should breakfast be the largest meal of the day?

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luciachenlexian
luciachenlexian Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
everybody says breakfast is the most important meal, so is it okay to have the largest meal for breakfast and have less for lunch and dinner?

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  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,981 Member
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    Sure. It's OK to arrange your calories as you please. There's a certain logic to a large breakfast, given that you've been fasting for at least as long as you've been asleep, and are now about to become more active. But, really, whatever works for you, whether it's avoiding or minimizing digestive issues, managing satiety, feeling energized whenever you want/need to be, or just what makes you happy.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,529 Member
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    luciachenlexian wrote: »
    everybody says breakfast is the most important meal, so is it okay to have the largest meal for breakfast and have less for lunch and dinner?

    It's personal on how you want to section your meals calorically. All adds up in the end.
    Just a note: the whole "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" was invented by a cereal company to sell more cereal.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,640 Member
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    It doesn’t matter. Some people don’t even have breakfast as part of their eating plan. There are some instances where no protein in the morning is a bad idea.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,984 Member
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    luciachenlexian wrote: »
    everybody says breakfast is the most important meal, so is it okay to have the largest meal for breakfast and have less for lunch and dinner?

    "Everybody" doesn't say that...it was a marketing slogan to sell cereal.

    You can split up your meals and calories in any way that works for you. All that is important is the total for the day.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,529 Member
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    tomcustombuilder wrote: »
    It doesn’t matter. Some people don’t even have breakfast as part of their eating plan. There are some instances where no protein in the morning is a bad idea.
    Yep. I don't eat between 11:30pm and 12pm. So no breakfast for me.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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  • nossmf
    nossmf Posts: 9,101 Member
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    Going even further, your first meal of the day, regardless what time it is, doesn't have to be the biggest either. The rare day I eat "breakfast" it's always the smallest meal, and the days I don't eat until lunch, 9 times out of 10 my dinner is bigger still.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,195 Member
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    Whatever eating schedule leaves you feeling mostly full and happy, while staying within reasonable calories and getting decent overall nutrition, while being practical/affordable for you . . . is the perfect eating schedule for you.

    Experiment.

    People around MFP do well on anything from one meal a day (OMAD) to all-day small-portion grazing, and everything in between. What's best tends to be individual. Figure out what works for you. Other people here can give you ideas and suggestions, but only you can find your best routine.

    If you run into some particular problem (such as low-energy workouts or evening cravings or whatever), that's a time to post here and ask how other people handled similar situations. Then pick some of those suggestions, and test drive them for a few days. You'll figure it out.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,640 Member
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    If someone is trying to add muscle then not having morning protein can have a negative effect as muscle needs fairly frequent shots of protein for optimal results.
  • gentlygently
    gentlygently Posts: 752 Member
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    (Not trying to derail from the OP question - which has been well answered …

    Just the need protein for muscle angle may no longer be thought of as up to date … Eg this is an interesting listen with a UK academic expert..

    Zoe podcast of 25 May:


    https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/zoe-science-nutrition/id1611216298?i=1000614458002


    I’ll hide now!

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