You must eat breakfast if you want to lose weight

You must eat breakfast if you want to lose weight, and make sure it includes lean protein. Eating lean protein at breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to fell less hungry.

Even if you don’t feel hungry in the morning, eat breakfast anyway. It may be a challenge, but this is something you can do. Breakfast will help you prevent hunger later on. It will reduce your appetite and cravings and help you stick with your eating plan all day long.

I start my day off with good breakfast. For me it means non-starchy vegetable, fresh low-sugar fruit, lean protein, whole grain bread, and healthy fats (I take Omega 3 supplement).

This is my average day, but I generally eat the same things from day to day:

blueberries, blackberries, or apple,
1 slice of dry, 100% whole-grain toasted bread with
1 slice of 99% fat free turkey breast,
1 fresh tomato hot tea (no milk, no sugar).

As you can see it is not a typical "breakfast foods". The protein consumption, when eaten as part of the daily first meal reduces my appetite throughout the day. I also believe that it jump-starts my metabolism and sets my body in the optimal fat-burning state.

Eating like this was initially a little challenging, but I got used to it. It has become a part of my eating strategy that caused me to lose 91 pounds without feeling hungry.

I eat breakfast every day
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Replies

  • Deejalert
    Deejalert Posts: 13 Member
    Disagree on having to have breakfast. Been intermittent fasting for a while, skipping breakfast eating two large meals a day and losing weight easily. Weight loss is about calories in vs. calories out. Meal timing is really irrelevant IMO.
  • AbiJj
    AbiJj Posts: 26
    I have to eat breakfast - otherwise I'm a junk food addict by 4pm. :ohwell:

    It might be my mind telling me that I've started the day strong, and that I don't need rubbish today, but I've lost 21lbs since my attitude to meal timing changed.

    I understand the maths - calories in have to be less than calories burned in order to lose weight - that's easy, but we are all human, not robots, so mindset and emotion (and will power) take over
  • almc170
    almc170 Posts: 1,093 Member
    There's no advantage for weight loss. It's purely a personal preference.
  • russellma
    russellma Posts: 284 Member
    Personal preference... I don't enjoy breakfast and especially not one that includes a lot of protein. I tried it for a few weeks and hated it so I finally decided to do what works for ME, which is eating something light *IF* I eat anything at all.

    Goal met and exceeded without torturing myself with a breakfast everyday.
  • rjcelmer
    rjcelmer Posts: 431 Member
    There's no advantage for weight loss. It's purely a personal preference.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
    I call BS
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,294 Member
    I eat breakfast because I am hungry when I wake up, it fits my lifestyle, and energizes me. These are the only reasons why someone should eat breakfast. If you have energy and are not hungry when you get up, there is no reason to eat breakfast at all.
  • Lyssa62
    Lyssa62 Posts: 930 Member
    I eat one frozen waffle (nothing on it) and 4 cups of black coffee EVERY DAY for breakfast..I'm sure it's not the breakfast of champions but it works for me.
    I still think there are people who just don't get into breakfast and can lose weight without it.

    and *edit to add* I agree...it's personal choice and time of day really doesn't matter.
  • YoungDoc2B
    YoungDoc2B Posts: 1,593 Member
    No sir...
  • ChrisRS87
    ChrisRS87 Posts: 781 Member
    Don't forget you need AT LEAST 10 meals a day for the best thermogenic effect from food.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I guess I'm imaginary then, since I lost weight without eating breakfast.

    *shrug*
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Didn't read the whole OP because the subject line and first few sentences were just too silly. There are NO "musts" in weight loss.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    You must eat breakfast if you want to lose weight, and make sure it includes lean protein. Eating lean protein at breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to fell less hungry.

    Um, no.

    Not everyone needs to eat in the morning. Just because it worked for you doesn't mean that it's some sort of great universal truth that everyone in existence must follow as well.

    You lost 91 lbs? Great. Doesn't mean it's going to get anyone else the same results... unless hubris burns a ton of calories.
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
    The only thing you must do is to maintain a calorie deficit consistently.

    For some people (the majority I would wager) having breakfast helps with that....
  • KitoBrandt
    KitoBrandt Posts: 15 Member
    While I think it is a great idea to eat breakfast every morning to stave off hunger, I have seen no conclusive studies or evidence that you must eat breakfast to lose weight.

    That being said, if anyone has some articles or personal experience with the effects of eating breakfast and the lack thereof, I'm sure it'd be an interesting read.
  • jensfitpal2012
    jensfitpal2012 Posts: 145 Member
    It is a preference only thing...I eat breakfast because it gives me energy,I am not that much of an am person,and it helps get me going.THAT"S ALL<TO EACH THEIR OWN.
  • crystalflame
    crystalflame Posts: 1,049 Member
    I'm surprised the jump-starting metabolism line hasn't been shot down in flames yet...
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    There's no advantage for weight loss. It's purely a personal preference.

    This.

    While I do eat breakfast most days, I eat it at varying times. And sometimes, I don't eat breakfast at all. And it's all good (see ticker!).
  • robmcd88
    robmcd88 Posts: 85 Member
    I'm surprised the jump-starting metabolism line hasn't been shot down in flames yet...

    Pretty sure it doesn't jump-start the metabolism either.
  • LowcarbNY
    LowcarbNY Posts: 546 Member
    You must eat breakfast if you want to lose weight, and make sure it includes lean protein. Eating lean protein at breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to fell less hungry.

    You offer no facts, no data. Just your Humble Opinion. Yet you state it as a fact that MUST be applied to all persons. Some hutzpah!

    I guess because I DO NOT eat breakfast since I joined MFP that I can't lose any weight. My scale must be broken and my clothes must have all stretched out. Because I can't have lost weight while not eating breakfast.

    For me, eating breakfast was the a killer. 2 hours latter I was ravenous. Just black coffee for breakfast and I'm fine.
    That "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" is a self serving tale invented by a guy named Kellog's.

    Answer me this. Where did our Hunter Gatherer ancestors get their "Lean Breakfast" from? Did they pull it out from under their refrigerated rock? The didn't have bread, no lean turkey (not for breakfast at least, maybe in the evening if the hunting party returned with such a prize), no hot tomato tea, maybe some fruit at limited times of the year and it wasn't some modern hybrid monster fruit, is was a small hard little fruit, probably not ripe because, monkeys, birds or others would get it first.
  • d0gma
    d0gma Posts: 3,966 Member
    Dang. If only I had known this info before, I might have been losing weight for the past 9 months and my ticker would be something I could be proud of. :indifferent:
  • kittyraj
    kittyraj Posts: 129 Member
    I'm afraid I've lost 6lbs by eating breakfast. Well in my case drinking mine.

    I have a protein shake every morning to kick start my metabolism.

    I can't face the thought of having to eat in the morning.

    I've lost my 6lbs in just over a month.

    It's caused me to stop craving for sugary junk at 11am.

    I don't think eating breakfast is the be all and end all but it does make a difference on the metabolism.
  • clobercow
    clobercow Posts: 337 Member
    I bet OP is a member of the 1200 calorie per day church of MFP also.
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    "Jump starting your metabolism" is BS

    "You have to eat breakfast" is BS

    "You have to eat x number of meals" is BS

    There is a lot of BS in these threads!
  • mrk34
    mrk34 Posts: 227 Member
    No single approach, formula, or plan for weight loss can work perfectly for every person. We all need to do what works for us, not for others.

    I believe that there is nothing wrong with sharing of what works. I posted what worked for me. Eating breakfast the way I described helped me lose weight without exercise and without feeling hungry.

    The method that I share has helped me lose weight fast. This method grew out of my experience, my struggle with my weight and my frustration with the previous lack of success.

    My post was not about just “eating breakfast” only. It was supposed to be about specific food that I eat for breakfast that made me successful. And of course there in no “a lot of protein” in the way I eat. I stated:”1 slice of 99% fat free turkey breast”.

    I could have phrased the post title a bit different. I probably would be better understood if I used “for me it is very important to eat breakfast” instead of “must eat breakfast”.

    It might be BS or inflammatory nonsense to some, who explicitly stated so here. But for others, especially for those who tried almost everything and nothing seems to have worked, it may be an option worth trying.

    And yes. 91 pounds gone, in what appears to have been a relatively “easy” way, with no hunger and no exercise.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I could have phrased the post title a bit different. I probably would be better understood if I used “for me it is very important to eat breakfast” instead of “must eat breakfast”.

    Yes, much better.

    People often say meal timing is irrelevant and from a physiological standpoint that may be correct. But from a psychological standpoint it can be critical. But it is completely individual preference. You need breakfast. I don't.
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member
    This post couldn't be further from the truth.
    Skipping breakfast actually leads to optimal hormone levels. About 2 hours after waking, GH levels will peak if you haven't eaten.

    Eating breakfast spikes your insulin and puts your body in fat storing mode for the day..........
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    To lose weight you have to burn more calories than you eat




    PERIOD


    Don't make things more complicated than they need to be
  • ilovedeadlifts
    ilovedeadlifts Posts: 2,923 Member


    People often say meal timing is irrelevant and from a physiological standpoint that may be correct.

    The people who say that typically haven't done the research.

    Just tracking macros works fine but timing your meals to affect hormones does make a difference. It takes some extra effort I suppose, but it's not "broscience".
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    You must eat breakfast if you want to lose weight, and make sure it includes lean protein. Eating lean protein at breakfast is one of the most important things you can do to fell less hungry.

    Even if you don’t feel hungry in the morning, eat breakfast anyway. It may be a challenge, but this is something you can do. Breakfast will help you prevent hunger later on. It will reduce your appetite and cravings and help you stick with your eating plan all day long.

    I start my day off with good breakfast. For me it means non-starchy vegetable, fresh low-sugar fruit, lean protein, whole grain bread, and healthy fats (I take Omega 3 supplement).

    This is my average day, but I generally eat the same things from day to day:

    blueberries, blackberries, or apple,
    1 slice of dry, 100% whole-grain toasted bread with
    1 slice of 99% fat free turkey breast,
    1 fresh tomato hot tea (no milk, no sugar).

    As you can see it is not a typical "breakfast foods". The protein consumption, when eaten as part of the daily first meal reduces my appetite throughout the day. I also believe that it jump-starts my metabolism and sets my body in the optimal fat-burning state.

    Eating like this was initially a little challenging, but I got used to it. It has become a part of my eating strategy that caused me to lose 91 pounds without feeling hungry.

    I eat breakfast every day

    not sure if srs?