The ole' breakfast debate

Options
ohboyitskris
ohboyitskris Posts: 8 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Howdy,

I'm thinking about cutting breakfast from my routine. I have issues with not sticking to my caloric intake throughout the day because I'm always hungry and would prefer to eat more during lunch time. I've seen some articles explaining how intermittent fasting can be beneficial for some people.

Anyone have any positive/negative experiences with this?

Sorry in advance if this is not the right discussion board...
«1

Replies

  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    Options
    Skipping breakfast is a great way to help keep yourself in a calorie deficit!
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/49-intermittent-fasting
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    Options
    I rarely eat breakfast. I think the way I typically eat would qualify as IF, though I never call it that nor had I ever heard the term when I started eating this way. But as odd as it sounds I'm usually hungrier throughout the day when I eat breakfast than when I don't. Typically I don't get hungry until around 2:00 - 2:30 p.m. so that's when I first eat. I've experienced no negative affects from this.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 17,959 Member
    Options
    Timing of eating is irrelevant for weight loss. If you don't want to eat breakfast, don't. I personally hate it and find it much easier to stick within my calorie goal without it, to the point that being forced to eat it ( to take meds 12 hours apart with food) has pretty much stalled my weight loss.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Options
    I rarely eat breakfast and save those calories for my evening meal. It's my preferred way of eating when losing weight.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Options
    Just see how you feel. I like breakfast currently, but used to skip it, was never an issue for me.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    Options
    I have actually had to scrounge around for more food after dinner because I was too low in calories for the day. IF plus some cardio exercise sets you up for some good eatin'!
  • ohboyitskris
    ohboyitskris Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the feedback you guys!!! I used to not eat breakfast but that was before when I was awful at taking care of myself. Breakfast became so much of a normal thing for me the past year and a half so getting rid of it is a bit scary. It was super helpful in creating healthy eating habits though.

    My biggest concern is the hunger pains in the morning but I feel like with time my body will get used to it?? We'll see, this is my second day trying it out and I feel super fine so thats a plus.
  • lilligraz22
    lilligraz22 Posts: 183 Member
    Options
    I love my breakfast. Favorite meal of the day. For years I skipped it but now I need it. Nothing big but it gives me the fuel I need.
  • CorneliusPhoton
    CorneliusPhoton Posts: 965 Member
    Options
    ohboyitskris wrote: »

    My biggest concern is the hunger pains in the morning but I feel like with time my body will get used to it?? We'll see, this is my second day trying it out and I feel super fine so thats a plus.
    Drink lots of water and keep yourself really busy during your fast. Black coffee and tea are fine too. Some people will take a small shot of cream in their coffee. If weight loss is your only goal, then the calories in the cream are no big deal and are negligible. If you want the other benefits of IF that come with keeping your insulin as low as possible for a long time, then skip the cream.

  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    Options
    CorneliusPhoton wrote: »
    I have actually had to scrounge around for more food after dinner because I was too low in calories for the day. IF plus some cardio exercise sets you up for some good eatin'!

    ^^Truth!!! last night my supper (after main meal) was 600 cals of peanut butter and jelly sandwich, just to hit my macros and get the cals in.
  • ohboyitskris
    ohboyitskris Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    CorneliusPhoton wrote: »
    Drink lots of water and keep yourself really busy during your fast. Black coffee and tea are fine too. Some people will take a small shot of cream in their coffee. If weight loss is your only goal, then the calories in the cream are no big deal and are negligible. If you want the other benefits of IF that come with keeping your insulin as low as possible for a long time, then skip the cream.

    Yeah I could never give up my coffee in the morning, and as soon as I have it the hunger pains subside. Water is also great and I feel more accountable with my water intake for the day. Thank you for your advice!! From what I've seen there is so much more that goes along with IF so that is pretty exciting.
  • Raptor2763
    Raptor2763 Posts: 387 Member
    Options
    I've done intermittent fasting with limited success. If you want to fast, I'd either do a Modified Apple Day OR a full reset. In either event, don't forget that steak and large tomato for dinner that night. It's critical.
  • iangelab
    iangelab Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    check out intermittent fasting, specifically 14:10 you eat in a 10 hour window I am from 11-8 and this helps immensely to keep me in my calorie range . I use coffee with stevia and green tea to curb hunger and yes the longer you do it the easier it gets. I do find some days I am still hungry and if it is really strong, I eat something very small when needed but overall I really have enjoyed this type of eating and it has been very effective for weight and specifically fat loss. I was a "breakfast" person so I thought I would not be able to do this but it has been a very easy transition and I love not having the hassle of breakfast in the morning, makes it much easier.
  • sunnybeaches105
    sunnybeaches105 Posts: 2,831 Member
    Options
    I rarely eat before 10-11am. It works fine for me an allows me to stay within my calorie goals
  • SashEdwards
    SashEdwards Posts: 78 Member
    Options
    This is a great post. For years I was hammered with "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". I was never a breakfast person, never ever. Over the last 6 months, I thought healthy eating to lose weight meant having to eat breakfast to kick start my metabolism to help me lose weight. So, I started eating breakfast. I too find eating breakfast makes me starving all day - which for me, on 1200 a day intake, adds up pretty quickly and also makes it harder I find to make positive eating decisions. Learning here that it doesn't matter when you eat, it's really calories in vs calories out has been reassuring, and I've slowly started cutting it out to help curb the hunger, but it's still a bit scary to get rid of it. I've now been brainwashed into thinking my weight loss will stall if I don't kick start it with breakfast! So many misconceptions....
  • ohboyitskris
    ohboyitskris Posts: 8 Member
    Options
    I love all of the positive feedback, it makes this a whole lot easier knowing that it is successful for others!!
    SashEdwards wrote: »
    This is a great post. For years I was hammered with "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". I was never a breakfast person, never ever. Over the last 6 months, I thought healthy eating to lose weight meant having to eat breakfast to kick start my metabolism to help me lose weight. So, I started eating breakfast. I too find eating breakfast makes me starving all day - which for me, on 1200 a day intake, adds up pretty quickly and also makes it harder I find to make positive eating decisions. Learning here that it doesn't matter when you eat, it's really calories in vs calories out has been reassuring, and I've slowly started cutting it out to help curb the hunger, but it's still a bit scary to get rid of it. I've now been brainwashed into thinking my weight loss will stall if I don't kick start it with breakfast! So many misconceptions....

    Right!? I read an article (from buzzfeed?) a few weeks ago saying that everything we know about having to eat breakfast is wrong. That really got me thinking about my attachment to breakfast. Plus I'm so hungry throughout the day and am barely able to stick to my calorie goals. I've been frustrated and ready for change.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,134 Member
    Options
    Sometimes I eat in the mornings, sometimes I don't, sometimes I just have a can of diet root beer. All I can say is try it and see how you feel. I've never found water to take away hunger though.
  • StealthHealth
    StealthHealth Posts: 2,417 Member
    edited July 2016
    Options
    ohboyitskris wrote: »
    I love all of the positive feedback, it makes this a whole lot easier knowing that it is successful for others!!
    SashEdwards wrote: »
    This is a great post. For years I was hammered with "breakfast is the most important meal of the day". I was never a breakfast person, never ever. Over the last 6 months, I thought healthy eating to lose weight meant having to eat breakfast to kick start my metabolism to help me lose weight. So, I started eating breakfast. I too find eating breakfast makes me starving all day - which for me, on 1200 a day intake, adds up pretty quickly and also makes it harder I find to make positive eating decisions. Learning here that it doesn't matter when you eat, it's really calories in vs calories out has been reassuring, and I've slowly started cutting it out to help curb the hunger, but it's still a bit scary to get rid of it. I've now been brainwashed into thinking my weight loss will stall if I don't kick start it with breakfast! So many misconceptions....

    Right!? I read an article (from buzzfeed?) a few weeks ago saying that everything we know about having to eat breakfast is wrong. That really got me thinking about my attachment to breakfast. Plus I'm so hungry throughout the day and am barely able to stick to my calorie goals. I've been frustrated and ready for change.

    I think the "Breakfast is most important meal of the day" idea comes from studies that showed that people who ate breakfast were lighter (less fat) than those that skipped the meal. But, that doesn't (and I doubt the researchers claimed it did, although the media reported it as such) establish that breakfast is the cause of the lower weight.

    Classic: correlation =/= cause.

    There is some sense in the argument "if you skip breakfast you are likely to eat more later in the day" but that is not applicable to anyone who is using MFP as intended - If you calorie count and routinely stick to your allotted calories over consumption later in the day is not going to happen.
  • Antonia_I
    Antonia_I Posts: 12 Member
    Options
    I personally can't skip breakfast. I have naturally low blood sugar anyway, and if I don't eat something protein heavy in the morning, things are not pleasant. I have had luck with skipping dinner. I didn't eat after 2pm for a couple of months and it worked pretty well for me.
  • kelliward1
    kelliward1 Posts: 99 Member
    Options
    Antonia_I wrote: »
    I personally can't skip breakfast. I have naturally low blood sugar anyway, and if I don't eat something protein heavy in the morning, things are not pleasant. I have had luck with skipping dinner. I didn't eat after 2pm for a couple of months and it worked pretty well for me.

    I can't either....my blood sugar would go low and I would start feeling bad and shakey. I leave for work early so I pack a breakfast to take with me to work. On my days off I most always eat breakfast....if I don't have time in the morning I'll have a Carnation Instant breakfast shake (not the best thing, but better than nothing). You just have to learn to listen to your body to see what it needs. There is no wrong or right...its what is right for your body.

Categories