How important is breakfast?

daylily2005
daylily2005 Posts: 203 Member
edited December 20 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all! Question for you--based on your personal experience!

All my life, I've heard "breakfast is SO important, ESPECIALLY if you want to lose weight!"

But here's the thing--I almost never eat breakfast, simply because I'm rarely hungry when I wake up. I don't get hungry for a few hours, and by then it's so close to lunch time that I just wait for lunch. I assume I shouldn't eat breakfast when I'm not hungry just to say "I ate breakfast!", but I'm wondering if I should have a pre-lunch snack when I do get hungry, etc.
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Replies

  • the_green_midget
    the_green_midget Posts: 80 Member
    I've started eating breakfast more recently because I've started running first thing in the morning, and I get super hungry after my runs. But I'm not sure it really matters. I've heard things like it kickstarts your metabolism or whatever to eat first thing in the morning, but I'm not sure if that's urban legend or not. I figure, if you're hungry, you eat, if you aren't, you don't.

    I guess if you're really starving by lunch time, then it might be a good idea to have a little snack when you start to be hungry, but if by the time you get to lunch you're just a normal amount of hungry, then I'd say keep doing what you're doing.
  • dbent80
    dbent80 Posts: 7
    I've noticed that my lunch and dinner are lighter in calories. When on a daily calorie budget, having was to control you appetite are very useful. Also, Eating a higher fiber breakfast tends to make me feel fuller.
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,633 Member
    I guess if you're really starving by lunch time, then it might be a good idea to have a little snack when you start to be hungry, but if by the time you get to lunch you're just a normal amount of hungry, then I'd say keep doing what you're doing.

    I'm up at 5 each day & I'm hungry !

    But each of us is different ....... "the green midget" is right ..... when you're hungry, eat ..... healthy stuff, hopefully :smile:
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,023 Member
    When it comes to total calorie intake, breakfast really only is important when alloting the calories. You DON'T need to have it. So if skipping it is working, then keep doing it as long as you reach your calorie limits each day.
    Personally I skip it each morning and save my calories for night eating.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer/Group Fitness Instructor
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
    I am currently working out at 5 am. On these days I have to have breakfast within about an hour of working out or I am ravenous and light headed. If I don't get up early to work out, it isn't uncommon for me to eat a very late breakfast or skip it completely. If you don't binge later in the day because you skip breakfast, it is fine.
  • theresmynapkin
    theresmynapkin Posts: 183 Member
    I also am a breakfast person because of working out in the morning. I find now even on days I don't work out first thing if I don't eat breakfast I tend to binge and overcompensate in the afternoon :-/
    But everyone's different! My fiance never eats breakfast and is skinny as a rail...
  • MrsWilsoncroft
    MrsWilsoncroft Posts: 968 Member
    I am not a big breakfast eater, i often have just a very light breakfast or sometimes have nothing at all.
    I much prefer to have a light lunch and save my calories for a big evening meal.

    I've often found that when i have a big hearty breakfast i end up feeling more hungry towards lunch time, its seems really odd but it does happen to me.

    I quite like Whey protein now for breakfast, i can easily take it to work and drink once ive woken up properly and settled down at my desk. x
  • joankpoirier
    joankpoirier Posts: 281 Member
    If you make small changes you will find you will be hungry in AM.. I was the same So to jump start my metab in morning I started drinking Shakeology for breakfast, Not only did I know an increase in energy levels but less of that brain fog.. and even when I would get home in afternoon I wasn't drained. :) GOOD LUCK
  • jmilian825
    jmilian825 Posts: 193 Member
    I had to learn to eat breakfast I started by making breakfast in liquid form since I don't want to eat first thing in the am but eventually it started getting better so now I eat breakfast every morning. :)
  • LiddyBit
    LiddyBit Posts: 447 Member
    I never eat breakfast. Or at least, my first meal of the day is usually AT LEAST several hours after I wake up. If I eat breakfast, I eat all day long. If I wait, I have more control over my appetite throughout the day. I don't know why but it works for me so I ignore all the "most important meal" garbage.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    Hi all! Question for you--based on your personal experience!

    All my life, I've heard "breakfast is SO important, ESPECIALLY if you want to lose weight!"

    But here's the thing--I almost never eat breakfast, simply because I'm rarely hungry when I wake up. I don't get hungry for a few hours, and by then it's so close to lunch time that I just wait for lunch. I assume I shouldn't eat breakfast when I'm not hungry just to say "I ate breakfast!", but I'm wondering if I should have a pre-lunch snack when I do get hungry, etc.

    This is not based on personal experience, but rather, science. Breakfast is not physiologically more important than any other meal. It can be psychologically more important, but that's subjective/personal opinion.
  • myfitnessnmhoy
    myfitnessnmhoy Posts: 2,105 Member
    For me? Critical, but I've made my breakfasts a lot smaller than they used to be (my average breakfast is now about 200-250 calories, and usually is just some oatmeal and an egg).

    If I don't eat something, I end up a hungerbeast by lunch. If I eat too much, I tend to overeat later in the day. But a 200-calorie mix of protein, fat, and carbohydrates is just right.

    For me.

    You'll have to experiment to see what works for YOU. Some people do better with no breakfast, and some eat a lot of their calories first thing in the morning.
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
    Breakfast is only as important as *you* feel it is. I used to never eat breakfast when I was heavy, I either wasn't hungry or I somehow managed to suppress it thinking I was not hungry. Now since losing weight and becoming much more healthy I listen to my body. In the morning, my stomach is hungry. I usually eat breakfast within a 30-45 minute window. If not I start feeling ick in my stomach. I also cannot work out on an empty stomach, no joke I would probably barf.

    I don't think eating breakfast or not eating breakfast personally does anything spectacular to the body (i.e create a mega-rapid super human level of metabolism) and I don't think it does anything harmful either (i.e you will drop dead in 60 minutes if you do not eat)

    *I* just feel better eating breakfast. Helps get my day going.

    To each their own.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    If you don't eat breakfast you will die!
  • TheTallMan
    TheTallMan Posts: 23 Member
    Breakfast is tricky. Yeah, it's "important" to get the nutrients and whatnot for your day, especially for those of us who work at 8am. While I wouldn't say I'm hungry when I wake up, I always try to eat a little something. I find that it makes the late morning easier and I'm not as ready to chow down on anything come lunch time.

    See what works for you.
  • montana_girl
    montana_girl Posts: 1,403 Member
    For me, breakfast is important. Though, I generally don't eat until 2 to 3 hours after I wake up. I try to eat something with lots of protein and if I do that then I don't snack between breakfast and lunch.

    But everyone is different, everyone eats differently, so it's important to find what works for you. :flowerforyou:
  • amyoliver85
    amyoliver85 Posts: 353 Member
    It is my understanding, scientifically, that you actually DO need to eat breakfast. This is not about whether or not you are hungry. And it is not about allotting calories.

    Your body burns calories all day long and in order to remain healthy you need to replenish those calories.

    Think about it. You burn calories while you are sleeping. Say you don't eat from 6pm until Noon the next day. Do you realize that you just deprived your body of nutrients for EIGHTEEN HOURS?

    Breakfast IS physiologically important because you need to provide your body with nutrients. Remember, your body doesn't go into starvation mode just because you're hungry and not eating. Your body goes into starvation mode because you're depriving it of nutrients. And starvation mode can start within 10 hours or less.

    Even if you don't eat a lot, eat something. A banana. A handful of grapes. A half a grapefruit. Just something.

    And btw, just like there are people who have a problem "turning off the switch" to eating, there are likewise people who have trouble "turning on the switch". So this is maybe something you should investigate further and maybe even talk to your doctor or a certified nutrition specialist about it. You SHOULD be hungry when you wake up in the morning. It's a natural physiological state. You have trained yourself not to be. I suggest working towards training your body back to normal.

    Of course, you needn't heed what I say. But I do work in a state department of health and have learned about all there is to know about health and nutrition.
  • kristynkayte
    kristynkayte Posts: 69 Member
    I have never been a breakfast eater either...until i started this weight loss journey. I couldn't eat in the morning. I would get a sick stomach if i did. But now...I notice that when i get up in the morning...eating within 45 minutes has sky rocketed my energy level through the morning. And yes...it does kick start your metabolism. You don't ever want your metabolism resting. Eat small meals/snacks every e hours or so. At least that has helped me. And upping my protein intake has helped keep me full until my next snack. The shakes for breakfast and lunch have really helped me too as well as trying to think of what i'm going to eat. I don't have to wonder anymore. I know what i'm having :)
  • jdploki70
    jdploki70 Posts: 343
    Breakfast to me is something to do while I'm checking my email and drinking my coffee. Beyond that, it's not really important at all.
  • angiechimpanzee
    angiechimpanzee Posts: 536 Member
    It isn't nearly as important as people say, if at all.

    The only reason I personally like to eat it is that it typically sets a healthy start for my day (IF my breakfast is healthy, which it almost always is). If I'm having a bowl of hot oatmeal with strawberries and whatever, I feel like "alright, today's going to be a good one". But if you're simply not hungry there is zero reason to force yourself to eat it. Just make sure your first meal is filling and nutrient-rich, whether it's at 6am or 12noon. Your body doesn't care what time of the day you eat as long as you eat.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    It is my understanding, scientifically, that you actually DO need to eat breakfast. This is not about whether or not you are hungry. And it is not about allotting calories.

    Your body burns calories all day long and in order to remain healthy you need to replenish those calories.

    Think about it. You burn calories while you are sleeping. Say you don't eat from 6pm until Noon the next day. Do you realize that you just deprived your body of nutrients for EIGHTEEN HOURS?

    And do you realize that there are several pieces of peer reviewed research suggesting that you can go much, much longer than that without nutrients and still be just fine?

    And starvation mode can start within 10 hours or less.

    This part is incorrect. 60 to 72 hours is a more supported target according to research.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2405717
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837292

    But I do work in a state department of health and have learned about all there is to know about health and nutrition.

    You may wish to view the above studies and then read this: http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

    Which is supported by peer reviewed science.
  • Suziq2you
    Suziq2you Posts: 396 Member
    It's important to me. But like so many other things, it is up to the individual. Having breakfast isn't any more magical for weight loss than a belly wrap or super shake.
  • acragle
    acragle Posts: 26 Member
    I have found that eating a rounded meal (but especially protein) every two to three hours works best to keep my metabolism where I need it to be to burn fat. Breakfast is not so tough even though I am not usually hungry first thing either. I just toss a scoop of whey, a tablespoon or two of natural peanut butter and sometimes 8 oz of skim milk (but usually water) into a shaker and go.
  • PonyTailedLoser
    PonyTailedLoser Posts: 315 Member
    I'm usually not hungry in the morning and I have found that eating breakfast makes me super hungry the rest of the day. I stopped eating it and save my calories for a larger lunch, dinner etc. It's going ok so far :)
  • Karlsmit
    Karlsmit Posts: 15 Member
    I've never been a breakfast person (especially traditional greasy, heavy breakfast foods). I almost never eat before 10am because my stomach gets a little upset if I eat much early in the day. I usually just wait till lunch. I'm 5'9" and typically stay around 150lbs when not working out (skinny fat) but go to about 130 when I do work out. I always make sure that I get minimum calories since no breakfast means only 2 meals a day, so I've built 2 snacks into my day.

    there are studies that say you need it, there are some that say it's a bunch of BS. do what makes you feel healthy
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
    Of course, you needn't heed what I say. But I do work in a state department of health and have learned about all there is to know about health and nutrition.

    lol
  • Csanchez7
    Csanchez7 Posts: 5
    breakfast is the most important meal of the day
  • Dayquasar
    Dayquasar Posts: 182 Member
    I think what we have been told is that when you eat breakfast you are "breaking your fast" so they say it's good to give your body nutrients since it's been hours since you have eaten, like a previous comment this doesn't mean your body is in starvation mode. I was never a breakfast person, but since I've been a lot more active I find that after that 1st cup of coffee I'm hungry, which is quicker than usual, I think the main thing is to listen to your body, if your hungry then eat something. If lunch is an hour away have some fruit or something light. It's all good. But I am not a doctor so I don't know what is "right" , eating breakfast may also help you function better and sooner.
  • Sublog
    Sublog Posts: 1,296 Member
    breakfast is the most important meal of the day

    Sounds like you've been watching too many breakfast food commercials.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,023 Member
    It is my understanding, scientifically, that you actually DO need to eat breakfast. This is not about whether or not you are hungry. And it is not about allotting calories.

    Your body burns calories all day long and in order to remain healthy you need to replenish those calories.

    Think about it. You burn calories while you are sleeping. Say you don't eat from 6pm until Noon the next day. Do you realize that you just deprived your body of nutrients for EIGHTEEN HOURS?

    Breakfast IS physiologically important because you need to provide your body with nutrients. Remember, your body doesn't go into starvation mode just because you're hungry and not eating. Your body goes into starvation mode because you're depriving it of nutrients. And starvation mode can start within 10 hours or less.

    Even if you don't eat a lot, eat something. A banana. A handful of grapes. A half a grapefruit. Just something.

    And btw, just like there are people who have a problem "turning off the switch" to eating, there are likewise people who have trouble "turning on the switch". So this is maybe something you should investigate further and maybe even talk to your doctor or a certified nutrition specialist about it. You SHOULD be hungry when you wake up in the morning. It's a natural physiological state. You have trained yourself not to be. I suggest working towards training your body back to normal.

    Of course, you needn't heed what I say. But I do work in a state department of health and have learned about all there is to know about health and nutrition.
    I'd like to see scientific evidence or a peer reviewed clinical study supporting "starvation mode" after 10 hours of not eating.

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