do you eat breakfast?

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ivasexydiva
ivasexydiva Posts: 29
in Food and Nutrition
My eating habits are not great, being a smoker (looking to quit soon) I tend to skip breakfast, not eat much during the day and then have a large meal and snacks in the evening. I know this is bad, so am trying to change my eating habits.

Trouble is, if I eat breakfast, I'm really hungry throughout the day. This is one of the reasons my last attempt to quit smoking failed- I ate 3 meals per day and snacks, and put on weight quickly. And it all started with breakfast, which would then make me hungry all day.

Could this be my body trying to adjust? Have any of you had a similar experience, or is it just me??

I'm trying to eat better in the day, but not really hungry in the morning- however now that I'm going to the gym 3 times per week, I should be eating more right?
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Replies

  • crs10
    crs10 Posts: 6
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    I know my husband is a smoker right now and he usually skips meals and eats a large dinner. He is pretty skinny and ive been trying to get him to eat healthier and not miss meals but yeah he is usually smokign all day long then coming home at night having a small snack and then eating one large meal. I am personally not a smoker so I cant relate but I just wanted to let u know ur not alone out there
  • SpaceMarkus
    SpaceMarkus Posts: 651
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    Absolutely. It really is the most important meal of the day. It sets the whole mood for how your body is going to burn. Every morning within an hour of waking up I have a chocolate Shakeology with Almond Milk, natural peanut butter or PB2, and some frozen fruit.
  • MeredithLee11
    MeredithLee11 Posts: 192 Member
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    Well, you're supposed to eat 3 meals a day with snacks. It keeps your metabolism going all day. Try having for breakfast toast with peanut butter and fruit or a bowl of healthy cereal or a breakfast shake. Try keeping your meals/snacks small and every 2-3 hours. Also drink tons of water! That will help you feel full through the day. Hope that helps.

    And congrats on thinking about quitting! Thinking about it is the first step, and your body will be SO happy once you're smoke free!
  • kittyloo123
    kittyloo123 Posts: 300 Member
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    i say start small. Yogurt, and a bananna, peanutbutter on a slice of toast. You can't just shock your system with a full breakfast. Also i have heard, if you are trying to quit smoking, don't worry about the weight gain, you can get that under control, after you kick the ciggies. In the long run, it's better for you to be a few over for a bit, than to continue smoking.
  • misschilard
    misschilard Posts: 9
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    My other half is also a smoker and skips meals... All he had is *kitten* and cups of tea during the day with maybe a snack in the afternoon and then pig out at night.

    Guess it a smoker thing LOL
  • biggiwig
    biggiwig Posts: 76
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    I actually eat a lot for breakfast. Maybe you don't eat enough for breakfast? A little bowl of cereal would make me hungry fast too. So eat something, that really really fills you up. Like bread, ham, cheese, eggs etc.
  • PNCTink
    PNCTink Posts: 232 Member
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    My parents were both smokers and neither of them ate breakfast. My father tried quitting a few times, but he'd start snacking on Drake's cake products and gain weight, I never ate breakfast until I was about 18. Certain foods can make you really hungry throughout the day, but I find if I eat high protein foods for breakfast I can last about 4 or 5 hours without thinking about eating. I also second the water consumption. I've never liked water, but the more i drink the easier it is to drink and the less peckish I am throughout the day. I usually drink between 2-3 liters a day. Good luck!!
  • BandMom2
    BandMom2 Posts: 64
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    you are not crazy you do feel more hungry when you eat breakfast, when you "Break your fast" you body is ready to get charged up. I Have never been a breakfast eater either but for me what seems to work best is load up on protein and carbs that are found in fruit. If I eat cereal, oatmeal, toast, etc. I am starving in about two hours. Eat fresh veggies that are high in water help also, and make sure you are drinking enough water,alto of times you may think you are hungry when you really just need a drink. Good luck
  • suzooz
    suzooz Posts: 720 Member
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    I have found that if I eat carbs in the morning for breakfast, I am very hungry all day. If I eat a "bigger" breakfast which is more protein-based, then it curbs my appetite longer throughout the day, and I don't eat as big of lunch or dinner.

    I still like my high-fiber cereal, so I sometimes substitute this in for dinner. I exercise in the evenings, so I figure I can burn those off easier at night.
  • lijparsons
    lijparsons Posts: 258
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    I agree, breakfast is important. I usually have something healthy, like fruit and yogurt, or cereal with banana, and make sure I have a small snack to tide me over til lunch, like a yogurt, or fruit. Take a look at my diary if you like, and you'll get an idea of how I do it. It must be tough, for sure. Good luck on trying to quit. If you can do that, you can do anything!
  • jocelyne2
    jocelyne2 Posts: 271 Member
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    My eating habits are not great, being a smoker (looking to quit soon) I tend to skip breakfast, not eat much during the day and then have a large meal and snacks in the evening. I know this is bad, so am trying to change my eating habits.

    Trouble is, if I eat breakfast, I'm really hungry throughout the day. This is one of the reasons my last attempt to quit smoking failed- I ate 3 meals per day and snacks, and put on weight quickly. And it all started with breakfast, which would then make me hungry all day.

    Could this be my body trying to adjust? Have any of you had a similar experience, or is it just me??

    I'm trying to eat better in the day, but not really hungry in the morning- however now that I'm going to the gym 3 times per week, I should be eating more right?

    I think you maybe my long lost twin :laugh: I am the same way , smoker and never eat breakfast ....I have tried many times and when I do it totally sends my body into binge mode and I eat all day like a mad person :noway: I usually have my first snack or meal around 1pm and eat mostly at night ...I did manage to loss over 35 lbs even with this bad habit ...Good luck :smile:
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    Is Coffee Breakfast? I am just like you. I am a late night eater. It works for me ( 30lbs down) and as long as I stay within my goals and the make my choices healthy. I don't think it matters. I am not going to waste the calories if I am not hungry. Everyone is not the same.
  • MuseumMonkey
    MuseumMonkey Posts: 43
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    A breakfast that's full of protein and fiber should have the opposite effect and keep you feeling full for much longer than, say, white toast and jam, or Cap'n Crunch. I am a big advocate of big breakfasts :) Today I had a big bowl of Kashi Honey Almond Flax cereal (high-protein, multi-grain, good stuff) and I added some nuts and prunes, and followed it with an apple. High in calories...but also high in lots of other things a body needs. 24 grams of protein and 17 grams of fiber!

    Personally, on those rare weekend days when I don't eat breakfast, I just plain don't get enough real nutritious food that day. I might get the calories, but they're much more likely to be junk if I haven't had breakfast. I don't smoke, but knowing that it affects your appetite, might this be the case for you? If you're not getting enough food, then your metabolism slows down to make better use of what it gets. If you start eating more, your metabolism has to adjust, which sometimes means some weight gain in the first couple of weeks.

    Yes, if you're going to the gym, you should be eating more! MFP already has a built-in weight deficit so if you stick with it, you'll lose weight at your goal rate even if you don't exercise. You don't need to "create a deficit" by exercising--it's already there. Instead, eat most of your exercise calories back. People with a higher body fat percentage, who have a lot to lose, can sometimes get away with not eating them back, but it's pretty important for most of us to at least try to eat some of them. (I almost always eat all of mine.)
  • Michelle2Watkins
    Michelle2Watkins Posts: 2
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    Try eating for breakfast a medium size bowl of Quaker oats (the plain stuff that takes 1 min to cook), add a handful of raisins and some light surop....that should keep you full for a while and it's full of fiber...
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    My eating habits are not great, being a smoker (looking to quit soon) I tend to skip breakfast, not eat much during the day and then have a large meal and snacks in the evening. I know this is bad, so am trying to change my eating habits.

    Trouble is, if I eat breakfast, I'm really hungry throughout the day. This is one of the reasons my last attempt to quit smoking failed- I ate 3 meals per day and snacks, and put on weight quickly. And it all started with breakfast, which would then make me hungry all day.

    Could this be my body trying to adjust? Have any of you had a similar experience, or is it just me??

    I'm trying to eat better in the day, but not really hungry in the morning- however now that I'm going to the gym 3 times per week, I should be eating more right?

    I think you maybe my long lost twin :laugh: I am the same way , smoker and never eat breakfast ....I have tried many times and when I do it totally sends my body into binge mode and I eat all day like a mad person :noway: I usually have my first snack or meal around 1pm and eat mostly at night ...I did manage to loss over 35 lbs even with this bad habit ...Good luck :smile:

    Bump!!!!!!!!
  • ivasexydiva
    ivasexydiva Posts: 29
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    thanks for the support! :)
  • ivasexydiva
    ivasexydiva Posts: 29
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    starting small sounds like good advice, thank you! :)
  • kettlewitch
    kettlewitch Posts: 277 Member
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    I'm a smoker at the moment and breakfast used to be a pot of coffee and a cigarette. I eat porridge every week day now and I start work early so it's usually about 6.30 am. I am hungry again by about 11 am so rather than fight it I've started eating lunch at this time. I then have my main meal at about 4.30pm and leave calories for something smaller like rice cakes or soup at 7pm. It pretty much works for me. I'm a 15 - 20 a day person and will be cutting to 10 a day on May 1st. Want to be smoke free by the end of September
  • ivasexydiva
    ivasexydiva Posts: 29
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    Well done, sounds like you are doing really well! Good luck with cutting down, I'm sure you will do great!

    I'm toying with the idea of giving up smoking in may for the third time...lets see how that goes..maybe we can support each other :)
  • mrphil86
    mrphil86 Posts: 2,382 Member
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    If I have at least a bowl of cereal in the morning, I feel I can attack the rest of the day no problem. My workouts improve dramatically if I eat breakfast.

    I used to smoke and not eat breakfast also. I used to the e-cig to cut my smoking. Still get to smoke but you can step your nicotine level and without all the tar, CO, ect... It worked for me and never been happier. I still use it, just no nicotine. (You can step it down,)

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