To eat breakfast or not... that is the question?!

Eat when you're hungry

/end thread

^^^^ and this!!

I am a FIRM believer of eating 5-6 meals per day and ALWAYS eating breakfast within one hour of waking. You should be having clean, well balanced meals/snacks between 200-300 calories every 2 1/2 - 3 hours. Yes you will be hungrier at the beginning and it will be because your metabolism is working how it is meant to. Carbs and whole grains should be consumed early in the day to keep you fueled for the rest of the day. If you haven't already read up on it, check our Tosca Reno's Eat Clean Principles it is definitely a good, easy read and puts it ALL in perspective.

Perspective is subjective. I don't rely on peoples versions of diets, I rely on actual scientific studies and studies don't support what you are posting.
While you feel it's working for you, saying SHOULD implies it's the only way to go.

A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

"Whether fat oxidation is greater during waking or sleeping hours doesn't matter. What matters is 24-hour fat balance, which is fat synthesis minus fat oxidation. See, those are the 2 sides to the equation. If you eat less during the day & more at night, fat oxidation will occur at a greater rate during the day. If you do the opposite, fat oxidation will occur at a greater rate through the night - & you end up at the same spot. After 24 hours, the body doesn't know nor give a flying fuk which half of the day contributed to either a net loss, gain, or maintenance of fat balance. Unless you have a specific need for increased energy intake (ie, prolonged competition in a particular sport ocurring in the earlier part of the day), there's no reason to assume that eating more during the day & less in the evening is INHERENTLY beneficial for body composition goals."

-Alan Aragon
[/quote]

I've always suspected this ^^ so now I know.

I'm glad to hear that the overall opinion is that breakfast isn't make or break. I don't do it very often, I'm just not hungry. I eat the bulk of my calories between 4pm and 10pm most days. I sometimes think I need to change that, but it works for me, and I LIKE my eating pattern. So I guess I'll keep at it, until I don't like it, or it doesn't work for me.

If you get hungry a couple hours later, have a snack.

Hey Everyone,
I have recently been certified as a nutrition specialist through AASDN.
I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone!
Think about your body being a car.
Your car will not run properly if you dont put fuel into it, well thats the same thing with your body.
Breakfast is your fuel that will help replenish your energy after it has gone through hours of starvation from sleep.
if you skip breakfast, your body will use up fuels from other sources and deplete your nutrient storages.
This slows down your metabolism and will in the end cause you to need less calories through out the day!
So if you eat when you wake up, your body will have enough charge to work faster, better and stronger.
Also you'll be less hungry later on in the day!
If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask!

Hey Everyone,
I have recently been certified as a nutrition specialist through AASDN.
I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone!
Think about your body being a car.
Your car will not run properly if you dont put fuel into it, well thats the same thing with your body.
Breakfast is your fuel that will help replenish your energy after it has gone through hours of starvation from sleep.
if you skip breakfast, your body will use up fuels from other sources and deplete your nutrient storages.
This slows down your metabolism and will in the end cause you to need less calories through out the day!
So if you eat when you wake up, your body will have enough charge to work faster, better and stronger.
Also you'll be less hungry later on in the day!
If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask!

congratulations on being certified. but pretty much everything you said is not true and some of what you said is a HUGE leap away from the truth.

YES I EAT BREAKFAST!! You are hungrier when you eat breakfast beacause your metabolism is busy burning fuel. Eat a protein/whole grain packed breakfast. That will keep you full. a little longer! What you eat is just as important! Stay away from sugary cereals and pasteries. They will make you want a nap!!! At least that's my experience!

You have lost 36 lbs you are doing something right!! Do what works for you!

Hey Everyone,
I have recently been certified as a nutrition specialist through AASDN.
I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone!
Think about your body being a car.
Your car will not run properly if you dont put fuel into it, well thats the same thing with your body.
Breakfast is your fuel that will help replenish your energy after it has gone through hours of starvation from sleep.
if you skip breakfast, your body will use up fuels from other sources and deplete your nutrient storages.
This slows down your metabolism and will in the end cause you to need less calories through out the day!
So if you eat when you wake up, your body will have enough charge to work faster, better and stronger.
Also you'll be less hungry later on in the day!
If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask!

Remind me not to hire any nutritionists with that certification then if that is what they teach you.

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one! Breakfast has never felt right for me. It just feels like stuffing a pointless extra 300 cals into my body for the day. Plus, I have never been a fan of breakfast type foods. My dream breakfast is lunch!

I'm not hungry when I wake up, and like other people said, I'd rather use my calories during meals when I will enjoy them.

As for the idea of focus - eating breakfast alone does not give my brain any extra clarity or focus.
But exercising in the morning DOES help me with energy levels and focus. On the days I exercise in the morning, I do tend to eat lunch early.

I'm not a health expert - I have spent my 20s straddling the line between a healthy and overweight BMI. But just because healthy people eat breakfast, does not necessarily mean that eating breakfast makes you healthier. Pretty sure my weight issues are because I love the other meals of the day a little too much, not because I skip breakfast.

I love breakfast. I love breakfast foods. And I'm usually hungry in the morning.

BUT...I've noticed, in my personal experience, that I will be hungrier later in the day regardless of how much I eat in the morning. So it doesn't matter whether I just have a 130 calorie latte or a 500 breakfast of whatever (though I will say that protein tends to tide me over better than high carb cereal). I will still want to eat a larger meal later in the day, and I will go over my calories if I've had a big breakfast. Plus I tend to want to snack more.

I read one of the intermittent fasting websites with interest (has been posted elsewhere here, I think) and tried that...but I can't quite go without anything. So I drink the latte, and the caffeine tides me over for a few hours. I don't think there's anything wrong with your approach if it works for you!

Hey Everyone,
I have recently been certified as a nutrition specialist through AASDN.
I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone!
Think about your body being a car.
Your car will not run properly if you dont put fuel into it, well thats the same thing with your body.
Breakfast is your fuel that will help replenish your energy after it has gone through hours of starvation from sleep.
if you skip breakfast, your body will use up fuels from other sources and deplete your nutrient storages.
This slows down your metabolism and will in the end cause you to need less calories through out the day!
So if you eat when you wake up, your body will have enough charge to work faster, better and stronger.
Also you'll be less hungry later on in the day!

::Raises hand:: I have questions

Do you have any actual evidence that not eating breakfast depletes your nutrient storage? And why would your body using fuel from other sources be a bad thing, if let's say it's fat?

And any evidence that merely skipping breakfast slows down your metabolism?

And in your nutrition courses did you learn anything about not talking in absolute terms, like "I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone"?

I admittedly haven't read all 3000+ of your quotes but the last 20 or so have been quite condescending. You obviously have interest and knowledge, but you need to tone it down, dude.

As to the topic, I agree with the consensus here. The importance of breakfast is greatly overstated.

I think his posts are very informative, and make people think. Someone certified in nutrition sure should know more than that

A also agree with the majority. I don't eat breakfast until 2 pm

I'm not a breakfast person and I used to NEVER eat breakfast. I don't have much appetite in the morning and usually choose sleep over preparing something so I started eating smoothies for breakfast a couple years ago. It is much easier and faster to make myself eat breakfast. Now I can't go w/o breakfast & it keeps me full until lunch!

My typical smoothie includes:

1/2 c. greek yogurt
1/2 scoop whey protein (usually chocolate or vanilla)
1 cup of frozen fruit
1 handful of spinach
1 tbsp of peanut butter
1 tbsp flax seed

Good luck in your breakfast endeavors!

Not if they're being taught something different. Wouldn't it be better to let the data speak for itself rather than say things like:

"Way to make things up"
"And in your nutrition courses did you learn anything about not talking in absolute terms, like "I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone"?"

Or to suggest someone get a new dietician. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I'm much more inclined to listen to a complete internet stranger that speaks with respect in the spirit of helping rather than speaks with condescension in the spirit of being right.

I could see that. I guess i have a habit of saying similar things to be honest xD I will usually listen to posters that back their claims up with peer reviewed science - which Acg always does.

But to each their own I suppose ^-^

Hey Everyone,
I have recently been certified as a nutrition specialist through AASDN.
I am here to tell you that breakfast is an essential meal for everyone!
Think about your body being a car.
Your car will not run properly if you dont put fuel into it, well thats the same thing with your body.
Breakfast is your fuel that will help replenish your energy after it has gone through hours of starvation from sleep.
if you skip breakfast, your body will use up fuels from other sources and deplete your nutrient storages.
This slows down your metabolism and will in the end cause you to need less calories through out the day!
So if you eat when you wake up, your body will have enough charge to work faster, better and stronger.
Also you'll be less hungry later on in the day!
If you have any questions, please dont hesitate to ask!

When I treat my body exactly like a car, I fill it up once a day. And guess what, my car runs just fine till the next day, and so does my body. If your fitness is such that not eating breakfast hurts your performance, then eat it. If not, then don't. But don't put blanket statements on to the general population.

Hi, I'm new to this, but as a dietitian thought I may shed some light. Thank you for sharing your feelings. Typically the advice for the general public is issued because there is evidence based research that shows some sort of significance in the nutrition statement. The reason that breakfast is touted so much is because it has SOOOOO many benefits. All throughout school junior, high and some of college I had NO breakfast, in fact many days I didn't eat until about 3 pm. I did this for no particular reason, just because. UNTIL I learned about ketosis, metabolism and overall energy and what no food does to your body.

AS health professionals we're not saying scarf down a 600+ calories, in fact the fewer calories, and more nutritiously sound options, the better. A glass of milk and a banana are more than sufficient. Try to eat a complex carb (for the energy you need), a lean protein (to help you stay full) and something with fiber (to help stabilize your blood sugar levels).

The reason you are hungrier throughout the day, is because your body is burning more calories, hence losing more weight. Just like when you turn on a car, gas is being used, making the need to refuel more often-- breakfast turns on your "metabolic engine" Just refuel with lower cal picks- Hope this helps.