Do you have to have breakfast?

I always thought you needed to eat breakfast too but have recently heard otherwise.

I am interested in hearing other's take on this as well.

Although I am not sure how I would make it past 10:00 without eating and probably eating stuff I shouldn't because I am starving.....

Breakfast RULES.


I had breakfast for lunch today.

I'm not sure about the ins and outs of it but i'm sure breakfast is beneficial and healthy. You don't have to have much, if you weigh out your cereals and have skimmed milk, or if you like toast have a few slices of weight watchers bread (only 51 calories per slice) then you can easily eat breakfast that isn't too calorific. I wouldn't cut out complete meals, but maybe think about reducing your portion sizes to cut down on the calories that you'd save by skipping breakfast?

i will die without breakfast....it's the one meal i CANT skip even if i don't have time.....if i don't die, the person standing next to me might die or at least walk away without an arm....

I've never read anything that says skipping breakfast is a good idea. I know personally, that if I don't eat breakfast, I end up hitting high carb/fat/sugar/salty items instead of making good choices. I also end up over doing it at both lunch and dinner. I've found, since starting to track not only what I'm eating, but when and how I feel that I feel the best when I start with coffee (black) at 5 in the morning, plus a glass of water, work out, then have a good breakfast (today it was 2 egg whites + one egg omlette with spinach, mushrooms and onions, hotsauce and a tablespoon of shredded cheese and a flatbread toast. (All for under 300 calories) I end up eating breakfast about 2 hours after I wake up...When I'm working (i'm on vacation right now) I eat oatmeal (I like betteroats, b/c they include flaxseed and are high protein) and a piece of fruit. I'll be good until lunch around 12, then maybe a small snack before dinner at 6.
The difference is, when I skip breakfast, I am less likely to make healthy choices later, because when I finally eat, I can actually feel the blood sugar spikes and crashes I experience, and I'm less able to think through my food choices.

I know lots of people who don't eat breakfast....and this is pure observation....but my friends who skip breakfast are overweight. Every one of them that I know who doesn't eat breakfast. I can' think of a single exception.

I'd say listen to your body... if you're absolutely staving by lunch time then maybe you should have something for breakfast or mid morning so that you don't overeat at lunch, but if you can hold of and not have it, or don't feel the need to have it, i'd listen to your body and not have it. Sometimes I wake up real late and then I don't have time to have it or wake up in time for lunch hahaha!!

Not scientific evidence - but I equate it to filling you car with gas.
By morning - your tank is empty - need to refuel for the day, recharging your brain and your body.
For me at least - my breakfast is normally larger than my lunch. Days that I miss it or have something light, I feel like crap.

It has nothing to do w/ starting your metabolism - thats a myth.

There are probably just as many studies that say you should eat breakfast vs ones that say skipping bfast is ok.

Not sure what you are looking for as far as scientific evidence..but here is a write up from the Mayo Clinic
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119

Hope that helps.

-Rob

The scientific studies will state that to increase metabolism - which helps with weight loss - individuals should eat small meals multiple times a day - like 5-6. So, if you eat every 2-3 hours, then it will assume you must "eat breakfast" - because in order to get all the small meals in, you should start with a morning meal - something small (fruit, at least).

I've never heard anything other than Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. If you've been to sleep for 8 hours and had nothing to eat for 8 hours then I think your body really needs something to get you started for the day ahead. I know that if I've ever had to skip breakfast I'm irritable and then I get so hungry I go mad and eat loads that I wouldn't usually eat. But I guess everyone's different.

I just read a book called 6 weeks to OMG which says to not have breakfast, just black coffee. I'm trying it for 6 weeks (i'm on week 2) and although it takes some getting used to, I think it's working!

It says that with eating little and often your body never needs to use its fat reserves. That logic makes some sense so I thought i'd give it a go.

Would we have a designated name for it if we weren't supposed to consume food in the morning?

Just curious as to why you wouldn't eat breakfast anyway? Does it make you feel ill? Maybe try eating a few small "snacks" in the morning, rather than a larger meal, if that's the case.

As for scientific evidence...I'm sure you could find as many articles supporting breakfast as there are articles condemning it....just like there are "diets" advocating carbs, and "diets" that do not. Think about what our ancestors did...and listen to your body

I hate the times that I need to go for 14 hour fast for blood work. And it's true what someone or many have said. No breakfast ruins my day anyhow. Because I let myself get to hungry. To hungry or being tired is hard on a diet.

Good luck to all. Listen to your body.

Your metabolism is like a fire - if you don't feed it - it doesn't burn.

Breakfast is a matter of personal preference. If you need to eat breakfast because it makes you feel better, then do it. If you don't enjoy breakfast, then don't. There is no metabolic advantage to eating breakfast over not eating it. Most people believe that it jump starts metabolism. This is nonsense. The reason a lot of people have success by not skipping breakfast is not gorging on excess calories at a later meal. It's a psychological effect more than anything.

Being at a caloric deficit is what matters. When you eat those calories does not matter.

Your metabolism is like a fire - if you don't feed it - it doesn't burn.

This is not true. Your metabolism is still going if you don't eat breakfast.