfast lost more weight. There's also the "old wisdom" that if you eat more earlier in the day you eat less overall and "breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, and dinner like a pauper." I find that my appetite is much lower if I eat a lot for breakfast (like, on Friday, I ate a BIG breakfast of leftovers, only a snack in the afternoon, and while plenty hungry for dinner (I went out), didn't over-indulge).

Personally, I am always STARVING in the morning. I can really chow down for breakfast, BUT...I don't like many traditional breakfast foods, at least not first thing in the morning. I am quite happy nuking some dinner leftovers for breakfast, but don't try to get me to shovel down an omelet at 9 AM. Soooo...I was thinking about switching my breakfast and lunch. Right now, I've been eating about 300 cals for breakfast, 600 for lunch, 400 for dinner, and 200 for snacks in the afternoon/evening. The switch would have me eating a rich salad (mixed greens & veggies with avocado and tuna) for breakfast; Kashi oatmeal, turkey bacon, and fruit for lunch; and then a lean(ish) protein, veggie, & fiber-rich starch for dinner (this week it will be chicken sausage; asparagus, mushrooms & beets; and lentils).

Thoughts? Besides my being weird about breakfast food...I already KNOW that. :P

learnerdriver

I do this- as I find porridge every day boring and I need to up my protein levels- I have a toasted chicken sandwich (I strip half the bread out)

ETA: I'm asian and I find western style breakfast ie cereal/toast a bit boring as I'm used to a cooked meal, which might be judged as being lunch or dinner.

crisanderson27

I read some research recently that a bigger breakfast and smaller later meals was more effective for losing weight. From what I read, they put two groups on the same calories, and the ones who ate more of their calories at breakfast lost more weight. There's also the "old wisdom" that if you eat more earlier in the day you eat less overall and "breakfast like a king, lunch like a queen, and dinner like a pauper." I find that my appetite is much lower if I eat a lot for breakfast (like, on Friday, I ate a BIG breakfast of leftovers, only a snack in the afternoon, and while plenty hungry for dinner (I went out), didn't over-indulge).

Personally, I am always STARVING in the morning. I can really chow down for breakfast, BUT...I don't like many traditional breakfast foods, at least not first thing in the morning. I am quite happy nuking some dinner leftovers for breakfast, but don't try to get me to shovel down an omelet at 9 AM. Soooo...I was thinking about switching my breakfast and lunch. Right now, I've been eating about 300 cals for breakfast, 600 for lunch, 400 for dinner, and 200 for snacks in the afternoon/evening. The switch would have me eating a rich salad (mixed greens & veggies with avocado and tuna) for breakfast; Kashi oatmeal, turkey bacon, and fruit for lunch; and then a lean(ish) protein, veggie, & fiber-rich starch for dinner (this week it will be chicken sausage; asparagus, mushrooms & beets; and lentils).

Thoughts? Besides my being weird about breakfast food...I already KNOW that. :P

If it works for you...by all means flip it around. As long as you stay under your calories, it doesn't matter WHEN you eat your food. Not if you eat it in one meal, or ten, or all in the morning, or all at night.

Whatever keeps you eating under your calories my friend...that's what you should do!

herblackwings39

I very rarely eat breakfast foods for breakfast. I prefer to have breakfast for dinner.

aronao

I find that eating breakfast makes me hungrier throughout the day. I usually have "breakfast" around noon.

Me too. I usually only have a coffee in the morning and maybe eat something late morning.