Breakfast - a waste of calories?

Just to add - I eat breakfast mainly to feel awake - i.e. to restore cognitive function to normal levels following sleep. That's something that shouldn't be over looked.

And fasting can be beneficial - a controlled weekly intermittent fast of 16-20 hours has a host of hormonal benefits.

Personally, I can eat all day every day(thats the probelm)
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This^^^^^^ definitely

BRREEAAAKFAST IS THE MOST AMAZING FOOD ON THE PLANET YABBA DADA

I need my breakfast. If I don't, I will eat rubbish mid-morning. But if you don't, I wouldn't worry about it and eat when you're ready for it.

Ditto. If I don't eat breakfast I'm going to end up at the vending machines getting potato chips by midmorning.
But that's me. If you're genuinely not hungry, don't worry about it.

I also Find tht if I don't eat breakfast in the morning ya tend to want to snack on foods tht are not good so for me its SPECIAL K W/ STRAWBERRIES it is filling & keeps me satisfied till lunch.....

We had a nutritionist in our office give a presentation on this topic. She advised to eat within an hour of waking even if it is just a small something as it helps to set and regulate your blood sugar for the day. Even if you aren't diabetic this is important because you haven't eaten in a very long time. I am definitely not a nutritionist, but I have learned that eating breakfast does help me to not over eat throughout the day.

In fact I eat many times through the day. Breakfast usually around 8:00 - 8:30 then a snack at 10ish, lunch at 12:30 maybe a quick snack at 3:00, but I don't usually do an afternoon snack and then dinner whenever I can fit it in. It works for me. I think most importantly you have to figure out what works for you.

I think part fo it has to do with age. Teens and young adults have their biological clock set later, so they tend to stay up later at night and wake later (or wish they could). As sleep goes, so does the appetite. (This is especially true with jet lag.) Older people tend to wake up earlier and be more active earlier, as well as have a better appetite earlier in the day. I'm old enough to have experienced both. I never used to eat breakfast (or, two donuts with coffee as I got to work), but now like to enjoy a good start to the day with some oatmeal or or fruit and yogurt, with a little granola sprinkled in. Lovely.

Eating at 5, 6, 7 or 8 AM doesn't jump start anyone's metabolism. Metabolism doesn't stop. And, if you choose to wait until noon for your first meal, assuming your last meal was 6, 7, 8 or 9 PM the previous evening, then your body isn't going to slow down in that period of time. It's more like a 72 hour period before metabolism starts to slow.

If you don't enjoy eating early in the morning, then there is no metabolic advantage to forcing yourself and you will not be stalling your weight loss efforts.

While metabolism doesn't stop, it does slow and does have "gears" throughout the day that can be tweaked. Also, while focusing on the idea of 72 hours of something, for example caloric deficit or caloric binging, making metabolism change may certainly hold, everyday of a similar pattern of 12-hour breaks in caloric intake can also causes the body to form habits as well.

Please provide scientific studies which show where the body forms bad habits after consistently fasting for 12 hours each day.

Also, when you bring up the topic of binging, that is more psychological than physiological and can be controlled by the person.

So much wrong info in this thread. Your metabolism does not need a kick start in the morning as it does not shut off during the night. Also you do not need fuel for your body in the morning, it is still digesting foods from the night before and most of the people here carry enough body fat on them to sustain bodily functions for an extended fast to lunch time.

There is no metabolic advantage to breakfast, your muscles will not fall off by skipping it. Humans would have died out a long time ago if this was actually the case.

When I was overweight, I never ate breakfast. Well, I suppose that's only partially true - I would drink at least one can of Mt Dew for breakfast. I've found that I tend to feel better if I eat breakfast within 30 mins or so of waking up. I don't care if it has a metabolic benefit or not, I just feel better. I have more energy and I don't feel worn down and sluggish. I usually have around 400 calories total for breakfast (malt o meal hot cereal, coffee, creamer, banana and sometimes cottage cheese).

Do what works best for YOU. If you don't want to eat, aren't hungry, etc - save the calories for later.

I actually LOVE breakfast, but eating it starts the hunger cycle making it very tough to stay within calorie limits. I know I'm going to eat a substantial dinner as my husband and I cook and eat together, so there's not enough in my calorie budget to do three full meals. Skipping breakfast (or having just a 60 cal yogurt) allows me to have a light lunch then dinner w/ dessert. Eating a real breakfast means feeling like I'm starving for the rest of the day as I want a snack a few hours later, but I only have enough calories left for a very light lunch and dinner with no dessert.

I do my Insanity workout on empty. After that, I'm glad for my porridge

Breakfast for me is a forced issue, I at one time use to skip it, but my nutritionist advised against it, because there are essential nutrients needed in the morning to get us through the day. Skipping caused me to overeat either later in the day or I would have late night snacking because for the most part I am not in bed at the latest until 11. So now I manage to have something if it is not anything but some oatmeal and toast or like today just a small bowl of cereal, healthy of course and a apple and some water and hot tea with lemon and sugar. And I find having something helps me to cut calories as well as fat throughout my day. I also do the slimfast thing when Im busy and on the run in the mornings. No breakfast works well for some, and I am not against it all, it just helps me to make it through successfully for now. Once my body changes then I feel as if I can save my morning calories and fat for later and no over eat later. Working out is a help too, because it not only burns the calories and fat, it helps you to stay more aware of every morsel you put in your mouth throughout the day...only because who wants to waste the time and energy it took to burn off those calories...Be blessed and Congrats on your continued weight loss success ^5...high five

I have always eaten breakfast and made sure my kids always had a healthy breakfast waiting for them every morning before school. It fuels the body to start your day.

The only reason I eat breakfast is 1. to wake myself up 2. so I can get my bowels going. That's it. I think breakfast food is pretty gross.