We’ve all heard the saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” But why does breakfast matter? Wouldn’t skipping breakfast help us lose weight?
Whats the science?
Several benefits have been found in those individuals who consume breakfast regularly, such as: consuming less overall fat, consuming more fruits and vegetables, higher fiber intake, having a lower BMI.
As a matter of fact, breakfast is one of the most important meals and important for weight management and weight loss.
Eating after you wake up fuels our body for the day, jumpstarts metabolism and lets our bodies know we aren’t in starvation mode. Starvation made can slow down metabolism, and make weight loss more difficult.
In addition, skipping breakfast often leads to the consumption of unhealthy foods, excessive snacking, and larger portions of lunch/dinner. You are less likely to consume unhealthful foods during the day if satisfy hunger in the morning.
Lack of hunger in the morning may be due to excess food at dinner, or excessive late night snacking. We require the least amount of food at night because of the lack of energy used while sleeping. Our bodies are most effective at utilizing energy from food consumed in the morning or throughout the day.
What can I do?
In order to help regulate your hunger, start by being mindful of your hunger/fullness cues at night. Dinner should be the smallest meal of the day, re-evaluate what you eat and how much you eat at dinner.
If you consume snacks after dinner, ask yourself am I really hungry? If not, avoid late night snacks unless you physically feel hungry. Snack foods should be high volume, low calorie foods. Such as fruits or vegetables (carrot sticks, celery, cucumbers, etc).
The quality of breakfast is also important for weight loss, simple carbohydrates such as donuts, muffins, sugary cereal are not recommended. The ideal breakfast should be adequate in protein and fiber to satisfy your hunger and keep you full until lunch. Foods like oats, veggie omelets, protein smoothies, and chia pudding are good choices. Check out my recipes for examples!
Bottom line
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so don’t skip it! Start your day with a healthy habit to help you make better food choices throughout the day. Foods with protein and fiber make the best breakfast combinations.
