There's a good chance that you are one of the thousands of Americans who skipped breakfast today. There is also a good chance that you are overweight. This is a guess based on statistical data and the fact that you are reading this article.
One set of statistics I recently saw said that about 25% of Americans skip breakfast. Another set said that nearly one-third (33%) of Americans are obese. Is there a correlation between eating breakfast and being overweight? Will eating breakfast be a significant factor in a weight loss program?
The answer to those questions is yes...er, I mean no...or maybe I mean maybe. While there seems to have been no definitive studies linking breakfast and weight loss directly, there does seem to be a mathematical relationship between skipping breakfast and gaining weight. There also seems to be other evidence that eating breakfast can be a factor in weight loss for some people.
As I often point out, weight gain and weight loss, is very seldom the result of a single action or omission. However, like activity, nutrition, rest, cortisol, and chocolate ice cream (my sin), eating breakfast can and should be an important part of any weight loss program, even if just to help prevent any further weight gain.
PREVENTING WEIGHT GAIN
One significant aspect of eating breakfast is that it can definitely be a weapon against weight gain. Someone who does not eat breakfast (and we aren't talking about coffee and donuts) is more likely to snack later in the day, and is more likely to eat more food at meals than if they had eaten breakfast. A large portion of this is simply due to fluctuations of blood sugar and other chemicals related to hunger and stress which can be toned down by the simple act of starting the day with a healthy meal of some kind.
LOSS OF ENERGY
People who skip breakfast are more likely to run out of energy earlier in the day. Simple equation here. Less energy = less activity = less calories burned + snacking and overeating = X or Y or something. What do you think? Maybe creeping weight gain?
LACK OF ATTENTION AND POOR PERFORMANCE
School children in particular, but even the guy at the next desk, may have trouble keeping up with lessons, work, life if they skipped breakfast. It's no problem for you because you ate breakfast right? The ability of the brain to function depends to a great extent on the nutrition which is provided to it.
DON'T LIKE TO EAT BREAKFAST?
Everybody's got an excuse. I don't have time. I don't like to eat breakfast. There's nothing to eat in the house. Eating breakfast makes me feel sick. The dog ate my breakfast.
Come on. We're all grownups here. When we know that doing something is good for us, not doing it is bad for us, and it's simple to do, refusing to do it is childish. Nobody said breakfast has to be a gourmet meal. A peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk and a banana is better than nothing. A bowl of cereal takes less than a minute to prepare and less than five minutes to eat. There are a multitude of nutritious breakfast bars available. You don't even have to eat them at the house. Keep them in your desk drawer or stick one in your pocket or purse as you leave the house. Sure beats munching on a Hershey bar from the machine and raiding the candy bowl on the receptionist's desk!
LET'S HAVE SOME BREAKFAST
If you want to control your weight, fight fatigue and prepare yourself to cope with stress throughout the day, Start the day off right with breakfast. The calories you take in at the morning meal will help prevent your taking in even more calories later in the day.
You may find that you're just not hungry at that time of day, or you believe that you need to lose weight, so you skip breakfast altogether.What you may not realize is that, by eliminating breakfast from your morning routine, you're jeopardizing your health and your waistline.
There are a number of good reasons to eat breakfast, particularly if you are a dieter.To begin with, the very act of eating breakfast can speed up your metabolism, which is critical to weight loss.Think about it. You may eat dinner around 6 p.m.If you wait until lunch to eat again, as many as 18 hours might have passed. Breakfast is therefore critical to your overall health and well-being.
Another problem with skipping breakfast is that it tends to make you overeat at lunch.Studies have shown that the vast majority of successful dieters do eat breakfast. This may seem counter-intuitive, the idea that you must eat food in order to lose weight.But the research shows clearly that that in fact is the case.Breakfast can also aid your concentration.A number of studies demonstrate that breakfast improves one's focus, helping him or her at work or at school.
The type of breakfast you eat depends upon the diet you are pursuing.You might choose a high fiber meal, such as cereal, or a high protein meal, such as scrambled eggs and ham.Your breakfast should contain plenty of vitamins and minerals to help your body remain healthy throughout the day.
Another interesting aspect about breakfast is that it is a proven mood elevator.This is quite important, since it is critical to remain positive when trying to lose weight. Anything that you can do to lift your spirits provided that it does not cause you to pack on the pounds should be considered beneficial.Also, breakfast sets the pattern for the day.If you make healthy decisions at breakfast, you're more likely to make the right decisions regarding the other meals of the day.
One thing you should avoid at breakfast is eating something high in sugar, such as a sugary breakfast cereal.While such a meal can lift your energy level temporarily,after a few hours, your energy level will drop again.While it is always better to eat something than nothing,you should be careful in the food choices you make at breakfast.
Breakfast can enhance the efficiency of the body, making it easier for you to burn fat.This is true for both young and old, so make sure your children eat breakfast as well.A smoothly-running body is a healthy body and one that is more likely to become lean over time.
At first glance, there appears to be no downside to eating breakfast.However, it is important to issue a cautionary note.Some people use breakfast as an opportunity to binge.They figure that they can eat breakfast and then skip the rest of their meals.
However, this is not a healthy approach.In order to work effectively, your body needs to eat regular meals.Some diets call for three meals a day; others rely on five or six smaller meals eaten more frequently.In any event, while breakfast may be your most important meal of the day it should not be your only meal of the day.
Eating breakfast is a habit.However, if you haven't eaten breakfast in a while, it may be a difficult habit to get into. The key to starting a healthy habit is persistence.Try to eat something every morning, even if it's only a little something. Make sure that you have time to actually sit at the table and eat, rather than trying to eat breakfast on the run.
Scheduling time for breakfast means that you have made it a priority in your life. If you follow this formula, you should be in a better position to lose weight over the long term.
Both Donovan Baldwin & are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Donovan Baldwin has sinced written about articles on various topics from Women, Health and Bodybuilding Supplements. Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University of West Florida (1973), member of Mensa, and retired from the U. S. Army, he now has severial websites and writes articles for his own use and that of other webmasters. He has a blog. Donovan Baldwin's top article generates over 1220000 views. to your Favourites.
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