Anybody else have trouble eating breakfast in the morning?

bosstimmy · January 2012

I dont think anyone really rolls out of bed and eats large meals- its not comfortable and it takes your body a little time to get moving. but once you get moving, you need to eat.

you could have a sensitive stomach in the morning because you were digesting the food you ate before bed. Protein is the most difficult food to digest, and it is the most energy-sustaining so it makes the most sense to eat more protein-based foods earlier in the day. my body usually needs about an hour until im ready to eat something and then i'll have a hardboiled egg.

dobenjam · January 2012

It is recommended to eat something about every 4 hours to keep you metabalism going. If you eat something within 4 hours of getting up you should be fine.

I don't get how this makes sense - you are actually going 12 hours without eating if you get 8 hrs of sleep. If eating every 4 hours is necessary, than why aren't we all setting alarms for 2 a.m. to get that snack in?? I just don't know if I believe the "rev the metabolism with frequent meals" thing.

There is some truth to the "reving" the metabolism theory. Our digestive system uses a huge amount of our energy and keeping it going is a great way to keep calories burning and our metabolism going. So eating low calorie snacks to with your digestive system running you burn more calories than if you just added those calories to one of your meals. True or not, that is the theory behind it and there is a lot of science to back it up as well (as with every other weight loss theory out there no matter how crazy).

Now sleep is also very important and we need less energy while we sleep so our bodies compensate and getting enough sleep is vital to weight loss and health. Not getting enough sleep to "stoke" the metabolism fires would be silly.

kennethmgreen · January 2012

If you really want to eat breakfast and are having a hard time doing so, here is what I suggest. It will take some commitment. First, you'll need to get a night job, or take classes at night. Then you need to place foil over all your windows. Make sure you are not exposed to actual sunlight for a couple weeks. You body will need to adjust to this. During the adjustment period, change the times on all the clocks in your house and all your watches, cars, audio/video components, etc. Also make sure you cover any clocks at school or job. You don't want to know the real time. After all this, you are ready. Then when you are hungry, sit down and have a big meal. Call it breakfast.

Or, you could just eat when you are hungry and follow your calorie and macro goals.

engineman312 · January 2012

i eat breakfast anywhere between thirty minutes to two hours of waking up.

Acg67 · January 2012

It is recommended to eat something about every 4 hours to keep you metabalism going. If you eat something within 4 hours of getting up you should be fine.

I don't get how this makes sense - you are actually going 12 hours without eating if you get 8 hrs of sleep. If eating every 4 hours is necessary, than why aren't we all setting alarms for 2 a.m. to get that snack in?? I just don't know if I believe the "rev the metabolism with frequent meals" thing.

There is some truth to the "reving" the metabolism theory. Our digestive system uses a huge amount of our energy and keeping it going is a great way to keep calories burning and our metabolism going. So eating low calorie snacks to with your digestive system running you burn more calories than if you just added those calories to one of your meals. True or not, that is the theory behind it and there is a lot of science to back it up as well (as with every other weight loss theory out there no matter how crazy).

There is 0 science and 0 truth to that.

You are referring to TEF, here's Lyle McDonald's easy to understand explanation;

Eat more frequently and metabolic rate goes up more, right? Because you’re stimulating TEF more often. Well, no. Here’s why:

Say we have two people, both eating the same 3000 calories per day from identical macronutrients. One eats 6 meals of 500 calories/meal while the other eats 3 meals of 1000 calories/meal and we’ll assume a TEF of 10%. So the first will have a TEF of 50 calories (10% of 500) 6 times/day. The second will have a TEF of 100 calories (10% of 1000 calories) 3 times/day. Well, 6X50 = 300 calories/day and 3X100 = 300 calories/day. There’s no difference.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

PATTlCAKES1957 · January 2012

Typically I don't eat the usual standard fare for breakfast. I have a cup of coffee or tea in the early morning, then pack a light snack to eat around 10:30 am at work. The snack usually consists of a 1-2 oz portion of grilled chicken breast or shrimp, with some raw carrots and cucumbers mixed in. Then I'll eat a small apple. This seems to work well for me.

Sepa · January 2012

I'm not a lover of breakfast and I used to gag trying to eat it I'm the mornings but then ate loads at night. I now eat a nature valley honey and oats bar. It has 193 cals for the 2 bars and will keep me going till 10.30/11ish when I will then eat some fruit or a babybell

dobenjam · January 2012

It is recommended to eat something about every 4 hours to keep you metabalism going. If you eat something within 4 hours of getting up you should be fine.

I don't get how this makes sense - you are actually going 12 hours without eating if you get 8 hrs of sleep. If eating every 4 hours is necessary, than why aren't we all setting alarms for 2 a.m. to get that snack in?? I just don't know if I believe the "rev the metabolism with frequent meals" thing.

There is some truth to the "reving" the metabolism theory. Our digestive system uses a huge amount of our energy and keeping it going is a great way to keep calories burning and our metabolism going. So eating low calorie snacks to with your digestive system running you burn more calories than if you just added those calories to one of your meals. True or not, that is the theory behind it and there is a lot of science to back it up as well (as with every other weight loss theory out there no matter how crazy).

There is 0 science and 0 truth to that.

You are referring to TEF, here's Lyle McDonald's easy to understand explanation;

Eat more frequently and metabolic rate goes up more, right? Because you’re stimulating TEF more often. Well, no. Here’s why:

Say we have two people, both eating the same 3000 calories per day from identical macronutrients. One eats 6 meals of 500 calories/meal while the other eats 3 meals of 1000 calories/meal and we’ll assume a TEF of 10%. So the first will have a TEF of 50 calories (10% of 500) 6 times/day. The second will have a TEF of 100 calories (10% of 1000 calories) 3 times/day. Well, 6X50 = 300 calories/day and 3X100 = 300 calories/day. There’s no difference.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/research-review/meal-frequency-and-energy-balance-research-review.html

As I said it is a theory. I personally don't believe the THEORY that it helps with metabolism but I do believe it helps with not getting hungry and then eating too much. I was just explaining the concept since she didn't understand. Either way you can look it up online and find dozens of sites that say that it does and doesn't help with metabolism. I'm not going to say one is right or wrong since I don't truly know, but I don't believe it helps.

SwankyTomato · January 2012

My mom would cook us a big breakfast every single morning so I was conditioned to eating breakfast.

Then I got older sort of skipped it for just coffee, which made me "sick" when I ate lunch as it turns out.

So I went back to eating breakfast, it took awhile to get back there, a good 2 yrs.

Along comes MFP. Turns out I eat WAY too much breakfast, lol. So now I have to scale it back to 300ish calories.

So far, so good. Since I have scaled back breakfast, I eat less during the day if you can believe that. Granted my breakfasts were eggs, toasts, eggs benedict, hash browns, you get the picture.

Franelizabeth · January 2012

I can not normally manage a breakfast so I have a herbalife milkshake it quick easy and fills me x

HMonsterX · January 2012

Coffee and a *kitten* for me. Breakfast doesn't kickstart anything, and to me is just a waste of calories. Id rather have then late at night when i really want them.

star7092 · January 2012

i'm not a breakfast person either. I'm a teacher so when my students have their snack time in the morning thats when i have been eating my "breakfast". I have been eating dried fruit or fresh fruit if I have it and a Fiber One chewy bar. I have found that it actually has been helping me to loose weight because it is boosting my metabolism. My breakfast and lunch times are short and so I'm not eating as much those two times. My problem area is dinner time. I am way hungry at night. That is what I'm currently working on. On the positive..my students are seeing me eat healthy during snack time and they have started eating heathier food as well!

visiri · January 2012

I can't eat right when I get up in the morning, but I usually have my morning latte and a yogurt or slice of toast about an hour after I get up and then a light (100 calorieish) snack around 10. If I don't eat breakfast and the snack, I eat way to much later in the day.

One thing with MFP is that when I wake up now, I'm actually hungry - I'm no longer still full from my dinner the night before.

smplycomplicated · January 2012

I don't do Breakfast either. I try, but i rarely have an appetite first thing in the mornings, and I'm really busy, and on the go until about 11 or so, and by then it's almost lunch. I drink a cup of coffee and a bottle of water..that's my breakfast

SolidGoaled · January 2012

If you really want to eat breakfast and are having a hard time doing so, here is what I suggest. It will take some commitment. First, you'll need to get a night job, or take classes at night. Then you need to place foil over all your windows. Make sure you are not exposed to actual sunlight for a couple weeks. You body will need to adjust to this. During the adjustment period, change the times on all the clocks in your house and all your watches, cars, audio/video components, etc. Also make sure you cover any clocks at school or job. You don't want to know the real time. After all this, you are ready. Then when you are hungry, sit down and have a big meal. Call it breakfast.

Or, you could just eat when you are hungry and follow your calorie and macro goals.

I love this post. (and I love your adorable baby)

monty_williams · January 2012

If you don't want to eat breakfast, then don't. Maybe intermittent fasting is your body's natural feeding rhythm. If you chose this lifestyle (which alot find very convenient by the way), just make sure that you truly fast during your fasting period, i.e. no calories. Unsweetened coffee and tea and water is okay. If you drink diet soda, that's okay too.

There is no truth that eating breakfast or eating every X number of hours starts your metabolism or keeps it going. Actually, your metabolism increases in a fasted state for the first couple of days due to the hormone Ghrelin. Alot of body builders who do intermittent fasting fast for 16 hours or so (most women do 14/10 fast/feed) and consume all of their daily calories within the remaining hours during the day, i.e. fast from 9pm until 1pm the next day, eat x number of meals during the next 8 hours to meet their caloric and macromutrient goals/requirements and repeat. You would have to fast for around 3 days before your metablism would be significantly affected or your body became catabolic to any significant degree.

bijoux2711 · January 2012

I've never been a breakfast person either but I'm learning : )
I find a smoothie packed with good stuff is an easy on the go option. This morning I had a combo of baby spinach, celery, chia seeds, frozen blueberries, coconut water and some pea protein powder. Very very yummy and keeps me going all morning.

ryall70 · January 2012

I'm not a breakfast person either. I generally have some Silk or yogurt about mid-morning so I'm not real hungry at lunch time. Or even a protein breakfast bar. Good luck :flowerforyou:

abbbigayl · January 2012

mini-bagel with cashew butter (whole foods)

MummyOfSeven · January 2012

I feel physically sick if I try to eat before 10am.
I just have tea til I'm ready to eat.

MILFdoesabodyGd · January 2012

Usually when I wake up the only thing I can manage to down is a cup of coffee with almond milk and stevia.
I've always had a sensitive stomach in the morning since I was little so I'm pretty conditioned to go without breakfast, however my body seems to want to make up for it especially late at night >.<

Does anyone have light and healthy (vegetarian/vegan) breakfast ideas??

Thaaaanks

By the day, feel free to add.

I happen to like fiber one bars. the 90 calorie ones are pretty great

for me I don't like taking the *time* to eat in the morning I would rather just sip coffee as well, not to mention I'm not usually hungry. There's lots of great things you can do with oatmeal and quinoa too.

branflake5 · January 2012

I almost never eat breakfast because I am not awake during breakfast hours. I get up take the kids to school come home and go back to sleep. I eat brunch though:) At least that's what I call my lunch

mochamofitandhealthy · January 2012

I'm not a big breakfast person either. I usually do a meal replacement shake.

zoeelizabeths · January 2012

I'm not a big morning eater, especially if I have to get up and starting doing stuff. Small things I will eat are fruit, or sometimes Oatmeal. I also drink non-fat lattes. That way I get some sort of protein in my stomach, but it's not really like eating a big meal.

bjhadden · January 2012

I may have to try the bagel thing! I just found out that I like cream cheese. Not sure if that is good or bad though. :indifferent:

bosstimmy · January 2012

Body in sleep mode is entirely different than body in awake mode. Eating small amounts every few hours when awake keeps blood sugar stable and a constant energy supply for your body. When you are sleeping, your body shuts down in some ways.

bosstimmy · January 2012

It is recommended to eat something about every 4 hours to keep you metabalism going. If you eat something within 4 hours of getting up you should be fine.

I don't get how this makes sense - you are actually going 12 hours without eating if you get 8 hrs of sleep. If eating every 4 hours is necessary, than why aren't we all setting alarms for 2 a.m. to get that snack in?? I just don't know if I believe the "rev the metabolism with frequent meals" thing.

Body in sleep mode is entirely different than body in awake mode. Eating small amounts every few hours when awake keeps blood sugar stable and a constant energy supply for your body. When you are sleeping, your body shuts down in some ways

Sidesteal · January 2012

Body in sleep mode is entirely different than body in awake mode. Eating small amounts every few hours when awake keeps blood sugar stable and a constant energy supply for your body. When you are sleeping, your body shuts down in some ways.

This is largely irrelevant for body composition assuming micro/macronutrient sufficiency and accurate end-of-day totals for kcals.

bosstimmy · January 2012

It is recommended to eat something about every 4 hours to keep you metabalism going. If you eat something within 4 hours of getting up you should be fine.

I don't get how this makes sense - you are actually going 12 hours without eating if you get 8 hrs of sleep. If eating every 4 hours is necessary, than why aren't we all setting alarms for 2 a.m. to get that snack in?? I just don't know if I believe the "rev the metabolism with frequent meals" thing.

There is some truth to the "reving" the metabolism theory. Our digestive system uses a huge amount of our energy and keeping it going is a great way to keep calories burning and our metabolism going. So eating low calorie snacks to with your digestive system running you burn more calories than if you just added those calories to one of your meals. True or not, that is the theory behind it and there is a lot of science to back it up as well (as with every other weight loss theory out there no matter how crazy).

Now sleep is also very important and we need less energy while we sleep so our bodies compensate and getting enough sleep is vital to weight loss and health. Not getting enough sleep to "stoke" the metabolism fires would be silly.

Eating frequently and with small amounts stabilizes blood sugar. No crashes. Maintained energy. Keeps the machine going steady.

russellma · January 2012

When I first joined, I tried to force myself to eat breakfast, but it's just not me. So, now I make myself a mocha and generally don't eat until 11:00 or so. I've still been losing, so I don't think breakfast is necessary for weight loss.

Anybody else have trouble eating breakfast in the morning?

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