Importance of breakfast

scoii
scoii Posts: 160 Member
I've always read that eating breakfast is important for 2 reasons:

1 - you will eat less calories throughout the day
2 - your metabolism burns more calories throughout the day

The problem is that my lunch and dinner calories are reasonably constant whether I eat breakfast or not.

So is it worth eating a breakfast for metabolic reasons alone. If so, what is the minimum amount, is 2 belvita or equivalent with a brew enough.
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Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    I don't eat breakfast, per se. I find I am hungrier throughout the day when I eat within an hour of waking up. I have my first meal around 9:30 or 10:00, lunch around 1:00, and dinner around 8:00. I am less hungry and am able to keep my daily calories lower.

    You cannot "jumpstart" your metabolism by eating breakfast. That's a myth.

    Some people find they do better when they eat a big breakfast. Some like me don't. Experiment, find what works for you, and do that! Good luck!
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    I will have a mini planned meal around 9:30.
    I read that if you don't eat breakfast you tend to graze on junk. Not true for me.
  • Meganthedogmom
    Meganthedogmom Posts: 1,639 Member
    To me, it's not worth it. If I'm hungry, I eat. If not, I wait until I am hungry. I do not find that if I eat breakfast, I eat less throughout the day. I still get hungry at the same times and eat just as much (therefore, eating more since I had breakfast too).
  • Sassie_Lassie
    Sassie_Lassie Posts: 140 Member
    I don't always eat breakfast. If I'm hungry I eat it. If I'm not I don't.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    scoii wrote: »
    1 - you will eat less calories throughout the day

    maybe, maybe not. If having a breakfast means that you are less likely to eat more later on then yes, that holds true. But, if having a breakfast is additional to the other food you would usually eat, then no, in that instance the breakfast is just extra food.

    If you calorie count then how you split that food up into meals and snacks is irrelevant for weight loss (or gain) although some methods may help with satiety or compliance.
    scoii wrote: »
    2 - your metabolism burns more calories throughout the day

    No. If you ate your breakfast calories at supper time your calorific burn for the day would be the same as if you ate them first thing in the morning.
  • scoii
    scoii Posts: 160 Member
    Thanks all. Seems everyone has a consistent opinion, :o
  • JinjoJoey
    JinjoJoey Posts: 106 Member
    Breakfast just usually makes me hungrier, faster. Doesn't seem to matter what I eat, unless I stuff myself, which I don't want to do.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    I don't eat breakfast. If I do, I still want the same size lunch/dinner. I'm fine with coffee or tea in the morning.
  • Carlos_421
    Carlos_421 Posts: 5,132 Member
    scoii wrote: »
    I've always read that eating breakfast is important for 2 reasons:

    1 - you will eat less calories throughout the day
    2 - your metabolism burns more calories throughout the day

    The problem is that my lunch and dinner calories are reasonably constant whether I eat breakfast or not.

    So is it worth eating a breakfast for metabolic reasons alone. If so, what is the minimum amount, is 2 belvita or equivalent with a brew enough.

    Number one is variable. It works for some but works the opposite for others.
    Number two is entirely false. Your metabolism doesn't slow down and cannot be sped up (outside of the temporary boost from exercise).

    So whether or not you eat breakfast is up to you.
  • CaliforniaAJ
    CaliforniaAJ Posts: 196 Member
    For breakfast, every day, I have:
    3 bacon medallions
    1 egg scrambled
    1 cream cheese pancake (1 egg, 1 oz goat cream cheese blended and cooked in a blob of goat butter just like a pancake).
    337cals and it sets me up for the day. I get that 'ready brek glow' and I have no desire to snack during the day.
    I eat a small 200ish calorie lunch and a 300ish calorie dinner, plus an evening snack of 100ish calories.
    Breakfast is by far my best and most important meal of the day.
  • rontafoya
    rontafoya Posts: 365 Member
    I think both 1 and 2 are really bad ideas that keep getting perpetuated, and are minimally applicable (at best). #1 depends mostly on your hormones and hormone sensitivity. 2 has to do with "the thermic effect of food" which is so minimal it's not worth mentioning. Neither applies to me at all. I do intermittent fasting and only eat 12pm to 8pm. I eat a small noon meal, 3-4pm snack, and a big dinner. I lost 40 lbs and 11 inches off my waist, I have 10% body fat and a six pack at 47. Aside from not even wanting to eat breakfast....if I do? I eat WAY more during the day. Because either way I need a big dinner. So I can eat little meals all day and still need about a 1200 calorie dinner.
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    I think those old ideas about breakfast have been largely discredited, original poster.
  • ivygirl1937
    ivygirl1937 Posts: 899 Member
    Go with your personal preference. A lot of people skip breakfast, I am one of those people who can't skip it, for medical and hunger reasons, both. :smile: I need a decent breakfast or I'm not fun to deal with the rest of the day. Lunch though I don't have a problem skipping. To each their own, doesn't matter really when you eat, just how much.
  • Alluminati
    Alluminati Posts: 6,208 Member
    edited June 2016
    It doesn't matter when you eat, what matters is your over all intake during the day. I don't eat breakfast because I never liked eating that early since I was a kid so for me it works and I have lost 50+ lbs. I also feel better working out on an empty stomach so the metabolism thing is bogus, too. Go with what feels right for you.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    If I didn't go to the gym in the morning I wouldn't eat anything until about 1pm. So I drink a protein shake on the way. I'm doing just fine. The breakfast myth is just that, a myth. Whatever your needs are, you do you.
  • fishshark
    fishshark Posts: 1,886 Member
    all myth everything. wake up around 11am everyday.... have dinner around 11pm go to sleep around 2am. meal timing doesn't mean a thing. Some people eat once a day. I myself sometimes don't each much until dinner.
  • sissy410
    sissy410 Posts: 1 Member
    I drink a 8 0z glass of lemon water 1 hour before I have my coffee. Depending how hungry I feel I can go until 10-11:00 before I have solid food. I try to have 4 to 5 small meals a day so I don't become starved and go off my 1000 calorie food plan. So far I have lost 15 lbs. in 3 months along with 2-3 days of cardio and weights.
  • fbmandy55
    fbmandy55 Posts: 5,263 Member
    For breakfast, every day, I have:
    3 bacon medallions
    1 egg scrambled
    1 cream cheese pancake (1 egg, 1 oz goat cream cheese blended and cooked in a blob of goat butter just like a pancake).
    337cals and it sets me up for the day. I get that 'ready brek glow' and I have no desire to snack during the day.
    I eat a small 200ish calorie lunch and a 300ish calorie dinner, plus an evening snack of 100ish calories.
    Breakfast is by far my best and most important meal of the day.

    So you only eat 937 calories a day?
  • suzyjane1972
    suzyjane1972 Posts: 612 Member
    scoii wrote: »
    I've always read that eating breakfast is important for 2 reasons:

    1 - you will eat less calories throughout the day
    2 - your metabolism burns more calories throughout the day

    The problem is that my lunch and dinner calories are reasonably constant whether I eat breakfast or not.

    So is it worth eating a breakfast for metabolic reasons alone. If so, what is the minimum amount, is 2 belvita or equivalent with a brew enough.

    No and so much no.
  • fr33sia12
    fr33sia12 Posts: 1,258 Member
    I'm guessing you mean a breakfast meal, as breakfast is simply the first meal of the day, so if you eat as soon as you get up or 5 hours later, everyone still has a "breakfast" :)