What is breakfast?

BettyM1017
BettyM1017 Posts: 616 Member
edited 9:09AM in Health and Weight Loss
I have been seeing a lot of advice being handed out about eating breakfast. "Not eating breakfast will cause you to gain weight." "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." And so on. However, I have a question.

What is breakfast? What makes a meal breakfast? When should it be eaten? And what should we be eating?

I ask this because I keep odd hours, therefore my eating habits are a bit nontraditional. It works for me. I'm healthy and I'm working my way towards a much healthier weight. However, I am open to making sensible changes to continue to improve.

What's your opinion?

Replies

  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Don't worry about it, it doesn't matter.
  • happyfeetrebel1
    happyfeetrebel1 Posts: 1,005 Member
    You don't need breakfast. It really is an oft repeated myth. What matters is that you stay within your calorie allotment. WHEN you eat is irrelevant. The same goes for not eating late at night; after 7 PM , etc.

    Eat when it feels right for your body. Some people can't function without breakfast. Some people say that eating first thing makes them hungrier. Listen to YOUR body and what it's telling you.

    For me personally, I have medical issues with carbs, and if I eat them (especially before work) I end up hypoglycemic. But I have an extremely labor intensive job and I don't feel well if I don't eat something, so I throw in half a cup of cottage cheese or a couple string cheeses.

    Honestly, people are going to give you all different kinds of advice, but since it ultimately doesn't matter when you eat if you're in a deficit, eat when you feel comfortable.

  • r5d5
    r5d5 Posts: 219 Member
    I think you should figure out if you require breakfast. Do you find yourself particularly hungry mid morning? Ravenous? Cranky? Hard time focusing? Perhaps you're a breakfast person and could use a little something, be it toast, cereal, fruit, an egg... If you find you're fine without, and would rather have more calories for a larger lunch, then go for that.
    Breakfast is not a miracle meal. Some people like it, some people don't.
    Don't force yourself to either skip it or eat it if you'd rather to the opposite and have better success with that.
  • itsjosiebitch
    itsjosiebitch Posts: 68 Member
    When I eat a small breakfast, I am more hungry the whole day.

    When I eat a big breakfast, I am tend to eat less for lunch and dinner.

    When you eat a small dinner, you'll want a bigger breakfast because you'll be hungry.

    When you eat a big dinner, you may not be hungry to eat breakfast

  • maroonmango211
    maroonmango211 Posts: 908 Member
    Breakfast is when you break your fast usually referred to the first meal of the day after a night of not eating (and hopefully getting some sleep). When that happens is personal preference and unlucky to have any effect on metabolism or weight loss unless NOT having it is causing binging and over eating later from being too hungry.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    breakfast
    [brek-fuh st]

    noun
    1.the first meal of the day; morning meal:
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    Breakfast means Break Fast. It's the first meal after your long sleep. Diabetics don't dare skip it. I learned here that non traditional foods are just fine. Based on that advice I've tried soup and toast and that worked well.
  • rommeljulian
    rommeljulian Posts: 2
    I'm following the Leangains fasting protocol and have 16/8 hour split of fasting and eating during the day. I don't eat breakfast till 1:30. I find it's helped me to better regulate my appetite and calorie consumption and lose weight (Trying to get leaner for the summer).
  • rommeljulian
    rommeljulian Posts: 2
    I'm following the Leangains fasting protocol and have 16/8 hour split of fasting and eating during the day. I don't eat breakfast till 1:30. I find it's helped me to better regulate my appetite and calorie consumption and lose weight (Trying to get leaner for the summer).
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I don't do breakfast, as I find the earlier the eat, the hungrier I am throughout the day. I wake up at about 3 and eat at around 10-10:30-works for me, do what works for you. It's all about CICO.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    edited March 2015
    BettyM1017 wrote: »
    What is breakfast? What makes a meal breakfast? When should it be eaten? And what should we be eating?

    Breakfast is the first food you consume after completing your sleeping period.
    "Breakfast" can be any time you start eating. You might call it something else if it coincides with most people's lunch or dinner time.
    Any type of food you want to eat can be breakfast. Food provides fuel for your body to function well. Most people need to eat something to fuel their body and brain several times during a 24 hour period.
    It doesn't matter what hour you eat your calories for weight loss.

    Personally, I eat a light meal about an hour or two after I wake up. After that meal I tend to eat every 3-5 hours until I go to sleep. I typically eat yogurt, cereal, a sandwich, fruit or leftovers for breakfast. i love soup for breakfast.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    I drink 8 ozs of low-sodium V8 juice and a Dannon Greek yogurt for breakfast. Fills me up until lunch. If I don't eat breakfast, I get a headache and a really bad mood.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Breakfast = first meal of the day. It's my favorite meal and I tend to eat quite a few calories at it. But if you don't like it, don't eat it. Or eat a small breakfast if you'd like. My daughter's breakfasts are generally two bites of toast and a quarter cup of hot chocolate and she's fine until lunch. Mine are more like 2-3 eggs, a slice of toast, coffee with milk, and fruit/veggies. We're all different and that is okay.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited March 2015
    BettyM1017 wrote: »
    I have been seeing a lot of advice being handed out about eating breakfast. "Not eating breakfast will cause you to gain weight." "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day." And so on. However, I have a question.

    What is breakfast? What makes a meal breakfast? When should it be eaten? And what should we be eating?

    I ask this because I keep odd hours, therefore my eating habits are a bit nontraditional. It works for me. I'm healthy and I'm working my way towards a much healthier weight. However, I am open to making sensible changes to continue to improve.

    What's your opinion?

    Whether or not you eat breakfast has zilch to do with weight loss. It's all about preference.

    I work out in the mornings and can't do without breakfast: oatmeal with fruit and almond milk, homemade mocha. On the weekends it's French Toast, fruit, and bacon.

    Take my breakfast away from me and I get very grumpy. :#:)
  • BettyM1017
    BettyM1017 Posts: 616 Member
    Thanks everyone! ! You have definitely made me feel better about my breakfast habits. ..or lack thereof. I'll be sticking to eating if I'm hungry and not eating if I'm not! Y'all are awesome.

    Yes, I did just say y'all. :p
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