Don’t Skip Breakfast

Don’t skip breakfast! Start the day off right.

You know how mom used to always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day? Well, guess what? She was right! When it comes to realizing that breakfast is the fuel that keeps us running throughout the day, you’ll be surprised to know how your body can change if you take the time to eat this important meal. Here are some tips about the importance of breakfast, some alternatives for the anti-breakfast crowd and exercises.

So, why do we do it? Sometimes it’s easier to skip breakfast. You’re in a rush, you’d prefer to sleep a little later rather than prepare a meal, or it’s so hectic getting the kids off, or whatever your particular situation…you just can’t seem to make the effort or find the time.

Chances are if you plan to skip a meal, especially if you want to lose weight. This is going to backfire on you because skipping meals almost always leads us to overeating. This is especially true in the case of breakfast. Suppose the last meal you ate before going to sleep was 8 p.m. last night and it’s 7 or 8 hours later. If you didn’t eat lunch until noon today, that’s fourteen or so hours that have passed. Your body is screaming out, “Give me some help here I’m starving.”

If you don’t eat something in the morning, you are literally forcing yourself into running on empty. By mid-morning, a lot of us grab a cup of coffee or wolf down a sugary candy or protein bar to wake us up again. This might work for a few minutes, but by lunch time we are hungry, irritable and a bit more prone to making unhealthy choices again.

Skipping breakfast is a common strategy for losing weight, but not a smart one. Many people believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, but this isn’t true; the body expects to be refueled a few times a day, starting with a healthy breakfast. Actually eating breakfast is GOOD for losing weight.

The fuel that keeps our motors running is glucose. Your brain and your nervous system need glucose to work: that means walking, speaking, stretching, typing – any activity requires this fuel. If you don’t supply it, your system resorts to finding stored carbohydrates or it tries to turn fat into glucose. Why put your body through all this? Instead, do what your mom used to say and eat that breakfast!

But… there’s a problem. If you don’t like traditional breakfast foods, don’t worry! There are alternatives that you may not have considered! For example, have you ever considered a homemade protein and fruit shake? You’ll consume much less sugar and have the boost you need for the morning. Another option worth considering is to try splitting your breakfast up into two smaller meals. Eat a hard boiled egg at home and an hour or two later, take a break from work and snack on a piece of fruit and a handful of healthy nuts.

Personally I have found that preparation is key. Try to think tonight what you plan to eat in the morning, you’ll be happy that you started you day off right and notice how much better you’ll feel throughout the morning and the rest of the day when you don’t skip breakfast. If you plan often enough it will become habit…a good habit.

Do I Exercise Before Breakfast to Burn More Fat?

The answer is not necessarily, because even though you will burn more fat on an empty stomach, ultimately this will probably make little difference because your energy intake and expenditure and metabolism balances out, more or less, over the 24-hour period. What really matters is your total energy intake and expenditure, that is, how much you eat and how much you exercise and move in general.

However, how much meal timing manipulation could help with fat loss is not certain. One thing that seems clear is that people who eat breakfast maintain weight better and lose fat quicker, so don’t skip breakfast.

References:
Owen O. Resting metabolic requirements of men and women. Mayo Clin Proc 1988;63:503-510.
LaForgia J, Withers RT, Gore CJ. Effects of exercise intensity and duration on the excess post-exercise oxygen consumption. J. Sports Sci. 2006 Dec;24(12):1247-64