why breakfast is the worst meal of the day

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Replies

  • Posts: 816 Member
    I read the article, very interesting. I just don't undestand how it would work for someone who is insulin resistant. Insulin resistant people tend to dump sugars in the night waking with high blood sugar. Food is needed to counter this or the sugars can go even higher. On the other side, they go exercise and their sugars drop super low because they've burned what's in their system and there is nothing else for it to work on since there is no food in their system. This is at least how my body works and I am not diabetic or pre-diabetic.

    I do wonder if I fasted for a couple of weeks if my body would have a different response in the morning or if it would make it worse.

    I beat Type 2 diabetes with the help of IF. It has to do with IGF-1 levels (Insulin Growth Factor). Lower levels are best. A fasting period can give our bodies a chance to lower this growth factor. Lower IGF-1 means you're more insulin sensitive. A spike that comes down quickly isn't the problem. A spike that won't, is.
  • Posts: 390 Member
    If you talk to a nutritionist they will tell you that this is false information. . . . ive seen it and read it and never ate breakfast WHICH CAUSED ME TO NOT LOSE WEIGHT AND GAIN WEIGHT. . . . you need to eat breakfast in the morning to kick start your metabolism or else not eating breakfast throws it off. . . if you want to lose weight. . eat the 6 meals your supposed to a day. . . if you want to keep gaining weight and or have stagnant weight try skipping breakfast. . .

    being diabetic i have to eat and have my sugar. . other people may not. . but everyone IS different and its your choice, just know what you could be getting yourself into.

    some people need to eat breakfast or they pass out from low blood sugar. . . others can go till noon without food but its not healthy and wouldnt recommend it.

    I think it's more likely that you're diabetic and didn't eat breakfast is what caused you to gain weight. I don't eat breakfast and I'm not gonna force myself to eat. It's unhealthy for you maybe but not for everyone. I feel much better not eating breakfast, I have loads more energy and I eat less (ie binge less) as I'm not as hungry. I still get all of my calories and macros in and my blood sugar is absolutely fine. So where's the problem? There's nothing wrong with fasting for 16 hours or so and there's no rule saying you absolutely have to eat 6 meals a day or you're ruining your weight loss. My trainer (who is a dietician, trainer and ex body builder) told me that if I want to eat 6 meals a day then I can but there's no difference between doing that and eating 2 or 3 meals. Some people prefer and need to eat breakfast. Some don't. It's individual to the person. Just because it's unhealthy for you doesn't mean it is for others.
  • Posts: 1,334 Member

    I'm also willing to discuss this in depth and from a neutral point of view, look at each of those referenced articles and see where they do or do not support such conclusions.

    Me too :)
  • Posts: 536 Member
    Read about half the article - bumping to come back and read the rest since its the end of my hunch hour now!

    Very interesting stuff - thanks for sharing. I noticed this happens when I have breakfast so I always factor in a mid morning snack - to cut both of those out and have larger main meals would be interesting! xx
  • Posts: 24,208 Member

    Me too :)

    Well, let's see if Dave want to take this on. I'm willing to take my time to work this out point by point but not to talk to an empty room...


    Let's start -

    Article 1: Abstract .

    The enhanced cortisol release after protein-rich meals might represent a neuroendocrine response to food allergens. We tested whether the antigenicity of proteins contributes to this effect. Twelve healthy men nasogastrically received casein, its less allergenic hydrolysate, and placebo. Contrary to expectations, secretion of cortisol (area under the curve, 742.70 +/- 73.48 vs. 542.95 +/- 70.31 micromol/liter.min, P < 0.03) and ACTH (2020.21 +/- 251.10 vs. 1649.82 +/- 241.23 micromol/liter.min, P < 0.05) was stronger on casein-hydrolysate than casein. Systemic immune activity remained unaffected as indicated by unchanged IL-6 plasma concentrations. This finding indicates that the grade of hydrolysis of a protein and the presence of particular amino acids, rather than its antigenicity, are crucial for the pituitary-adrenal response to nutrients. To further examine whether this response is triggered at the gastrointestinal mucosa or after the substance has reached the circulation, in a supplementary experiment, amino acids were given either nasogastrically or iv to healthy men (n = 4). Only the nasogastric infusion of amino acids induced a significant rise in cortisol concentrations. Serum concentrations of tryptophan, which is known to directly excite the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, were comparable for both conditions. We conclude that the meal-related hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis response to amino acids results from a signal that rather acts at the gastrointestinal mucosa than directly via the circulating blood.

    Full article here: http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/90/3/1692.full.pdf+html

    Their conclusion: "In summary, our experiments indicate that the cortisol response to protein-containing meals originates from an amino acid activation" <-- Nothing to do with breakfast, delayed insulin response, etc...

    ... shall we continue...?
  • Posts: 866 Member
    Just personal experience here (BTW: I did read the article) But, I have been a breakfast skipper for my whole life. And then on the days that I did eat breakfast, it seemed like I was hungrier at lunch. So, I normally did not eat breakfast. Dinner was my biggest meal.

    Now, that i workout regularly, I have added breakfast (usually eggs and oatmeal/fiber cereal/or high finer toast). At first, I would be starving by lunch....but then things changed. I noticed that after a while, I was no longer as hungry at lunch. In fact, i was not even that hungry at dinner. Now, my biggest meal is usually breakfast...and I only eat dinner because I am trying to hit my calories...but really, I could do a Vi shake for dinner and be perfectly fulfilled.

    SO, eating breakfast for me, keeps me from being so hungry at dinner time or late at night. I do not know why....but this is the case for my body. I have lost weight, lost body fat, and built muscle....and I am 42 with 6 kids!! I do encourage my Zumba girls to eat breakfast. I tell them a protein breakfast not a carb breakfast.
  • Posts: 138 Member
    Great article - thank you. I stumbled upon Lean Gains a few weeks ago.
    I have stopped eating between about 7 - 8 pm one day and noon the next.

    It's early days but I have not felt this good in years and have lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks.
    I am eating two meals a day and relaxing things one day a week ( lots of wine that day )

    I'm almost 50 and have followed every other diet/ healthy eating/ fitness diet regime/ lifestyle under the sun.


    I feel I may have made a breakthrough
  • Posts: 17,299 Member
    In my experience, if I routinely skip breakfast then I eventually end up getting food cravings late at night b/c my body is expecting a long fast. But really, it's whatever works for you. Many people have an easier time controlling their calories by eating breakfast, whereas others have an easier time by skipping it.

    I think this brings up an interesting point. I never get cravings late at night because I eat dinner fairly late - usually about an hour before going to bed. And I eat a big meal. Usually the only real 'meal' (by my definition) of the day using more than half my daily calories. If I ate a lighter dinner or ate earlier it's entirely possible I'd be hungry when I woke.
  • Posts: 8,810 Member

    Well, let's see if Dave want to take this on. I'm willing to take my time to work this out point by point but not to talk to an empty room...

    if you read my original post, I said if you want to eat breakfast, it wont hurt you. I did not write the article. I happen to agree with it and I have been following leangains protocol for quite some time and really like the results. I especially like my energy levels and especially when going home, I like knowing that I have a boatload of calories available for a great meal or 2.

    I am simply passing along some information.
  • I've read that article and I tried to do IF before. I really liked not eating in the morning and having all my calories in the evening, but after a week I felt like crap and was too exhausted to get through my workouts. Having a small breakfast and lunch works better for me. On weekends, when I have more time, I do go to the gym first thing in the morning and workout fasted.
  • Posts: 14 Member
    I understand what some people say about breakfast, but personally I simply disagree with it. When I have a good breakfast, I feel better, my metabolism gets going, and I feel better overall. Given - a "good" breakfast is NOT a pop tart and a bowl of Lucky Charms. This morning I had a protein shake, 3 eggs, and 2 pieces of Turkey Bacon. I play tennis 4 times a week and don't eat past 7:00pm. I've lost 16 pounds in 3 weeks - I love breakfast!

    I've heard it said like this - in America, we eat backwards. We eat like a peasant for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a king for dinner. But we need to eat like a King for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a peasant at dinner. I've started to do this and watch how much processed food I eat - I couldn't be more satisfied with the results. And I owe a lot of it to - Breakfast.

    Just my opinion.
  • Posts: 48 Member
    Hum I always skip breakfast . If i do eat Im always starving no matter what i eat . I ever understand why that is. I guess everyone is different. So I just have my coffee and i can go till lunch (sometimes longer) before Im ready to eat..

    I notice most naturally skinny people do as well.
  • Posts: 49,027 Member
    If you talk to a nutritionist they will tell you that this is false information. . . . ive seen it and read it and never ate breakfast WHICH CAUSED ME TO NOT LOSE WEIGHT AND GAIN WEIGHT. . . . you need to eat breakfast in the morning to kick start your metabolism or else not eating breakfast throws it off. . . if you want to lose weight. . eat the 6 meals your supposed to a day. . . if you want to keep gaining weight and or have stagnant weight try skipping breakfast. . .

    being diabetic i have to eat and have my sugar. . other people may not. . but everyone IS different and its your choice, just know what you could be getting yourself into.

    some people need to eat breakfast or they pass out from low blood sugar. . . others can go till noon without food but its not healthy and wouldnt recommend it.
    You suffer from diabetes so too long break from food isn't good for you. But I routinely go without food for 13 hours a day, and trust me health isn't an issue.:wink:
    Many nutritionists recommendations conflict with those made by a registered dietician. Dieticians need degrees to be certified and registered. Nutritionists don't. A nutritionist can study a book for a month, take a test and get a cert.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Posts: 250 Member
    I don't eat a traditional "breakfast". But I consider my break-fast the first time I eat during the day, which may be around 2:00 in the afternoon, even if I woke up at 5 AM.

    And like the OP said, I can enjoy a full dinner with all of my intake calories available.
  • Thanks for posting this, I always love being elightened with this type of information and knowing I am not the only one who gets post b-fast hunger :)
  • Posts: 8,810 Member
    I understand what some people say about breakfast, but personally I simply disagree with it. When I have a good breakfast, I feel better, my metabolism gets going, and I feel better overall. Given - a "good" breakfast is NOT a pop tart and a bowl of Lucky Charms. This morning I had a protein shake, 3 eggs, and 2 pieces of Turkey Bacon. I play tennis 4 times a week and don't eat past 7:00pm. I've lost 16 pounds in 3 weeks - I love breakfast!

    I've heard it said like this - in America, we eat backwards. We eat like a peasant for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a king for dinner. But we need to eat like a King for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a peasant at dinner. I've started to do this and watch how much processed food I eat - I couldn't be more satisfied with the results. And I owe a lot of it to - Breakfast.

    Just my opinion.

    thats great. but the science does not support the idea that a single meal at any time will get your metabolism going. It takes several days of undereating or over eating before your metabolism even sees a change.

    its true that whatever works is what you should do.
  • Posts: 24,208 Member

    if you read my original post, I said if you want to eat breakfast, it wont hurt you. I did not write the article. I happen to agree with it and I have been following leangains protocol for quite some time and really like the results. I especially like my energy levels and especially when going home, I like knowing that I have a boatload of calories available for a great meal or 2.

    I am simply passing along some information.

    No, you are proposing some information as being accurate and are using this to reference a statement on why breakfast is the worst meal (your title) - I am challenging the form and content of the assumptions being made. I am willing to back up my challenge - I am also willing to be wrong and will support what is stated if I am found to be wrong. Having read both article and most ref. (but not all) I am inviting you or other supporters of this article to discuss the references. Interested? I've already shown that ref 1 cannot be used to make the conclusions stated. Do you want to go through the others with me?
  • Posts: 17,299 Member
    I've heard it said like this - in America, we eat backwards. We eat like a peasant for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a king for dinner. But we need to eat like a King for breakfast, a prince for lunch, and a peasant at dinner. I've started to do this and watch how much processed food I eat - I couldn't be more satisfied with the results. And I owe a lot of it to - Breakfast.

    Just my opinion.

    Congrats on your results, but I am wondering why you think we "need" to eat like a King for breakfast, prince for lunch and a peasnat for dinner? I eat the exact opposite and have also had great results. Not only did I maintan a healthy weight for decades without breakfast and big dinner, but when I did gain weight I exceeded my original weight loss goal and have maintained it for over a year. Without breakfast. I'm American. It doesn't really seem that I need to change anything.
  • Posts: 6,239 Member
    thats great. but the science does not support the idea that a single meal at any time will get your metabolism going. It takes several days of undereating or over eating before your metabolism even sees a change.

    its true that whatever works is what you should do.

    Totally at odds with the title of this thread, just sayin'


    Saying breakfast is the worst meal of the day is as misguided in my opinion as saying it's the most important meal of the day.
  • I find it difficult to wake up at 5 am eat breakfast right away so it will digested in time for me to get in my morning exercise before work. I have never been a breakfast person, the 1 time I tried it I got sick in the middle of my exercise felt like crap didnt finish and threw up so I guess to me eating breakfast doesnt work. I find I can get through my exercise better on an empty stomach.
  • Posts: 8,810 Member

    No, you are proposing some information as being accurate and are using this to reference a statement on why breakfast is the worst meal (your title) - I am challenging the form and content of the assumptions being made. I am willing to back up my challenge - I am also willing to be wrong and will support what is stated if I am found to be wrong. Having read both article and most ref. (but not all) I am inviting you or other supporters of this article to discuss the references. Interested? I've already shown that ref 1 cannot be used to make the conclusions stated. Do you want to go through the others with me?

    not really. if you disagree, thats your right. but you seem to just want to fight, and I seek a more peaceful path. Please eat your breakfast and have a great day.
  • Posts: 8,810 Member

    Totally at odds with the title of this thread, just sayin'


    Saying breakfast is the worst meal of the day is as misguided in my opinion as saying it's the most important meal of the day.

    yes, I agree the title is too strong. my bad
  • Posts: 1,454 Member
    He's not saying that "Breakfast is Bad." He's just trying to explain why some people get hungry after eating breakfast. So, just like you get irritated when people tell you to eat breakfast because it's the most important meal of the day, other people will get irritated when you say breakfast is the worst meal of the day.

    The article does point out:
    An important point, which I should have accentuated and expanded upon, is the high degree of individual variability present among the hormonal factors within the equation that might predispose people to post-breakfast hunger. I wrote:

    Post-breakfast hunger cannot be explained by differences in food choice, but by certain individual factors, and their interaction with a time-of-day effect of feeding on hormonal profile and metabolism.

    It's all very individual. I think for anyone who has blood sugar problems or metabolic problems, breakfast is a necessity. For me, eating breakfast helped my weight loss and doesn't make me hungry later in the morning. It's all personal preference and what works for you.
  • Posts: 792 Member

    yes, I agree the title is too strong. my bad

    Maybe change it to "why breakfast is the worst meal of the day.... for me".

    Like you say, everyone is different. I'd be willing to try this for a few weeks and see the results. My weigh in days are Thursday morning so I might try it from Thurs next week and see what results I get.
  • Posts: 107 Member
    I eat breakfast every day whether I am hungry or not because I have to (have to eat w/meds). Now if I miss it I'm starving so for me skipping does not work. Looking around on this site the one thing I notice is everyone's body works differently, as long as the system you are on is working for you who's to say you're wrong. It was a good article.
  • Posts: 4,941 Member
    Um... I am already hungry before I eat breakfast, then I eat breakfast and I'm not hungry anymore... at least not for a while... and by this logic that "breakfast makes you hungry" type of logic, then so would lunch and dinner... and besides, techinically any first meal of the day is breakfast as you are breaking the fast from while you were sleeping... and if you haven't eaten since your evening meal then you are still technically "fasting".
  • Posts: 8,810 Member

    Maybe change it to "why breakfast is the worst meal of the day.... for me".

    Like you say, everyone is different. I'd be willing to try this for a few weeks and see the results. My weigh in days are Thursday morning so I might try it from Thurs next week and see what results I get.

    if there is a way to change the title, I dont know what it is.

    I personally wouldnt expect any big changes in one week. The article is more about dealing with hunger. A big change would require changing your exercise level or total calories and one week isnt a long en ough time for me anyway.

    If you are interested, you might try the leangains approach to intermittent fasting. I love the protocol and the results.
  • Posts: 17,299 Member

    Totally at odds with the title of this thread, just sayin'


    Saying breakfast is the worst meal of the day is as misguided in my opinion as saying it's the most important meal of the day.

    Very true, but shocking headlines get your article read.
  • Posts: 8,810 Member
    Um... I am already hungry before I eat breakfast, then I eat breakfast and I'm not hungry anymore... at least not for a while... and by this logic that "breakfast makes you hungry" type of logic, then so would lunch and dinner...

    the premise of the article and the affect of morning cortisol levels disagrees with you. So, that isnt his logic.
  • Posts: 24,208 Member

    not really. if you disagree, thats your right. but you seem to just want to fight, and I seek a more peaceful path. Please eat your breakfast and have a great day.

    I don't want to fight -- I dislike the misuse of scienctific research used to support improper or inconclusive information as facts - as this was done in that article and by the title "breakfast IS ...."

    At the end of the day - that article is not providing to me more believability than what you read and contested in the post supporting breakfast. Discussing the details of an article is hopefully not "fighting" and I apologize if my rather harsh "bro-science" gives that impression - but I do like to dissect some of these for the scientific meat.

    As far as eating breakfast sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I hope you have a great day too (breakfast or not :) )!

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