Myth: Skipping breakfast can save some calories

MythMyth

Skipping breakfast can to binge eating.  

Pancakes

Pancakes

Our bodies have gotten used to three meals a day every day’s snacks in between.  In the past, our bodies were readying for the next drought.  The worst part about this situation is that the drought is never coming.  I’m used to not get hungry in the morning.  Now, my body has come to expect breakfast. I try not to eat a meal or snack just to eat.  Instead, I tend to eat only when I am hungry.   Unfortunately, we have trained ourselves to expect breakfast every morning.  We should only eat when we are hungry and stop we are full, but we have trained ourselves to eat even when we are not hungry.  

The reason some of us are not hungry in the morning is that we have become accustomed to this habit.  Our bodies become accustomed to our routine and hunger builds if we miss a meal.  If we change our habits, we will get used to the change, and the hunger will fade.  This die snap means you could go without food forever, but you can go to two meals per day.   I tried fasting for 12 hours per day and ate my first meal for lunch.   After two weeks, my hunger went away, and I need not eat breakfast.  I am by no way recommending this technique, but there is research to support intermittent fasting.  If you want to know more, consider eating Dr. Jason Fung’s book: The Obesity Code

Skipping breakfast is not the best plan even if you are doing the intermittent fasting technique.  Missing breakfast can increase cravings and this can lead to grazing.  It can also lead to overreacting at the next meal.  I know there is limited research to back this up, but this is what I have seen in my clinical practice as a physician.  Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day if you choose your foods wisely. You need to eat healthy fats and protein.  If you plan to add carbohydrates, you must be careful o only eat unprocessed who grains and fresh fruits and vegetables.  If you get enough fiber and protein, your breakfast can keep you full all day long.  

If you do skip breakfast, it is essential not to snack all morning long.  Skipping breakfast can also lead to eating more throughout the day.  Grazing the candy bowls is definitely not a good plan, and it can add up quick.  These precessed tweets will pad your waistline quickly.   It would be far better to make breakfast your biggest meal of the day in order avoid the trips to Starbucks or the local snack machines.  This concept is only true if you avoid eating a Waffle House or International House of Pancakes.  

The bottom line:  Skipping breakfast is not a good idea and it can also be deleterious.  Trying for one or two weeks isn’t enough to tell, either! People who eat breakfast daily tend to weigh less; those who don’t eat breakfast tend to weigh more. This statement does not mean causality.  It is just a simple association.  A breakfast that is high in whole foods that will deliver the vitamins, minerals, and macronutrients you need to functions is good for you.  If you eat lost of processed sugars and carbs for breakfast, breakfast is probably not good for you. 

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About the Author

ChuckH
I am a family physician who has served in the US Army. In 2016, I found myself overweight, out of shape, and unhealthy, so I made a change to improve my health. This blog is the chronology of my path to better health and what I have learned along the way.

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