Not eating breakfast first thing? Is this bad?

intrepidelephant
intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
edited November 7 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm never hungry when I wake up unless I'm absolutely starving and on a diet. I usually wake up at 6AM, have a coffee and eat breakfast at my desk at 8:30 or 9 with lunch at 13:30. Lunch is usually my biggest meal of the day. I don't like eating when I'm not hungry is this a bad thing?
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Replies

  • eric_sg61
    eric_sg61 Posts: 2,925 Member
    No, it is not as bad thing. Eat when you want.
  • BenjaminS_Fitness
    BenjaminS_Fitness Posts: 70 Member
    no. if you are hitting your macros at the end of the day it does not matter.
    unless obviously the lack of breakfast is affecting your work negatively. but from a purely weight loss/health standpoint it is fine.
  • samammay
    samammay Posts: 468
    Timing of meals is a myth. Eat when you are hungry. Just make sure you eat because NOT eating is bad.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    It doesn't matter. I usually don't eat breakfast during the week until 2-3 hours after I wake up, and weekends halfway through my work shift (except for a banana or protein bar while I'm driving in). Some people even wait until lunch for their first meal because they can't eat in the morning.
  • JustFindingMe
    JustFindingMe Posts: 390 Member
    No, it is not as bad thing. Eat when you want.



    Eat when you feel like you need to and your body will work itself into a comfortable groove.
  • mickeymaggie
    mickeymaggie Posts: 2
    I have been told by a number of sources that you need to get your metabolism moving as early in the day as possible with exercise and/or with food to lose weight. I never liked breakfast either and like the first poster would leave breakfast for a couple of hours after getting up. But when I started the goal to lose weight I knew I had to change my habits. So now I do some kind of exercise first thing and then I have breakfast. I still am not crazy about breakfast but I make myself have it because the results I've achieved.
  • meerkat70
    meerkat70 Posts: 4,605 Member
    mickeymaggie, I know that's received wisdom, but it's actually just not true. Your metabolism won't be affected negatively by not being 'kickstarted' with breakfast. It just doesn't work that way. (There's plenty of research on this, if you want to confirm it - search google scholar.)

    To the OP, if you're not hungry in the morning, don't eat. I tend to have a cup of tea and then get on with my day, and eat around 12ish / 1ish, most days. I prefer to have a larger meal in the evening.

    The only time you might need morning fuel is if you do a very heavy workout in the morning. But even that really depends a bit on personal style and what works for you, as well as what it is that you're doing. For instance, I found I was ok to run up to about 4 or 5 miles without fuel in the morning. But if I wanted to do a longer run than that, I needed something before I left the house.
    Hope that helps.
  • liftnlove_
    liftnlove_ Posts: 112 Member
    I have been told by a number of sources that you need to get your metabolism moving as early in the day as possible with exercise and/or with food to lose weight. I never liked breakfast either and like the first poster would leave breakfast for a couple of hours after getting up. But when I started the goal to lose weight I knew I had to change my habits. So now I do some kind of exercise first thing and then I have breakfast. I still am not crazy about breakfast but I make myself have it because the results I've achieved.

    This is a "nice" way to start the day, and I start my day similarly...however there is absolutely no science behind this. There are tons of people doing IF who don't eat or exercise until later in the day, and they still get great results. I start out my day with exercise and food because I WANT to, and it makes me happy and gives me a great outlook on the day. However, you are not me, and you can do these things later in the day and still succeed. Timing isn't everything in this case...just get it done! ;)
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    No, eat when you want. I wake at 3 a.m., gym at 5:00 and usually don't eat anything until about 10:00. This is what works for me.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    For some people, breakfast helps control their hunger throughout the day, gives them increased mood, better concentration, and helps their gym performance. For other people, breakfast has the completely opposite effect. Any effect it might have on your weight loss is insignificant if it makes you hungrier or less happy to eat it. Play around and find what works best for you and your schedule.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I eat absolutely nothing for an hour and very often nothing for three hours after I wake up. If I do eat during the first few hours, it will be grapes only.

    I have managed to lose weight doing this, so I know it's possible. :)

    There is a poster here who is obsessed with hating breakfast and routinely posts articles about how people shouldn't eat it, so there are others out there who don't think breakfast is necessary. :)
  • funchords
    funchords Posts: 413 Member
    You're fine.

    What is not recommended is skipping breakfast to lose weight. That doesn't apply to your situation.
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  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
    I typically do not eat breakfast for at least 3 hours after I get up. It doesn't bother me. I find that if I eat first thing, then I'm starving for the rest of the day. But if I push my first meal back for a couple of hours, I won't be hungry, and it helps me stay under my calorie goal. Even eating a single morsel will mess this up, and kickstart my hunger, but I'm ok with coffee or other liquids.
  • pander101
    pander101 Posts: 677 Member
    No, you can eat whenever you want. Like mentioned many times before, it doesn't harm your metabolism any if you don't eat.
  • intrepidelephant
    intrepidelephant Posts: 100 Member
    edited December 2014
    I eat breakfast if I'm hiking or doing manual labour, but if I'm that active I can totally afford the calories
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,029 Member
    mickeymaggie wrote: »
    I have been told by a number of sources that you need to get your metabolism moving as early in the day as possible with exercise and/or with food to lose weight. I never liked breakfast either and like the first poster would leave breakfast for a couple of hours after getting up. But when I started the goal to lose weight I knew I had to change my habits. So now I do some kind of exercise first thing and then I have breakfast. I still am not crazy about breakfast but I make myself have it because the results I've achieved.
    Metabolism get started with movement. Exercise would increase it. Food won't.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    intrepidelephant wrote: »
    I'm never hungry when I wake up unless I'm absolutely starving and on a diet. I usually wake up at 6AM, have a coffee and eat breakfast at my desk at 8:30 or 9 with lunch at 13:30. Lunch is usually my biggest meal of the day. I don't like eating when I'm not hungry is this a bad thing?

    It's not good or bad, it's 100% preference.

    Tell you what, though--if I forgo my real (as opposed to quick cooking) oatmeal with peanut butter and fruit mixed in and my homemade almond milk or coconut milk mocha, or my French Toast with fruit and my homemade almond milk or coconut milk mocha, or even my egg, toast, and bacon, with my almond milk or coconut milk mocha, I am a very grumpy girl. :smiley:

    Today I had oatmeal.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    mickeymaggie wrote: »
    I have been told by a number of sources that you need to get your metabolism moving as early in the day as possible with exercise and/or with food to lose weight. I never liked breakfast either and like the first poster would leave breakfast for a couple of hours after getting up. But when I started the goal to lose weight I knew I had to change my habits. So now I do some kind of exercise first thing and then I have breakfast. I still am not crazy about breakfast but I make myself have it because the results I've achieved.
    Hi Mickie,

    Welcome.

    You might want to do some research, as your sources are incorrect. Your metabolism does not need to be "moved," and eating before or after exercise has nothing to do with weight loss.

    If you are not crazy about breakfast, there is no reason to eat it. Some people like it, some don't. :)
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    No, eat when you want. I wake at 3 a.m., gym at 5:00 and usually don't eat anything until about 10:00. This is what works for me.

    That's too early. It's just too early! How do you do it? I want to start getting up at 5:00 and can't even manage haha. Teach me your secrets.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    mickeymaggie wrote: »
    I have been told by a number of sources that you need to get your metabolism moving as early in the day as possible with exercise and/or with food to lose weight. I never liked breakfast either and like the first poster would leave breakfast for a couple of hours after getting up. But when I started the goal to lose weight I knew I had to change my habits. So now I do some kind of exercise first thing and then I have breakfast. I still am not crazy about breakfast but I make myself have it because the results I've achieved.

    If you held calories equal and only ate your meals later in the day, you would have the same results. The reason many suggest breakfast in the morning is some studies would suggest people make smarter decisions when eating breakfast. But regardless of when you eat your calories or how many times a day you eat, if calories are equal, results will not vary.

    Almost, your bodies metabolism is always working. If it's not, you would be dead, but your metabolism controls most of your bodies functions.

  • sumjoy
    sumjoy Posts: 84 Member
    I eat when I'm hungry. I've found that eating just because someone says I must has the same effect as being told I have to clean my plate; it leads to overeating.
  • zeal26
    zeal26 Posts: 602 Member
    edited December 2014
    No, you can eat whatever way you want. I usually wake up around 8 - 8:30, and have a litre of water, then a cup of coffee. Breakfast happens at some stage between 11 and 12:30. I actually prefer eating breakfast later as I find I'm less hungry during the day.
  • agaraffa
    agaraffa Posts: 27 Member
    I don't think it's a bad thing... I get up about 5 and don't usually eat anything until 10:30.
  • Leonidas_meets_Spartacus
    Leonidas_meets_Spartacus Posts: 6,198 Member
    No.
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  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,431 MFP Moderator
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Eat if you're hungry. Don't eat if you're not.


    Test. Can anyone see this message?
    No we can't ;)

  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    mickeymaggie wrote: »
    I have been told by a number of sources that you need to get your metabolism moving as early in the day as possible with exercise and/or with food to lose weight. I never liked breakfast either and like the first poster would leave breakfast for a couple of hours after getting up. But when I started the goal to lose weight I knew I had to change my habits. So now I do some kind of exercise first thing and then I have breakfast. I still am not crazy about breakfast but I make myself have it because the results I've achieved.

    you were told wrong, this is all myth …

    eat less than you consume = weight loss; meal timing and frequency has nothing to do with it…

    so you can eat breakfast when you want, and exercise when you want...
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  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    You need to eat breakfast to fuel that metabolic fire. Need to get that metabolism stoked back up.
This discussion has been closed.

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