Here are some of the ways that regularly eating a healthy breakfast may help you lose excess weight and maintain your weight loss:
• Reduced hunger. Eating breakfast may reduce your hunger later in the day, which may make it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix — such as vending machine candy or doughnuts at the o...ffice. In addition, the prolonged fasting that occurs when you skip breakfast can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.
• Healthy choices. Eating breakfast may get you on track to make healthy choices all day. When you eat breakfast, you tend to eat a healthier overall diet, one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day, too.
• More energy. Eating breakfast may give you energy, increasing your physical activity during the day. A healthy breakfast refuels your body and replenishes the glycogen stores that supply your muscles with immediate energy. Skipping breakfast is associated with decreased physical activity.
So, if you skip breakfast — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying tSkipping breakfast is a common strategy for people who are trying to lose weight, but it's usually not a successful one. Your body (or maybe your brain) expects to be refueled a few times each day, so when you skip meals you may feel so hungry that when lunch time comes, you over-eat or maybe you choose foods that are not the healthiest choices.
Actually, eating breakfast may be good for losing weight. People who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Some experts believe eating breakfast keeps your metabolism running because skipping meals causes the body to kick into 'starvation' mode. This really isn't the case, however, because it takes three or for days of not eating for the body to start gearing down. It's more likely that people who regularly eat breakfast also make good dietary choices the rest of the day.
Eating a Healthy Breakfast
While any breakfast may be better than no breakfast, there are some foods you might want to avoid because they're high in sugars, sodium, saturated fats and calories. Cut back on sugary cereals (over 5.0 grams per serving), high-calorie pastries, and meats like bacon and sausage that are high in saturated fat and sodium.
Breakfast should include protein and plenty of fiber; the combination will help satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full until lunch time. The protein can come from low-fat meat, eggs, nuts or dairy products. High-fiber foods include fruits, vegetables and whole grains. A healthy breakfast doesn't need to be extravagant or take a long time to prepare. Try something simple like a hard boiled egg, whole grain toast and 100% fruit juice. And there's nothing wrong with a bowl of whole-grain cereal with berries and low-fat milk.
If you really don't like to eat breakfast, you can split it up into two smaller meals. Eat a hard boiled egg at home, and an hour or two later, take a break from work and snack on an apple and a handful of healthy nuts like pecans or walnuts.
Except for weekends, breakfast is often the meal that either gets ignored or rushed through — does grabbing a banana as you head out the door sound familiar? With such busy schedules nowadays, breakfast often becomes an afterthought, when it really should be a top priority in morning routines.
We always hear that breakfast is the most important meal of the day — but why is this true? In a way, breakfast is "breaking the fast" because after sleeping for eight hours and being without food during the night, our brain and muscles need energy and fuel to function. And the glucose in food (as well as the vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and protein) is how we get this energy. With this rush of nutrients and glucose to our brains, we are better able to concentrate, focus, be productive, and be in better spirits — no waking up on the wrong side of the bed!
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of breakfast time.
• Eat breakfast early. Aim to enjoy breakfast shortly after you wake up. If you're not into eating early, have your first meal within an hour of waking up. If you're working out first thing, make sure to eat something small like a piece of toast with almond butter or a hard-boiled egg. Then eat something a little more substantial after your workout.
• Eat a breakfast consisting of healthy carbs, protein, and fiber. For your carbs, why not start the day with steel cut Irish Oatmeal? The night before bring 4 cups of water to a boil, add one cup of oats, add some cinnamon, cover and turn off the heat. The next morning turn the heat on keeping the lid on for a few minutes. Take the lid off and cook for another 5 to 8 minutes.
• Sit down and eat breakfast. Try to take at least half an hour each morning to sit down and eat. This way you can step back, savor your meal, and focus on your upcoming day.
• The consumption of an early morning snack increases the metabolic rate (how fast you burn calories) and kick starts your body into gear, telling it what to expect the rest of the day. If breakfast isn't had, your body doesn't process your next meal as quickly and tries to hold onto those nutrients. Since it didn't get any morning fuel, it tries to hold onto the afternoon meal as long as possible — instead of burning it right away.
• Studies have shown that weight loss can be more difficult and weight gain more prevalent in folks who opt out on the morning meal. Those who skip breakfast have a tendency to consume more food than usual the next chance they get to grab a bite to eat and also have a higher tendency to snack on high-calorie foods to keep hunger at bay until then.
