Do I really need to eat breakfast?

I hate breakfast, I hate eggs, and eating before noon or so has always either made me feel sick to my stomach or starving, but I know that breakfast is supposed to be good for you especially when you're losing weight, but do I really need to eat first thing or is it just another lie, like how many carbs the food pyramid says I need?
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Replies

  • jess135177
    jess135177 Posts: 186 Member
    You don't need to eat breakfast if you don't want to. Timing of meals isn't important as long as you are eating the correct amount of calories. Personally I eat breakfast because I wake up every morning STARVING and I am very unpleasant in the morning if I skip it. Whatever works for you!
  • DWBalboa
    DWBalboa Posts: 37,259 Member
    Yes! I’m sure that you have heard that it’s the most important meal of the day, that’s not far from the truth. I’m sure you’ve also heard the importance of eating more frequent but smaller meals, also great advice. You don’t necessarily have to eat a big breakfast but eat something, it kick starts the metabolism. Try something higher in protein as it makes you feel full and last longer. You will get hungry before lunch time, that is good, have a healthy snack standing by. Also, drink plenty of water that helps to keep you feeling full longer and suppresses your appetite.
    Good luck!
    V/r,
    DW.
  • Vorenus85
    Vorenus85 Posts: 112 Member
    You don’t necessarily have to eat a big breakfast but eat something, it kick starts the metabolism.

    No, your metabolism doesn't shutdown and start back up, so you don't need to kick start anything.

    @OP Meal timing isn't important. What's important is staying under your calorie goal. When you choose to eat those calories is entirely up to you. The only thing skipping breakfast might affect is your mood and possibly hunger levels throughout the day.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    As stated, you don't need to eat breakfast. Also, if you are hungry, you don't have to eat breakfast foods at breakfast. I used to eat salads with grilled chicken and veggies, which would keep me feeling full until lunch. If you're not hungry at all, skip it and save the calories for later in the day.
  • stt43
    stt43 Posts: 487
    Yes! I’m sure that you have heard that it’s the most important meal of the day, that’s not far from the truth. I’m sure you’ve also heard the importance of eating more frequent but smaller meals, also great advice. You don’t necessarily have to eat a big breakfast but eat something, it kick starts the metabolism.

    This is all very far from the truth.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    No, you don't need to eat breakfast if you don't want to. People have different preferences with meal size/frequency/timing. I'm not much of a breakfast eater either, so I usually don't eat until early afternoon.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I hate breakfast, I hate eggs, and eating before noon or so has always either made me feel sick to my stomach or starving, but I know that breakfast is supposed to be good for you especially when you're losing weight, but do I really need to eat first thing or is it just another lie, like how many carbs the food pyramid says I need?

    It's not a lie, it's a generalization. Statistics show that those who breakfast tend to weigh less overall.

    You don't have to eat first thing, you don't have to eat eggs for breakfast, you don't have to eat any certain number of carbs for breakfast.

    If skipping breakfast causes you to overeat later in the day, then you should eat breakfast. If you can stick to your calories goals while skipping breakfast, then skip it (if you want).
  • vs_shine
    vs_shine Posts: 1,322 Member
    Hey :-) good question. This works for me!

    Eat a small breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
    Get at least 300 calories and 10 grams of protein.
    It jump starts your metabolism and gives your body the fuel it needs to function properly.
    And prepare a healthy snack before lunch time :-) try apples and peanut butter

    Check out this informative link:
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/healthy-breakfast/importance-of-eating-breakfast.aspx
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Hey :-) good question. This works for me!

    Eat a small breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
    Get at least 300 calories and 10 grams of protein.
    It jump starts your metabolism and gives your body the fuel it needs to function properly.
    And prepare a healthy snack before lunch time :-) try apples and peanut butter

    Check out this informative link:
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/healthy-breakfast/importance-of-eating-breakfast.aspx
    Breakfast does not jumpstart your metabolism; meal timing doesn't effect your metabolism in any appreciable way. The article you link to talks about the "psychological benefit" of eating breakfast. And that benefit is going to vary from person to person since no two minds are alike.
  • Codilee87
    Codilee87 Posts: 509 Member
    Timing of meals is actually quite crucial for some people.

    Studies have shown that, in groups of people who are the same weight and body type who eat the same number of calories each day, those who eat the bulk of their calories early in the day lose more weight than those who ate their largest meal in the evening.

    The reason you feel sick when you eat in the morning is because your body has been conserving calories while you sleep and your metabolism is still low (rendering your appetite almost non-existent). So try a piece of fruit as soon as you get up, then shower, get dressed, etc and eat your proper breakfast after your body has had some time to wake up properly.

    And feeling ravenous after eating breakfast, indicates a high metabolism.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Some people overcompensate after missing breakfast, so eating breakfast reduces overall intake. But those are people who are eating what their body feels like eating.

    If you're counting calories and able to achieve target calories/macros, it doesn't matter when you do it. Whatever is most comfortable.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Studies have shown that, in groups of people who are the same weight and body type who eat the same number of calories each day, those who eat the bulk of their calories early in the day lose more weight than those who ate their largest meal in the evening.

    Please link to these studies.
  • danagisana
    danagisana Posts: 43 Member
    I used to always think you had to because that's what experts seemed to say. I love breakfast. But I find I am not hungry in the morning anymore and if I'm not hungry I'm not eating. I will eat to fuel my body when I'm hungry not just because a clock says so.
    But whatever works for you personally is the best.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    There are lots of interesting studies on breakfast. Here are a couple recent ones:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23672851
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23512957
  • lynnerack
    lynnerack Posts: 158 Member
    Mr Kellog has a lot to answer for! If you don't want to eat breakfast don't!:smile:
  • worm5996
    worm5996 Posts: 28 Member
    I don't eat first thing in the morning. I am probably up a good 2-4 hours before I eat anything. I just can't eat right after getting up. But, I also don't like most of your typical breakfast foods. Though I do like eggs, just not every day. So I eat non typical foods for breakfast. Soup usually. I love soup! So eat soup for breakfast. It works for me.
  • MarKayDee
    MarKayDee Posts: 196
    Thank you all for the input, it makes me feel a lot better about not wanting to eat in the mornings.
    I've been gighting my way through eggs because my two year old loves them and he eats healthier than I have been for a bit. Maybe when he and I are eating breakfast together I'll just have to make us different meals so we can both be happy.
  • vs_shine
    vs_shine Posts: 1,322 Member
    Hey :-) good question. This works for me!

    Eat a small breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
    Get at least 300 calories and 10 grams of protein.
    It jump starts your metabolism and gives your body the fuel it needs to function properly.
    And prepare a healthy snack before lunch time :-) try apples and peanut butter

    Check out this informative link:
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/healthy-breakfast/importance-of-eating-breakfast.aspx
    Breakfast does not jumpstart your metabolism; meal timing doesn't effect your metabolism in any appreciable way. The article you link to talks about the "psychological benefit" of eating breakfast. And that benefit is going to vary from person to person since no two minds are alike.


    MarKayDee,

    Eating breakfast has both physical and psychological benefits. and that's great!

    Food helps you stay focused and alert during your day.

    “For sustainable energy, partner high-fiber foods with proteins that promote alertness, like egg whites, turkey, chicken, fish, and lean meats.” Susan Kraus, MS, RD,
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/healthy-breakfast/importance-of-eating-breakfast.aspx


    Also See...
    Best Fat Burning Breakfasts
    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20406798,00.html

    Eat like a Nutritionist:
    http://www.wholeliving.com/136087/eat-nutritionist-8-healthy-breakfasts

    Good Luck to you with your weight Loss Goals!
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Hey :-) good question. This works for me!

    Eat a small breakfast within the first hour of waking up.
    Get at least 300 calories and 10 grams of protein.
    It jump starts your metabolism and gives your body the fuel it needs to function properly.
    And prepare a healthy snack before lunch time :-) try apples and peanut butter

    Check out this informative link:
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/healthy-breakfast/importance-of-eating-breakfast.aspx
    Breakfast does not jumpstart your metabolism; meal timing doesn't effect your metabolism in any appreciable way. The article you link to talks about the "psychological benefit" of eating breakfast. And that benefit is going to vary from person to person since no two minds are alike.


    MarKayDee,

    Eating breakfast has both physical and psychological benefits. and that's great!

    Food helps you stay focused and alert during your day.

    “For sustainable energy, partner high-fiber foods with proteins that promote alertness, like egg whites, turkey, chicken, fish, and lean meats.” Susan Kraus, MS, RD,
    http://www.everydayhealth.com/health-report/healthy-breakfast/importance-of-eating-breakfast.aspx


    Also See...
    Best Fat Burning Breakfasts
    http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20406798,00.html

    Eat like a Nutritionist:
    http://www.wholeliving.com/136087/eat-nutritionist-8-healthy-breakfasts

    Good Luck to you with your weight Loss Goals!

    It doesn't do any of that if you hate eating it, and eating in the morning makes you feel bad (which it does to many people).

    People should time their meals in a way that makes them feel best and makes it easiest to hit their nutrition goals, end of story.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    Whenever I don't eat breakfast I tend to overeat during the day. If you are going to skip breakfast then at least have Brunch.
  • Miche11e5
    Miche11e5 Posts: 114 Member
    You should eat breakfast if you're hungry. If you're not hungry, you shouldn't eat - at any time of day.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,674 Member
    You can schedule your eating however you want to...as for macros, I personally prefer higher protein, moderate carbs, plenty of fat.
    And you can eat any type of food at any time of day (pancakes at dinner, steak at breakfast).
  • indignantgnome
    indignantgnome Posts: 60 Member
    I used to not eat breakfast, ever - and I lost 40 pounds lost year. (I updated my ticker the beginning of this year, which is why it's not reflected.) Now, I eat breakfast at work - but that's because I'm not ever entirely sure what time I'm going to be OFF work, and by the time I eat breakfast I've usually been at work for a good 3-4 hours.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    The answer to the question is ...... it depends :-) If you are planning on doing cardio in the morning it is a good idea to have some carbs a couple of hours before you get going. It won't hurt you don't but you wont break any personal bests. If you are lifting weights it appears some protein at some point before is a good idea. If you are just getting up and going to collage, work (kids or paid) then from what I can see there is no reason to if you don't want to. What is important is for you to hit your macros daily if you can :-)
  • WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr
    WarriorCupcakeBlydnsr Posts: 2,150 Member
    You don't have to, but if you want to have "something" in the morning just to see if it works for you and you don't want to eat, why not have a protein shake?
    I usually can't eat right when I get up, I find that I can't stomach food first thing in the morning, but what I really want is water, so I'll drink water or iced tea on my way to work then have my breakfast after I get there (usually about two hours after I get up). I always carry premade protein shakes with me for when I'm in a pinch, and if I'm not hungry when I get to work I'll just have a protein shake and then a little later if I start getting the munchies, I'll have some fruit.
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    You can schedule your eating however you want to...as for macros, I personally prefer higher protein, moderate carbs, plenty of fat.
    And you can eat any type of food at any time of day (pancakes at dinner, steak at breakfast).


    ^^^^^This is it. I also boost my protein and take it from carbs but then if/when I exercise I turn the exercises back mainly into carbs. I do this for good reasons based on science rather than bro science :-)
  • bebeXchyM
    bebeXchyM Posts: 32 Member
    Breakfast makes me lazy and ravenous. Hence, I pass most a times except I wake up extremely hungry or come across a tempting meal.
  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
    Looking at the replies on here, and the variety of the answers within them, it indicates that everyone has a somewhat individual attitude towards breakfast. This could possibly be because we, as individuals, are unique.
    No one recommendation of generalisation will work for everybody. You just need to find what works for you. If eating breakfast makes you feel sick, why do something that makes you ill and likely miserable?
    As long as you are able to stay under your calorie amount by not eating breakfast where's the problem?

    Edited for spelling
  • pcastagner
    pcastagner Posts: 1,606 Member
    no you don't need breakfast. after reviewing the latest science last year, I promptly decided to stop eating breakfast. Check my profile for pics.

    while studies of americans have found breakfast eaters to be leaner, I think a better study would look at " people who plan" vs. "people who just do whatever". In american culture, someone who skips breakfast is very rarely also planning their food choices all that intelligently.

    "I crashed my metabolism adhering to lengains!". Said no one. Ever.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    I hate breakfast, I hate eggs, and eating before noon or so has always either made me feel sick to my stomach or starving, but I know that breakfast is supposed to be good for you especially when you're losing weight, but do I really need to eat first thing or is it just another lie, like how many carbs the food pyramid says I need?

    Whatever works for you, if you hate eating breakfast/don't like eating at that time of day it does seem pointless to force yourself unless you end up making the wrong choices at lunch.

    I used to skip breakfast because I never had time for it and really wasn't that bothered but would be starving by lunch, I started having a slice of peanut butter on wholemeal toast and a cuppa tea (with milk and sugar/sweetener), not a huge breakfast but now I don't feel my stomach digesting itself at 11.30am in anticipation of my lunch break anymore. :P

    I did this because it works for me and now I have to have at least something for breakfast, you seem to have tried forcing yourself to eat breakfast and not got any benefit, so trust your gut... literally.

    I find alot of studies in the weight loss field are not an exact science, they have evidence that most people benefit from having breakfast but it's not conclusive that everyone would benefit, it's just on average, and I wager perhaps at least 25% of the none breakfast eaters in that trial/focus group/study did just as well as the breakfast eaters at weight loss. :)