Why Eat Breakfast?

How often have you heard that eating breakfast boosts your metabolism? It might seem logical that eating a meal first thing in the morning gets your metabolism revved up, but the fact is that there’s no evidence to prove it actually does. In fact, scientists are clear about the benefits of breakfast and a boost in metabolism isn’t one of them. The truth is that breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day because you haven’t eaten anything in 10 hours and it will reduce your urge to eat during the day. Breakfast isn’t meant to help you skip other meals, but it will reduce that starving impulse you have at lunch.

I was one of those guys who never had time to eat breakfast, and now I know I was wrong. Bare with me this is a long story. When I was in my twenties I would hardly eat, except on the weekends. I left for work before 6:00 am, and didn't return home until after 7 pm. and sometimes later. I didn't eat breakfast on weekdays and only grabbed something quick for lunch. I stayed busy and seldom stopped for a real meal. At night after I returned home I would eat a large meal, talk for a while and then retire to our bedroom after the kids were in bed.

I was hit by a car at age 31, and my whole life changed. My wife and I decided I would never be able to return to the construction company I was working for. I spent the next two years on crutches while going through a series of surgeries to restore the full use of my left leg.

My wife and I decided to move to a different state where the cost of living was lower. We opened a restaurant in the Houston area and never looked back. We still live in the Houston area 45 years later and have no regrets. 

Going back to the point I was making about eating breakfast, After many years when I had more time to do what I want. I realized by eating a bowl of oatmeal each morning I didn't get hungry at lunch, I would eat a small lunch and than a small dinner a few hours later, but I didn't seemed to be real hungry. That breakfast I was eating cut my food cravings. I started to lose weight and I started to feel better. 

Breakfast and Metabolism: What Scientists Say

When it comes to scientific studies and metabolism, researchers agree that the science is inconclusive: there’s no research showing a direct link between breakfast and better metabolism.

In a recent conference, members of the American Society for Nutrition met to discuss how eating frequency affects our weight. They evaluated a wide range of studies that investigated meal frequency, weight, and metabolism. Their conclusion? Since eating habits are very hard to study, research hasn’t been able to establish a clear link to increased metabolism. In fact, they found no data to suggest that eating frequency, in general, has an effect on the calories we burn each day.

A statement released by the International Society for Sports Nutrition reinforced that conclusion, saying, “Increased meal frequency does not appear to significantly enhance diet-induced thermogenesis, total energy expenditure or resting metabolic rate.” In real terms, that means that eating regular meals does not directly affect the number of calories we burn every day.

Breakfast and Metabolism: What Dietitians Say

Nutrition and diabetes educator Jill Weisenberger, M.S., R.D., CDE, explains that many people misunderstand the benefits of eating breakfast.

“Eating breakfast doesn’t affect the metabolic rate in the way people like to say it does. There are studies to support breakfast eating for weight management, but not for a calorie-burning boost.”

Her opinion is supported by the position statement of the American Dietetic Association, which is endorsed by the American College of Sports Medicine. In their statement about eating breakfast, they confirm that, while eating breakfast has been associated with lower body weight, there is no clear evidence to suggest that it has any effect on metabolism.

Benefits of Eating a Healthy Breakfast

So does this mean you should skip breakfast? No. Just because eating breakfast may not improve your metabolism doesn’t mean that you should skip the meal entirely.

I always start my day with protein. Any professional you pick to consult you on weight management to weight loss will tell you the same. Eggs are a great source of protein. Ham and eggs with wheat toast are my favorite, but this is where you need a doctor’s advice. Some people have cholesterol problems and can’t eat the same foods I do. I also eat oatmeal in the morning and skip the wheat toast.

Breakfast will give you the fuel to start your engine and keep you going until lunch. If I know I’m going to eat a late lunch then I’ll eat yogurt or a banana mid-morning. Be careful to watch your calories in the morning, and don’t blow the calorie budget for the day, but 2/3’s of all your daily calories should be consumed from the time you wake up until you finish lunch. You eat those calories to give your body the fuel to create energy. That is why you need to eat most of your food in the morning.

For me, the ham and eggs with oatmeal set the pace and my other meals can be smaller. Big meals early in the day give you all day to burn calories. Big meals at night give you almost no time to burn calories before bed. At night your body burns almost no calories.

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If you really want to lose your body fat look for my e-books at the websites listed below. You’ll get information on Healthy eating, exercise, and diet. Instead of spending hours on the internet reading dozens of posts, you can save time by picking up one of my e-books. 

There are two e-books. “How Bad Do You Want To Lose Weight?” is available at all the online bookstores selling for $3.99. Go to any of the websites below and search the title to find my e-book. This book gives you all you need to lose weight without spending money on gym memberships, diet plans, or meal plans. Look for my book. at Amazon.com, bn.com, iBooks, Kobo.com, Scribd.com, or Gardner Books in the U.K.

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