Too many people these days skip breakfast, using the excuse that they are too busy. In truth, most people who skip breakfast do so on purpose thinking it will help them lose weight, but this could not be further from the truth.
Using the excuse of “lack of time” or “too busy” is not credible, everyone can get up 10 minutes earlier to put some cereal and milk in a bowel. Even if your sleep is that important, or you have only had a few hours, a Tupperware container with cereal and milk can be taken and eaten on the bus, the tube or even at the traffic lights in the car. I personally have done this numerous times following late working evolutions where my sleep has been a priority, however, I have always ensured I have had my breakfast.
For those people who think that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight, think again. In general, it will do the exact opposite. “Breakfast” means “break the fast”, i.e. eat something to stop the overnight fasting while you’ve been sleeping. To skip breakfast means this “fast” continues. I can almost hear some of you thinking “great, I’ll happily continue fasting, starve my body and therefore lose weight!” Wrong!
When you starve your body, as we do when we skip breakfast, your body goes into “starvation mode”. This means that it realises it is getting less food than required, so when it does get food it just wants to store it. Basically what happens is when you start feeling lathargic and tired, and maybe opt to have a Mars Bar or a cup of coffee with half a pack of biscuits, your body decides to store as much of the energy as possible for the next time you starve it. The same is true when you eat lunch and an evening meal, your body wants to store as much as possible, all in preparation for the next day when you skip breakfast and starve it again.
By eating a healthy (not necessarily large) low glycemic breakfast, your metabolism will be kickstarted, you will feel energised, be less likely to snack and mixed with a balanced exercise plan will be far more beneficial for healthy weight control than starving the body.
In short, whether you are trying to gain weight, lose weight or stay the weight you are but maintain a healthy balanced lifestyle, the old cliche is true, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
If you enjoyed this article you may also like....
