Breakfast - a waste of calories?

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  • foxbat2828
    foxbat2828 Posts: 391 Member
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    I was under the impression metabolism actually increased after a period of fasting. eg. that you burn more fat say 12-24 hours after not eating and then it starts to decline after the 36+ hours after you stop eating

    One of the issues with metabolism is that we often look at it as a single-dimensional item and there are many facets to it. The slow-down in metabolism coming off of sleep includes two issues at a minimum: sleep and caloric intake. Some studies have shown ties of metabolism rates to circadian rhythms, so that's the sleep issue. More of what I'm looking at, in discussing metabolism on this thread, is tied to the sleep aspect. I also believe that there are macro- and micro-versions of how metabolism is impacted. For example, most people often look at the macro-side when they talk about potential damage to the metabolism process by sub 1200-calorie diets ... which frankly I'm less inclined to use as number to watch than I am to watch dipping below BMR. I also think, however, when your body has a micro-level items that are repeated over the long haul, they can act as a macro item. For example, going half a day at a time with no eating versus 6 hours a day without eating may indeed have results that might mimic caloric-deficit eating even though it's not that the person is "starving themselves" for days on end ... thus the frustration that some have when doing "everything right" in dieting, yet hitting plateaus for various reasons.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
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    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.
  • ash190489
    ash190489 Posts: 587 Member
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    Oh my goodness --- I am the complete opposite! I cannot function without breakfast. In fact, if I don't eat within the first hour of waking up I end up feeling REALLY sick. So lethargic it's not funny... I literally have to force myself to just reach and eat anything!!! At the moment I love starting my morning with a jam packed Banana Smoothie... it's sooo delicious && somehow keeps me full!!!
    1 x banana
    3/4 cup of low fat milk
    1/2 tablespoon of honey
    15-20 grams of traditional rolled oats
    Ice cubes.
    Or I have weetbix with honey & banana
    Or oats
    Or raisin toast or multigrain toast with lightly spread plum or strawberry jam
    Or a boiled egg or poached egg on multigrain toast of multigrain muffin.
    I find eating breakfast kicks start my energy and my metabolism --- but I think it really is a personal thing and you have to listen to your body. Perhaps starting the day with a light protein shake or something... least your bodies getting some nutrients and kick starting the day and it only takes a few seconds to make and it's down the hatch in no time? :smile:
  • Long2bslim
    Long2bslim Posts: 34 Member
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    Personally, I can eat all day every day(thats the probelm)
    [/quote]


    This^^^^^^ definitely
  • alie5612
    alie5612 Posts: 76
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    Everyone to their own but i found not eating breakfast i put weigh on so i eat every morning just toast then i dont eat crap at 10ish but i know ppl and they dont eat breakfast and have lost lots each to their own do what works for you
  • tinydreams
    tinydreams Posts: 39
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    BRREEAAAKFAST IS THE MOST AMAZING FOOD ON THE PLANET YABBA DADA :D
  • SCOUSERWENCH
    SCOUSERWENCH Posts: 74 Member
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    breakfast is to help kick start your metabolism.
  • susannamarie
    susannamarie Posts: 2,148 Member
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    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.
  • btanton27
    btanton27 Posts: 186 Member
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    i never used to eat breakfast but ever since i started eating healthier i make sure i do! im better off eating something small every few hours than waiting to gorge myself on a huge meal because it works better for me... it took me awhile to get into getting up a little earlier just to eat but i eat breakfast in some form every day now. usually either a smoothie with a banana and vanilla soymilk, or a eggbeater omelette with toast... love to eat lol!
  • marieslater83
    marieslater83 Posts: 1
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    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.....
  • Aineko
    Aineko Posts: 163
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    breakfast is to help kick start your metabolism.
    just playing devil's advocate here, but - I'm pretty sure you would achieve the same if you do 10 jumping-jacks straight out of the bed :).
    how does breakfast kick start your metabolism? by thermal effect of the food or what? I mean, you have the same BMR at 10pm as at 11am, right?

    edit: I'm totally opposite from the majority here - I tend to eat less when I push my breakfast more towards the afternoon. For example, if I eat first time at 12pm I'l most likely have that moderate/big meal, one snack and then moderate/big dinner. If I eat first time around 9am, I'll have three moderate/big meals during that day (and possibly some snack).
  • jwaitman
    jwaitman Posts: 367 Member
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    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.
  • 2April
    2April Posts: 285 Member
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    I love breakfast but if I didn't enjoy it I wouldn't waste the calories. Everyone is different. I have twins-one loves breakfast and one is more picky when he gets up early.
  • tokyokevin
    tokyokevin Posts: 1
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    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.
  • PenguinPrincess
    PenguinPrincess Posts: 101
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    Breakfast foods are my favorite so eating breakfast is my favorite. Even if you don't want to waste a lot of calories on breakfast you should try eating an apple for something small with little calories just to get your metabolism started.
  • myak623
    myak623 Posts: 616 Member
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    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.
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    No matter what I do I can't help but feel like breakfast (for me!) is a waste of calories. I know some people enjoy it, but I am neither hungry nor do I enjoy eating breakfast. So I usually don't eat it and save those calories for later in the day.

    Just wondering if there are other like minded folk who don't think much of breakfast and prefer to save their calories for later in the day?

    Or if you are a big breakfast fan, what you like about it?

    I went too many years not eating breakfast and it caused significant medical problems for me. It did take a good couple of months of forcing myself to eat something (once Ive sufficiently woken up) and now I definitely KNOW I have to eat something...
  • Phrak
    Phrak Posts: 353 Member
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    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.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
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    I used to skip breakfast so much of the time when I was heavy. I figured I didn't need it and sometimes I truly was not hungry, but when the hunger kicked in there was a lot of mindless snacking or big lunches with awful foods and LOTS of it. Sometimes I skipped lunch too which led to awful dinner choices and late night snacking on the worst foods possible.

    Now I eat breakfast. I wake up and my body tells me I need to eat and I don't suppress that feeling my body is giving me. I usually eat within a 30 minute window of being up and awake. I can't seem to get myself going if I drag my feet about having breakfast, plus if I have put it off a bit longer than I usually do, sometimes I feel queasy in my stomach. Not good!

    Breakfast for me is a must.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    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. :)

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