Magical Breakfast

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alecta337
alecta337 Posts: 622 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So breakfast is the most important meal of the day... what constitutes enough to "stimulate my metabolism" or whatever they say?

I arrive at work about 15 min after I wake up and I almost never eat breakfast, unless I remember to store some granola in my desk.

Does my cup of coffee count as "breakfast"? What about a glass of milk? Does it need to be something solid in my stomach to have all those magical breakfast effects?
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Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    Breakfast is no more or less important than any other meal. Total calories and macro nutrients for the day determine results, not meal composition. I haven't eaten breakfast in over 2 years. It does not jump start your metabolism. There is no science to support that. If you feel like having breakfast, do it. If not, skip it. Again total calories and macros are what matters.
  • maeraj
    maeraj Posts: 1
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    I disagree, breakfast totally matters--studies have shown that meal skippers have elevated fasting glucose levels and a delayed insulin response — conditions that, if they persist long term, can lead to diabetes.

    Here is a link to one study:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17998028&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

    I start the day off with a delicious energy packed smooth. It takes 5 minutes to make and curbs my appetite well past lunch time if needed with energy to spare. In a blender add two ripe bananas, 1 T Almond Butter, 3 strawberries, 1 cup milk (soy or any other kind is fine), 2 T 2% Plain yogurt, 1 scoop unflavored protein powder, 2 T flaxseed meal--blend together with ice and enjoy!
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
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    I disagree, breakfast totally matters--studies have shown that meal skippers have elevated fasting glucose levels and a delayed insulin response — conditions that, if they persist long term, can lead to diabetes.

    Here is a link to one study:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17998028&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

    I start the day off with a delicious energy packed smooth. It takes 5 minutes to make and curbs my appetite well past lunch time if needed with energy to spare. In a blender add two ripe bananas, 1 T Almond Butter, 3 strawberries, 1 cup milk (soy or any other kind is fine), 2 T 2% Plain yogurt, 1 scoop unflavored protein powder, 2 T flaxseed meal--blend together with ice and enjoy!
    You mean the study named....

    Impact of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction on glucose regulation in healthy, normal-weight middle-aged men and women.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    Here's a medical study that may hold some clues ...

    http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/08August/Pages/Is-breakfast-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day.aspx
    Conclusion

    This dietary study found that overweight or obese women with metabolic syndrome lost weight on a specified controlled diet. They also seemed to have greater improvements in their blood sugar control when their main energy intake was at breakfast, compared with the same diet where the main energy intake was at dinner.
    This lends support to the old adage that you should "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper", as well as the theory that the timing of food intake may be important in people's efforts to lose weight.
    This is something that does not have a high profile in current diets and weight loss efforts, which tend to focus on the number of calories consumed overall, irrespective of the time of day people eat their main meal.
    Overall, the research was generally good quality, but has some limitations to be aware of.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Here's a medical study that may hold some clues ...

    http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/08August/Pages/Is-breakfast-the-most-important-meal-of-the-day.aspx
    Conclusion

    This dietary study found that overweight or obese women with metabolic syndrome lost weight on a specified controlled diet. They also seemed to have greater improvements in their blood sugar control when their main energy intake was at breakfast, compared with the same diet where the main energy intake was at dinner.
    This lends support to the old adage that you should "breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dine like a pauper", as well as the theory that the timing of food intake may be important in people's efforts to lose weight.
    This is something that does not have a high profile in current diets and weight loss efforts, which tend to focus on the number of calories consumed overall, irrespective of the time of day people eat their main meal.
    Overall, the research was generally good quality, but has some limitations to be aware of.

    Major discrepancy in this study for it to be relevant here....2nd paragraph of the article.
    But this news is based on the results of a study that assessed the health outcomes of diet in a very specific group: overweight women with metabolic syndrome.

    With the study group already having metabolic syndrome, blood sugar issues...it would make perfect sense that after a fasting period (sleep) they would need to make their sugar levels correct. Anyone with insulin/sugar issues has a main goal to try to keep levels as constant as possible and avoid spikes and lows. If blood sugar/insulin levels are off, the whole metabolic structure suffers. So the results make sense for this certain group of people.

    The study never released who they were funded by and was for only 12 weeks. For the general public, this study would be irrelevant and that is what seems to be the articles take on it also.

    ETA
    According to the NHS..

    Metabolic syndrome: 

    Metabolic syndrome is the medical term for a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure and obesity. It puts you at greater risk of heart disease, stroke and other conditions affecting blood vessels.
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    I disagree, breakfast totally matters--studies have shown that meal skippers have elevated fasting glucose levels and a delayed insulin response — conditions that, if they persist long term, can lead to diabetes.

    Here is a link to one study:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed?Db=pubmed&Cmd=ShowDetailView&TermToSearch=17998028&ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

    I start the day off with a delicious energy packed smooth. It takes 5 minutes to make and curbs my appetite well past lunch time if needed with energy to spare. In a blender add two ripe bananas, 1 T Almond Butter, 3 strawberries, 1 cup milk (soy or any other kind is fine), 2 T 2% Plain yogurt, 1 scoop unflavored protein powder, 2 T flaxseed meal--blend together with ice and enjoy!
    You mean the study named....

    Impact of reduced meal frequency without caloric restriction on glucose regulation in healthy, normal-weight middle-aged men and women.
    strong this! If calories weren't controlled then the study is effectively worthless to those of us who do count and control calories.
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    Absolutely kpost323 - good points.

    I find that a lot of 'Recent Studies' are often a little restrictive and don't match my requirements (that's sort of why I suggested that there are some clues) But at least this appears on a Medical Site and not one for Social Media/Advertising/News etc.. (which are often quotes on here like gospel :-p )
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,723 Member
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    As mentioned, breakfast is really no more important then any other meal of the day. The body doesn't recognize "meal times". It recognizes food consumption. Whether it's day time or night time, it breaks down and digests food the same way. It's not faster in the morning than it is at night.
    As for "getting metabolism going", metabolism increases with physical movement. So as soon as one stirs out of bed, metabolic rate goes up.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • LilMissRaptr
    LilMissRaptr Posts: 37 Member
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    Personally I buy nutrition shakes for breakfast that way I know I'm getting nutrients, starting my day off right and am still eating something low-cal/healthy. They're great to literally grab and drink as you walk out the door. On days where I can make a breakfast I opt for oatmeal, or some fruits and veggies, maybe a fried egg if I feel like a treat. :)
  • LilMissRaptr
    LilMissRaptr Posts: 37 Member
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    Personally I buy nutrition shakes for breakfast that way I know I'm getting nutrients, starting my day off right and am still eating something low-cal/healthy. They're great to literally grab and drink as you walk out the door. On days where I can make a breakfast I opt for oatmeal, or some fruits and veggies, maybe a fried egg if I feel like a treat. :)

    Also just to clarify breakfast is VITAL for me, because if I skip it, I'm starving by lunch and much more likely to overeat or make poor food choices.
  • Lucybanister1955
    Lucybanister1955 Posts: 1
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    My mother has gone by the eat like a king for breakfast and like a queen for lunch and a pauper for dinner her whole life and has never been over 130 lbs.
  • mutabo_
    mutabo_ Posts: 4 Member
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    I missed breakfast, so I'm too tired to research this properly :)

    I had always presumed the issue to be that if you miss breakfast, you are more likely to snack on higher calorie food leading up to lunch, or overindulging at lunch because you might well be hungry. I never thought it was a metabolic thing.

    I understood you could pretty much eat all your calories in one meal if you were disciplined enough.

    I suppose that if you don't feel like breakfast then don't eat it. If it doesn't cause you to crave then cave to bad food choices during the day then it's a win.
  • RebeccaLockwood78
    RebeccaLockwood78 Posts: 12 Member
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    Personally I eat when I am hungry but always have a protein rich breakfast mid morning, scrambled eggs, wilted spinach and cherry tomotaoes for sweetness is my current favourite. I find this keeps me going past the traditional 'lunch time' and so I eat my lunch again when I am hungry around 4pm. Then I am inclined to only want a healthy snack before bedtime.
    In the old days when I didnt eat breakfast I'd have a carb fat ridden huge sandwich or the like at lunchtime and just keep going.
    Everyone is different but this works for me. If you are hungry, eat!
  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    My mother has gone by the eat like a king for breakfast and like a queen for lunch and a pauper for dinner her whole life and has never been over 130 lbs.
    That's purely anecdotal and also just a correlation. It's like me saying ever since I started watching Game of Thrones I started losing weight. It's absolutely true but it's just a correlation. It may or may not have anything to do with weight loss and it may or may not apply to others. I'm sure there are plenty of overweight people who eat large breakfasts and small dinners. Again, without context, it's meaningless.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
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    Absolutely kpost323 - good points.

    I find that a lot of 'Recent Studies' are often a little restrictive and don't match my requirements (that's sort of why I suggested that there are some clues) But at least this appears on a Medical Site and not one for Social Media/Advertising/News etc.. (which are often quotes on here like gospel :-p )

    Very true.

    I was a little confused though that you quoted that article. The main points of the full article was how the mainstream media pulled pieces of the study and misrepresented the study. They also go on to say that there was not enough info to deem the study conclusive. Honestly what I got reading it, seemed like common sense once the medical issues were known but the results (numbers) were over double in the breakfast group and that did shock me. To me this would be the only clue, I would get from this study.

    I really did like the stance taken against mainstream media and that the article called them out for false representation of the study. This made the link well worth reading, thanks for posting.

    It is the middle of the night here, and I may have read the whole dang thing wrong....if so I will correct my views in the morning, after coffee :drinker:
  • Shropshire1959
    Shropshire1959 Posts: 982 Member
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    Very true.

    I was a little confused though that you quoted that article. The main points of the full article was how the mainstream media pulled pieces of the study and misrepresented the study. They also go on to say that there was not enough info to deem the study conclusive. Honestly what I got reading it, seemed like common sense once the medical issues were known but the results (numbers) were over double in the breakfast group and that did shock me. To me this would be the only clue, I would get from this study.

    I really did like the stance taken against mainstream media and that the article called them out for false representation of the study. This made the link well worth reading, thanks for posting.

    It is the middle of the night here, and I may have read the whole dang thing wrong....if so I will correct my views in the morning, after coffee :drinker:

    Yeap - also true .

    As an aside .. I saw this quote yesterday (which seems to fit this site rather well :-) )
    "If you torture the data long enough, it will confess to anything."
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    You don't HAVE to eat breakfast if you don't want to, as long as skipping it doenst have you reaching for snacks before lunchtime.

    And it does nothing magical with your metabolism either.
  • daynerz
    daynerz Posts: 227 Member
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    Breakfast simply means 'breaking the fast'.........

    Overnight we fast while we sleep. That's all it is.
  • Catlady87
    Catlady87 Posts: 302 Member
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    I'm not sure about the whole breakfast is the most important meal of the day argument. As to the whole it revs up your metabolism thing I'm nowhere near convinced.
    All I know is that if I don't have breakfast I feel sick, lethargic and dizzy so I need breakfast even at half 4 in the morning. I personally recommend porridge for breakfast. But that's just me.
    It's about finding out what works for you
  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
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    in for magics!

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