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How long after waking up do you have before eating breakfast?

JDthe3rd

They say eating breakfast kick-starts your metabolism, but how long after waking up is considered a "healthy" amount of time to eat that first meal?

Replies

RodaRose

I wake up at 9:00 am; I eat lunch at 3:30 or 4:00 pm.
Then a second meal around 7 or 8:00 pm (no snacking-- because snacking makes me hungrier).

lalepepper

I also go a longer time before breaking my fast and have my first meal in the late afternoon/early evening. Eating breakfast soon after waking can have benefits depending on your preferences - if you are hungry and have a wholesome breakfast, it can prevent overeating later in the day. It also can prevent sluggishness first thing in your day and help provide a routine. If you want to eat breakfast and think it will be helpful, do it. As long as you get your daily calorie allotment throughout the day, the timing isn't very important weight-loss wise, just "is this livable?"-wise.

GiveMeCoffee

Meal timing is personal preference, find what works best for you. As others have said your metabolism doesn't need a kick start it's always working.

For me, I wake up by 3 am every day, and usually have my first meal around 1 or 2 pm. It works perfectly for me. If I eat earlier in the day, I want to eat everything all day long

GPHX_GEEK

Breakfast has never been my thing. I don't even wake up feeling hungry at all so when I've tried timed-meal diets I just felt stressed out and it caused me to gain or simply not lose any weight. So I'm done with all that. I do have a latte (made with almond milk) every morning so I guess that's my breakfast and I have it like a half hour after I've woken up.

gamesandgains

Probably 3 1/2 hrs after I wake up.

Emilia777

I’m also on team “No Breakfast”. I like to savour a nice big black coffee every morning, and only eat around 1-2:00 pm, when I’m really feeling the hunger. It works much better for me, as I find I’m hungry at night rather than in the mornings. I thus shift my eating till later in the day.

Also, breakfast is a dangerous meal, as most “breakfast foods” are not that great nutritionally. Even a bowl of oatmeal doesn’t do much for me. I like greek yogurt / meat / eggs myself. I’m a protein girl

eshults89

I jog my dogs as soon as I get up (445), so probably 90 minutes after I wake up (around 615)! There have been lots of interesting studies done about running on an empty stomach (some say its better for your metabolism, other people say not). I run marathons, so I have been trained to do this. My mom can't do it-she feels too hungry. Food for thought

J72FIT

Emilia777 wrote: »

Also, breakfast is a dangerous meal, as most “breakfast foods” are not that great nutritionally.

Depends what you are eating for breakfast...

Emilia777

J72FIT wrote: »

Emilia777 wrote: »

Also, breakfast is a dangerous meal, as most “breakfast foods” are not that great nutritionally.

Depends what you are eating for breakfast...

I was thinking of the traditional North American breakfasts like cereal or bread with nutella. For someone who is trying to get a lot of bang for my calories, those things might be tasty but aren’t what I want on a daily basis as a meal.

If you’re eating an egg-white omelette with smoked salmon and half an avocado, that’s a different story (obviously).

Annanna91

At the risk of being judged or ridiculed, I usually have my breakfast around 15mins after waking up. Non of this waiting for hours or skipping malarkey!!

mkakids

Im up at 6, eat around 10-2? Whenever I get hungry

jgnatca

Annanna91 wrote: »

At the risk of being judged or ridiculed, I usually have my breakfast around 15mins after waking up. Non of this waiting for hours or skipping malarkey!!

I'm with you, @Annanna91‌

rosebette

jgnatca wrote: »

Annanna91 wrote: »

At the risk of being judged or ridiculed, I usually have my breakfast around 15mins after waking up. Non of this waiting for hours or skipping malarkey!!

I'm with you, @Annanna91‌

Same here. I actually feel dizzy and unwell if I wait more than 30 minutes to eat after getting up. I had a fasting cholesterol test last week, so had to wait until almost 9:00 for breakfast (I get up around 7:00). I thought I was going to pass out. I went home as soon as I was finished and made myself bacon and eggs.

lemurcat12

Emilia777 wrote: »

J72FIT wrote: »

Emilia777 wrote: »

Also, breakfast is a dangerous meal, as most “breakfast foods” are not that great nutritionally.

Depends what you are eating for breakfast...

I was thinking of the traditional North American breakfasts like cereal or bread with nutella. For someone who is trying to get a lot of bang for my calories, those things might be tasty but aren’t what I want on a daily basis as a meal.

If you’re eating an egg-white omelette with smoked salmon and half an avocado, that’s a different story (obviously).

Eggs are one of the most traditional North American breakfast foods. It's what I prefer and always have (I've always disliked cold cereal). I see zero reason why egg whites would be preferable to whole eggs, though.

I also sometimes have oatmeal (including with veggies and smoked salmon on the side), and see no reason that would be bad for me.

And on occasion I eat a salad or leftover dinner, since there's no rule that you have to eat special foods just because it's early. All breakfast refers to is the first meal of the day or, if you must, the first meal if it's in the morning.

lemurcat12

jgnatca wrote: »

Annanna91 wrote: »

At the risk of being judged or ridiculed, I usually have my breakfast around 15mins after waking up. Non of this waiting for hours or skipping malarkey!!

I'm with you, @Annanna91‌

I'm only not most days because I cook breakfast and like to shower first.

malibu927

Annanna91 wrote: »

At the risk of being judged or ridiculed, I usually have my breakfast around 15mins after waking up. Non of this waiting for hours or skipping malarkey!!

I don't see why anyone would judge you for this (well, Steve would if he were still here). Meal timing is a personal preference. Some can eat the moment they jump out of bed, some can't until afternoon. My timing is more based on my schedule for the day, but for years I rarely ate breakfast.

Phoenix_Down

I don't break my fast until noon, typically. If I eat earlier I'm screwed for the whole day, hungry and blah. I'm much more satiated and feel better not eating breakfast until then.

When you eat is personal preference.

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html?m=1
#7 specifically

Roxiegirl2008

Annanna91 wrote: »

At the risk of being judged or ridiculed, I usually have my breakfast around 15mins after waking up. Non of this waiting for hours or skipping malarkey!!

Yep same here. I make my lunch and then eat my breakfast. Which consist of two egg whites (I dislike the yolk don't ask me why I don't know I just don't), two pieces of toast with jam, oatmeal (one packet) and sometimes depending on the day I will add some bacon (2 slices). I love my breakfast.

SuggaD

I eat after I workout. I usually get up at 4:45 and eat between 8 and 8:30.

ihad

jgnatca wrote: »

sjaplo wrote: »

Who is "they"?

Anyone who trains diabetics on nutrition.

The findings of the National Weight Control registry. Though the reason is not known (may be correlation rather than causation. People who routinely eat breakfast may be controlling other eating habits). http://www.nwcr.ws/

A review of 47 studies comes out positive for breakfast eaters.

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002822305001513

This shows that breakfast is important for diabetics and is associated in some studies with positive health outcomes, but as you say, there is no causation with kickstarting your metabolism.

Eat breakfast if it helps you and your routine.

It doesn't kick start your metabolism.

Whittedo

I have a Prework-out snack of Protein Powder, yoghurt and berries within 15 minutes of waking and then breakfast after my workout, about 4 hours later

jennifer_417

I rarely eat before lunch. I am not a breakfast person.

MarciBkonTrk

FoCoAlphaNerd wrote: »

I tend to eat within about five or ten minutes, but it's not something I've thought through so much as it's just the way my schedule works out.

I'm the same way. I keep water on my bedside table and drink that first thing before I even get out of bed for hydration. Then I get up and have a high protein smoothie (whey isolate protein, FF Greek yogurt, fruit (usually berries), veggies (usually mixed greens), chia seeds). Then I do my morning walk. About mid-morning I have breakfast. This works for me. I've been doing this for about six weeks and have lost 12 pounds. But mainly I do it because I feel better than I have in a long time. I agree with everyone who posted that you need to figure out what works best for you.

sunandstars2

the only time i got in the shape i wanted to be in was following the advice of a trainer; along with the workouts came a meal plan that upheaved my whole routine. i now try to stick to it even though i'm no longer training ... breakfast within 30 minutes of waking, meals/snacks every 3 hours. 9am, 12pm, 3pm, etc. ... i see that the general answer is "upping your metabolism by eating in the morning is a myth", however i believe it worked for me. just my 2 cents

PurpleYFronts

I eat as soon as I can! I love breakfast, especially with chilli's on it

MysticRealm

I don't eat breakfast but I usually eat my first meal around 11:30-1:30 depending on when my workday allows me a lunch break. I wake up at 7:30 for work so don't eat for 4-5 hours after waking up

Kim_S_G

I am taking medicine for my hypothyroidism. It needs to be taken one hour before meals. I take my medicine and drink coffee first thing in the morning - an hour later I eat breakfast.

Emilia777

lemurcat12 wrote: »

Emilia777 wrote: »

J72FIT wrote: »

Emilia777 wrote: »

Also, breakfast is a dangerous meal, as most “breakfast foods” are not that great nutritionally.

Depends what you are eating for breakfast...

I was thinking of the traditional North American breakfasts like cereal or bread with nutella. For someone who is trying to get a lot of bang for my calories, those things might be tasty but aren’t what I want on a daily basis as a meal.

If you’re eating an egg-white omelette with smoked salmon and half an avocado, that’s a different story (obviously).

Eggs are one of the most traditional North American breakfast foods. It's what I prefer and always have (I've always disliked cold cereal). I see zero reason why egg whites would be preferable to whole eggs, though.

I also sometimes have oatmeal (including with veggies and smoked salmon on the side), and see no reason that would be bad for me.

And on occasion I eat a salad or leftover dinner, since there's no rule that you have to eat special foods just because it's early. All breakfast refers to is the first meal of the day or, if you must, the first meal if it's in the morning.

I never said breakfast IS bad for you. I simply said that the traditional breakfast industry, i.e. the entire cereal isle, is not what works for me. I’m not at all sure why everyone chose to take this the wrong way.

I was only expressing my views and preference. As far as I’m concerned, anyone should do whatever works best for them. It’s simply interesting to read about what that entails.

I definitely like having dinner for breakfast, and I have been known to eat pancakes for dinner! There are no rules, just stereotypes.

J72FIT

Emilia777 wrote: »

I definitely like having dinner for breakfast, and I have been known to eat pancakes for dinner!

YES! YES! YES!

ythannah

Usually a little over 3 hours after I wake up although I can handle black coffee about an hour or so after rising.

I'm too nauseous in the mornings to put food in my stomach any earlier.