In our last article “Understanding Breakfast” we emphasized the complexity surrounding the idea of breakfast. People have different definitions for it and its history doesn’t give us a definite explanation as to what breakfast entails. However, it is generally accepted that breakfast is the first meal eaten in the day, which usually lies before noon and contains all the essential nutrients. Therefore, in this article we will refer to breakfast as just that.

Today, our expert Dietitian in Brooksville will discuss the pros of eating breakfast and skipping breakfast to question the common belief that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”. We will of course relate the arguments to weight loss. Without further ado, let’s crack it down!

Benefits of eating breakfast

Fuel and nutrition

A healthy breakfast should contain carbs and at least 20 grams of protein, as these two nutrients are processed slowly. This means that the energy from them will be released over a few hours, giving you fuel for the day, while maintaining a feeling of being full. Additionally, this helps regulate your blood sugar levels by breaking the fast.

Jumpstarts your metabolism

When you eat breakfast first thing in the morning you are telling your body that it doesn’t need to enter starvation mode. You are essentially telling your body to start burning calories as more will come later in the day. Therefore, it promotes sustainable calorie processing throughout the day. Read our article about metabolism to understand why it is important for ensuring sustained weight loss in Brooksville!

Sets the tone for the day

If you eat a healthy breakfast containing fruits, dairy, carbohydrates, protein and many vitamins and minerals, you are more likely to hit your recommended daily allowance for those. Studies have shown that people who skip breakfast are less likely to meet their recommended daily intake of essential nutrients like folic acid and calcium. And many essential nutrients are found in typical breakfast foods. Furthermore, starting the day with a healthy meal makes us more likely to continue with other healthy habits throughout the day.

Prevents snacking

A healthy breakfast should keep you feeling full until lunchtime. When we are hungry and in a rush, we tend to opt for quick snacks that are full of processed sugars, fat and salt. Therefore, by keeping yourself full with a healthy breakfast you are effectively reducing your chances of making bad food options later in the day due to hunger.

Advantages of skipping breakfast

Reduces your daily calorie intake

If you decide to abstain from eating until lunchtime and keep the other meals unchanged then you are naturally reducing the amount of calories you eat in a day. A prolonged calorie deficiency of course results in weight loss. Also, if you generally choose healthy options throughout the day, then even the extra snacks will not make up the same calorie count as a full breakfast.

Prevents sugar spikes

The typical breakfast options in the US include pancakes, waffles, cereal, or muffins – all of which are full of sugar. These will give you short-lived energy spikes, which will quickly plummet making you feel more tired than you originally were! Skipping breakfast allows your body to fully process the foods eaten the night before, resulting in more stable insulin levels.

Does not impair your cognitive function

A double-blind study conducted by the US Army Research Institute of Environmental Science compared people’s cognition, activity, sleep and interstitial glucose concentrations after 2 days of a nearly calorie-free diet (average of 313 kcal per day) with those during fully-fed days (average of 2294 kcal per day). They found three interesting results:

• no detectable effects on any aspect of cognitive performance, ambulatory vigilance, activity, or sleep
• the mood states assessed, including fatigue, were not affected
• satiety and interstitial glucose concentrations were lower during the calorie-deprived diet

Oftentimes people who skip breakfast engage in Intermittent Fasting – restricting the amount of hours during which you eat. To learn more about more benefits of Intermittent Fasting (skipping breakfast), take a look at this article.

Our Remark

As you can see, weight loss is complicated. What habits, activities and diet will work for you best depends on your individual characteristics including genetics, and current health state. Therefore, we cannot tell you if eating breakfast will give you amazing results as it can affect individuals differently.

Our dietitian can give you optimal weight loss in Brooksville if you follow our customized weight loss plan. If you want to try dieting on your own first, you are welcome to contact our clinic to discuss it with us – including the topic of breakfast.

Find out more about our Brooksville Dietitian

Our highly qualified weight loss experts at Batista Weight loss and Wellness: Susan West-Opyoke, RDLD; John Batista, M.D.; Stephanie, M.A; and Valerie, Office Staff, together have decades of experience working with weight loss patients

At Batista Weight loss and Wellness we believe that successful weight loss depends on two factors – the knowledge of how to lose weight and following through on your weight loss plan. Our experts will provide you with a customized weight loss plan, and regular face-to-face interaction and motivation.

To create your own customized weight loss plan with us and achieve sustainable weight loss in Hudson don’t hesitate to contact us on (352) 600-3476 or drop us a visit at our clinic: 443 Mariner Blvd, Spring Hill, FL 34609, USA.

The material contained on this site is for informational purposes only and DOES NOT CONSTITUTE THE PROVIDING OF MEDICAL ADVICE, and is not intended to be a substitute for independent professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.  Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions or concerns you may have regarding your health.