Seriously, what is the benefit of breakfast?

Kimia

My head is wrecked with all the opposing views on breakfast. Traditionally I am not a breakfast eater, I haven't been for years. I don't eat anything until lunchtime (by which time I'm starving) but lunch would be a good nutritious meal - big salad/sushi/etc. The reason I don't eat breakfast is because I am never hungry in the morning and I need time to wake up so by the time I actually am hungry, lunch is in an hour and I may as well wait. I also feel sickly if I eat too early.

My big problem is the cravings I get for the likes of crisps, anything salty really. Always at night. It's been a big struggle for me so while I might eat perfectly most of the time when I slip up I really slip up and could easily chomp away on 4/5 bags of crisps mindlessly. The rest of the day I eat low carb/high protein/highish fat. (paleo-esque)

I went to a naturopathic doctor recently and she said that the reason for my cravings for crisps could be all related to the fact that I don't eat breakfast. I struggle through the day running low/empty on fuel, and then after dinner when I am relaxed my mind just runs away with the cravings for salt/carbs.

But I've read on here and other places that this 'always eat breakfast' lark is a total myth! I am so confused.

Anyone have any opinions either way? Breakfast or no?

Frogdog

Eat when you're hungry.

That's the rule I follow.

You're not a breakfast eater because you eat junk at night
stop eating and grazing at night and keep busy/distracted and you'll find yourself hungry in the morning
once you start eating breakfast in the morning you may find yourself eating less at night but either way stop eating at night
i dont mean stick to some stupid "no food after 6pm" rule, just eat your dinner, ask yourself if you're hungry, and do something not involving food

the no breakfast thing may or may not be a myth but it doesn't seem to be working for you so just give it a go
make sure you are also getting enough of everything else

El_Dangeroso

Do you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? That's the reason I eat breakfast. I was reading about a guy who couldn't stop waking up at 4 or 5am every morning. He eventually put it down to the fact that he ate right when he woke up. I have so much trouble waking up in the morning that I decided to try the opposite and eat as soon as possible after I wake up even if I really don't want to, and now I wake up refreshed at about 7:45 every morning.

Transform

Kimia wrote: »

My head is wrecked with all the opposing views on breakfast. Traditionally I am not a breakfast eater, I haven't been for years. I don't eat anything until lunchtime (by which time I'm starving) but lunch would be a good nutritious meal - big salad/sushi/etc. The reason I don't eat breakfast is because I am never hungry in the morning and I need time to wake up so by the time I actually am hungry, lunch is in an hour and I may as well wait. I also feel sickly if I eat too early.

My big problem is the cravings I get for the likes of crisps, anything salty really. Always at night. It's been a big struggle for me so while I might eat perfectly most of the time when I slip up I really slip up and could easily chomp away on 4/5 bags of crisps mindlessly. The rest of the day I eat low carb/high protein/highish fat. (paleo-esque)

I went to a naturopathic doctor recently and she said that the reason for my cravings for crisps could be all related to the fact that I don't eat breakfast. I struggle through the day running low/empty on fuel, and then after dinner when I am relaxed my mind just runs away with the cravings for salt/carbs.

But I've read on here and other places that this 'always eat breakfast' lark is a total myth! I am so confused.

Anyone have any opinions either way? Breakfast or no?

Call me crazy but more than a little self discipline might prove to be the answer

Kimia

bluewolf wrote: »

You're not a breakfast eater because you eat junk at night
stop eating and grazing at night and keep busy/distracted and you'll find yourself hungry in the morning
once you start eating breakfast in the morning you may find yourself eating less at night but either way stop eating at night
i dont mean stick to some stupid "no food after 6pm" rule, just eat your dinner, ask yourself if you're hungry, and do something not involving food

the no breakfast thing may or may not be a myth but it doesn't seem to be working for you so just give it a go
make sure you are also getting enough of everything else

Thanks Bluewolf. I don't always binge at night time - maybe once a week max but I never eat breakfast. That's why I was skeptical - if I was eating crisps every night maybe but I don't. I will do as you suggest though and the keeping busy advise is excellent - I feel it will definitely help me. Thank you.

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Do you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning? That's the reason I eat breakfast. I was reading about a guy who couldn't stop waking up at 4 or 5am every morning. He eventually put it down to the fact that he ate right when he woke up. I have so much trouble waking up in the morning that I decided to try the opposite and eat as soon as possible after I wake up even if I really don't want to, and now I wake up refreshed at about 7:45 every morning.

It's funny EL D, I am the best sleeper ever. No problem getting up, no problem falling asleep. I wake up early every day (around 7) even at weekends and I get up early. I go to bed early too (maybe 10pm) so I don't have a problem with sleep thankfully.

Transform wrote: »

Call me crazy but more than a little self discipline might prove to be the answer

I appreciate your advise Transform. I know you're an expert in this. I don't want to make excuses and I am going to try very hard to get over this bad crisp habit of mine.

What are your views on breakfast?

Transform

breakfast is not the question you should be asking

How to stop eating food constantly that you know is hurting your body is the question and that in my honest opinion is just make the bloody decision to quit and move onwards or just do like me and go eat some dark chocolate instead

Kimia

Transform wrote: »

breakfast is not the question you should be asking

How to stop eating food constantly that you know is hurting your body is the question and that in my honest opinion is just make the bloody decision to quit and move onwards or just do like me and go eat some dark chocolate instead

I am asking the question about breakfast because I am curious about the conflicting information out there.

And for me, and I would assume a lot of other people, it's not as simple as: junk food = bad, therefore do not eat.

It would be helpful to understand the reasons behind my unhealthy eating habits rather than just steamroll over it.

Transform

Sorry if i am coming across strongly however i fail to see why you would not keep it simple and i am not trying to be some food zealot so if you want to eat junk now and again then go for it.

Foods that have addictive properties or are quickly digested are going to cause that 'mindless' effect

If you want to have breakfast then eat some if you are not hungry then skip it. there is no problem in this at all but if skippping it means that later in the say you turn into the cookie monster around junk food then it needs to be addressed.

All the best

Zerroth

I tend to never really feel hungry in the morning but I can sense the difference on days where I have breakfast and the odd day here and there where I don't breakfast for whatever reason.

When I eat breakfast, I find that I have a bit more energy and a bit more alert. I find lunch easier to digest.

On days when I don't eat breakfast, I don't feel as energetic and I get less an appetite for lunch and even dinner. Especially when I smoke without eating anything first.

So my vote would go to eating breakfast in the morning. I will just have cereal in the morning even if I don't feel hungry because I know it would make my day slightly better.

pat13wx

One of the things I read is that it’s best to eat something light in the morning so as to get the metabolism going fully. It seems the longer one goes without eating the metabolism slows down, and for this reason it is best to eat at regular intervals, including having a breakfast. Not sure if the science is accurate for everyone - but this is how I have been eating for over five years and in the first nine months or so I went from 23 stone down to 15.

Hanley

pat13wx wrote: »

One of the things I read is that it’s best to eat something light in the morning so as to get the metabolism going fully. It seems the longer one goes without eating the metabolism slows down, and for this reason it is best to eat at regular intervals, including having a breakfast. Not sure if the science is accurate for everyone - but this is how I have been eating for over five years and in the first nine months or so I went from 23 stone down to 15.

This only becomes a concern over weeks, not hours.

I've also heard of a study and data showing 3 days of intermittent fasting actually increasing metabolic rate by 5%. Haven't read it myself so can't comment but it was stated by someone I've a lot of respect for.

The metabolic thing is BS imo. If you need to eat frequently to stop yourself binging, go for it. But it's not making any significant difference to body fat levels directly.

Skr4wny

I could not last until lunch without eating, I have breakfast before I leave the gaff, eat again bout 10:30 and still can't wait for lunch at one!

pat13wx

Hanley wrote: »

The metabolic thing is BS imo.

Recognised nutritionist the world over agree that the body's metabolism slows down if we go too long between meals, apparently to help preserve life.

"How Often We Eat
Our metabolic rate increases during digestion of food, a process known as the Thermal Effect of food. In simple terms, if we go too long without food (5 hours for men; 3 hours for women), our body thinks there is a food shortage and our metabolism tends to slow down."

There is more on this here: http://www.thinforlife.info/metabolism.html

Transform

pat13wx wrote: »

Recognised nutritionist the world over agree that the body's metabolism slows down if we go too long between meals, apparently to help preserve life.

"How Often We Eat
Our metabolic rate increases during digestion of food, a process known as the Thermal Effect of food. In simple terms, if we go too long without food (5 hours for men; 3 hours for women), our body thinks there is a food shortage and our metabolism tends to slow down."

There is more on this here: http://www.thinforlife.info/metabolism.html

Emm no - all and every piece of research into intermittent fasting would point in the direction of life extension and increased metabolism particularly of fat.

Overall skip bfast if you wish but if it leads to poor food choices then...

pat13wx

Transform wrote: »

Emm no - all and every piece of research into intermittent fasting would point in the direction of life extension and increased metabolism particularly of fat.

As I said previously my understanding is that if we go too long between meals, then our metabolism slows down and I have linked to an example which supports this view. You have offered an interesting perspective, which I appreciate very much. Do you have any links I could visit to read more on this?

Thanks.

El_Dangeroso

pat13wx wrote: »

As I said previously my understanding is that if we go too long between meals, then our metabolism slows down and I have linked to an example which supports this view. You have offered an interesting perspective, which I appreciate very much. Do you have any links I could visit to read more on this?

Thanks.

Here's one:

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

Gummy Panda

pat13wx wrote: »

Hanley wrote: »

The metabolic thing is BS imo.

Recognised nutritionist the world over agree that the body's metabolism slows down if we go too long between meals, apparently to help preserve life.

"How Often We Eat
Our metabolic rate increases during digestion of food, a process known as the Thermal Effect of food. In simple terms, if we go too long without food (5 hours for men; 3 hours for women), our body thinks there is a food shortage and our metabolism tends to slow down."

There is more on this here: http://www.thinforlife.info/metabolism.html

5 hours is extremely short. Humans must be so fragile. How did we survive before ready access to food?

pat13wx

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Here's one:

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

That is an interesting site. Thanks for that. I only had a brief look over at the moment, but will return again for a more in-depth read.

corkcomp

letting aside the issue of metabolism I think we can all agree that skipping breakfast is not an issue so long as 1. you really are not hungry and 2. it doesn't cause binge or over eating to compensate later in the day, if it does it might be better to eat a small breakfast regardless. Personally I find that if i skip breakfast I need to have a snack about an hour before lunch, if i didn't I would just compensate at lunch time.

edit: just a personal observation - Most people I know who eat a big breakfast are normal weight or even skinny vs plenty over weight people I know tend to skip breakfast completely.

Transform

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

Here's one:

http://www.leangains.com/2010/10/top-ten-fasting-myths-debunked.html

similar to what i would have recommended

Kimia

Transform wrote: »

similar to what i would have recommended

This says it's a myth to think that there is any benefit to eating breakfast, so long as you're not overeating later to compensate.

I have been eating breakfast all this week and I actually have found that I make better choices when I do. I don't know why - perhaps it's something to do with the fact that I am consciously managing my food input that day.

Also an interesting point about the 'starvation myth' - I posted here before about how I was eating 1200 calories a day and exercising 2/3 times a week and losing nothing. I upped my calories to 1400 a day and kept the exercising the same, and I lost 4 pounds. Weird eh!

Hanley

Kimia wrote: »

I have been eating breakfast all this week and I actually have found that I make better choices when I do. I don't know why - perhaps it's something to do with the fact that I am consciously managing my food input that day.

Yup - that's the main reason why I'd recommend people eat breakfast