Eating breakfast and weight loss?

[Tohru]

I would like to loose a few extra pounds I had gained while pregnant. For years I have heard if one eats breakfast, it helps them loose weight. I don't like eating breakfast. I have black coffee and then eat later, a lite lunch and hefty dinner.

 

My father is French and has never been overweight. His entire life, he has had coffee and a pastry for breakfast. He then eats a light lunch and a hefty dinner. I recently read that the majority of French people also only have coffee and a pastry for breakfast.

 

Does eating a healthy breakfast really make that much of a difference in loosing weight? Or might "breakfast weight loss" have something to do with genetics?

[MominIN]

I think what I have read is that you just need to eat something for breakfast. It's getting your metabolism jump started for the day. So, eating a pastry would qualify as eating breakfast.

[Guest submarines]

For me eating carbs for breakfast makes me feel hungry early on. If you aren't hungry, then you might not have a problem.

 

Also, eating carbs after 6PM (or so) supposedly makes it harder to lose weight.

 

I personally can't lose weight while eating carbs for breakfast and a large meal for dinner, because I get hungry at random times and feel like snacking the entire day. If I start my day with protein and end my day with protein (like green yogurt), and my biggest meal is lunch, I feel great, don't feel hungry, and lose weight. Everyone is different, though. For every rule, there's an exception. :tongue_smilie:

[justamouse]

I despise breakfast. I HATE it. I am a toast nibbler and coffee drinker. Many mornings I've got this internal dialog of how I hate eating, and how I have to eat something and how I hate cannot stand breakfast. Even if I manage to get some eggs down, I'm still hungry later, so none of that matters with me. I do eat some yogurt (homemade with a dash of honey) or oatmeal some time after 10, though.

 

And as my kids age, they're all the same as me. My Dd17 cannot eat before 10. She gets physically ill, even though she's up at 6:30 am.

 

So, bring on the coffee and pastry. :D

 

And, breakfast for dinner is a whole nuther thing. That I adore. Or a brunch with everything is a deep love of mine. But don't make me eat before ten.

Edited February 4, 2012 by justamouse

[Cassy]

I despise breakfast. I HATE it. I am a toast nibbler and coffee drinker. Many mornings I've got this internal dialog of how I hate eating, and how I have to eat something and how I hate cannot stand breakfast. Even if I manage to get some eggs down, I'm still hungry later, so none of that matters with me. I do eat some yogurt (homemade with a dash of honey) or oatmeal some time after 10, though.

 

And as my kids age, they're all the same as me. My Dd17 cannot eat before 10. She gets physically ill, even though she's up at 6:30 am.

 

So, bring on the coffee and pastry. :D

 

And, breakfast for dinner is a whole nuther thing. That I adore. Or a brunch with everything is a deep love of mine. But don't make me eat before ten.

 

 

:iagree: That's me too, to a 't'.

 

 

Cassy

[nono]

Funny you should mention this. I've been talking to severeal folks around the island in the last month who are older (over 40) and still in very good shape. Not one eats a "good" breakfast. Each waits until they are actually hungry to eat. I've started that in the last month, having a cup of almond milk, a cup of coffee and two pints or so of water in the morning. I can teach all morning, run, and do a couple chores. Finally, at lunchtime, I'm actually having hunger pains. Why was I eating before I was hungry? (Because running articles swayed me, I admit it!)

 

My lunches and dinners, while good-sized, aren't any bigger than before. Best though is that my snacking is down.

 

I don't believe that all body types need a full and complete breakfast to function well. For some of us, it simply doesn't work.

Edited February 21, 2012 by nono

[JessaMae]

I read recently that after not eating for 12 hours, your metabolism drops 40%. That's why if you eat something when you get up, your metabolism keeps going at the same rate, which helps burn more calories than if it slowed.

 

Just trying to figure all this out myself! :)

[TheAutumnOak]

I read recently that after not eating for 12 hours, your metabolism drops 40%. That's why if you eat something when you get up, your metabolism keeps going at the same rate, which helps burn more calories than if it slowed.

 

Just trying to figure all this out myself! :)

 

Should you get up after 6 hours of not eating and have a piece of chocolate or a cookie?...That is what I am waiting to hear :lol:

[LG Gone Wild]

Funny, I am actually doing the opposite. I have a shake in the morning and then eat every three hours. I try to have more carbs earlier in the day and then taper off in the evening. I used to hate the idea of small, frequent eating but the more I exercise, the more that this is needed.

 

Have a shake in the morning that has a mix of carbs and proteins. It is light enough to not to bog you down for the rest of the day and it gives you something for your body to use.

[nono]

Have a shake in the morning that has a mix of carbs and proteins. It is light enough to not to bog you down for the rest of the day and it gives you something for your body to use.

 

In my case, with 20 extra lbs. on me, I think my body has enough to use. :lol: Also, since I exercise in the morning, I think my metabolism gets going just fine. Maybe that's the difference for some folks? I can see if one is working out later in the day, a full breakfast might make more sense, because dinner might be really light to accomodate the workout. Hmmm....just musing....

[mom2l&j]

I'm not sure. I just started trying to have 30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking. It seems to be working for me. I think everyone has to figure out what works for their body. I do think that eating something, even a pastry, would be more helpful than nothing.

[LG Gone Wild]

In my case, with 20 extra lbs. on me, I think my body has enough to use. :lol: Also, since I exercise in the morning, I think my metabolism gets going just fine. Maybe that's the difference for some folks? I can see if one is working out later in the day, a full breakfast might make more sense, because dinner might be really light to accomodate the workout. Hmmm....just musing....

 

I used to skip breakfast too and just run on caffeine. That worked for a while but I want to get fitter and having eaten in the am helps me train harder and longer.

 

I am adding casein to my routine to take at night.

[KungFuPanda]

We eat dinner late, so I'm just not hungry again at breakfast time. I like to have my tea in the morning, then have a meal when the kids have lunch. Lunch can often be the biggest meal of my day. I go on to have tea/snack around 4 and at 7/8 p.m., a light dinner. I've always been able to maintain a healthy weight like this.

 

Now, if I'm adjusting to other people, and have to eat dinner around 5-6, then I am ready for breakfast in the morning. Or if I'm going to do a few hours of hiking or something very physical I make a point of stocking up. For me though, the physical part of my day just doesn't happen before noon. (I am very active. I dance 8-10 hours a week by teaching and taking afternoon/evening classes.)

 

I'd argue that my tea IS breakfast. It has some warmth, some cream, and a little sugar. I might have fruit or toast also. It is TOO breakfast :-). There is just no point in eating before you get hungry. I think people who do that can gett to the point where they have no idea what hunger feels like and they get out of sunch with their bodies.

[LisaKinVA]

My husband sent me this article this morning... Eating Dessert for Breakfast Makes You Skinny! Timely, eh?

[elegantlion]

I have to eat right when I get up. Dh and ds can wait at least an hour or more.

[Joker]

I stopped eating breakfast in middle school and only started again last year (when I started gaining). I hate, hate, hate it but I lose weight if I make myself have something besides tea. I've worked up from a bit of fruit to a full breakfast and I started actually losing more when I was eating more. I do feel that I get hungrier quicker after eating breakfast but the weight is coming off so I'll stick with it.

[nono]

I used to skip breakfast too and just run on caffeine. That worked for a while but I want to get fitter and having eaten in the am helps me train harder and longer.

 

 

Yes, see, that's what I think; no blanket statements. Your body is different than mine. We need to tune into what works for us. When I workout, I have no interest in eating for some time afterwards*. For running, therefore, I was getting up and having breakfast before running. All this was doing was cutting out some of my sleep, and giving me calories when I wasn't hungry. :001_huh: And, that didn't cut my desire for full meals later in the day. I was living the Bermuda Triangle of weight gain: less sleep, calories when I didn't need them, and too many calories overall. So, I'm going back to my way, and we'll see what happens. Who knows? But I know I feel better actually experiencing hunger. So there could be a psychological component for me too. I did find it interesting though that no one around here who's older and lean does 3 full meals/day. Maybe it is the salt air?

 

*Always have been. My parents knew to never schedule a celebration meal after a swim meet for me. :)

[chickenpatty]

Eating breakfast does not help me lose weight. The only way I can lose weight is to count calories (by writing them down or tracking them in myfitnesspal).

 

If I start the day off by eating, it does something to my self-control and the rest of the day is thrown off. Breakfast is the easiest meal for me to skip and not feel deprived, so it's kind of like a bonus in my calorie budget.

 

HOWEVER, I do start everyday with a 200 calorie coffee. But it's in the budget! :D

[LuvingLife]

I never knew this, I was always told to eat breakfast hungry or not, now I think I will try to eat lighter, or maybe have a few crackers or fruit, and a cup of tea. We'll see how I feel trying it, it may be a huge it or a no go.

[MissKNG]

I have black coffee and then eat later, a lite lunch and hefty dinner.

?

 

Reverse this: Hefty lunch, lite dinner.

[LuvingLife]

Based on unscientific experimentation on myself it hasn't made any sort of difference. I notice that if I eat breakfast and am not really hungry that I'm hungrier throughout the day and eat more (and I'm talking even if I eat a low carb high protein breakfast).

 

So I don't force it anymore. Some mornings I am hungry first thing. Some I'm not. I go with that.

 

This makes sense, some mornings I need breakfast, others I really don't need it at all. So I will go with what my body wants and not what I force into it, thanks for the tips.:001_smile:

[LuvingLife]

I despise breakfast. I HATE it. I am a toast nibbler and coffee drinker. Many mornings I've got this internal dialog of how I hate eating, and how I have to eat something and how I hate cannot stand breakfast. Even if I manage to get some eggs down, I'm still hungry later, so none of that matters with me. I do eat some yogurt (homemade with a dash of honey) or oatmeal some time after 10, though.

 

And as my kids age, they're all the same as me. My Dd17 cannot eat before 10. She gets physically ill, even though she's up at 6:30 am.

 

So, bring on the coffee and pastry. :D

 

And, breakfast for dinner is a whole nuther thing. That I adore. Or a brunch with everything is a deep love of mine. But don't make me eat before ten.

 

I actually feel sick after I eat breakfast when I am not hungry, I usually start to feel hungry around ten or so, so maybe I should wait until then...:closedeyes:

[Cindyg]

Should you get up after 6 hours of not eating and have a piece of chocolate or a cookie?...That is what I am waiting to hear :lol:

 

Actually, yes, some people -- mainly body builders who are obsessed with their fitness -- will do this (though probably not to eat a cookie).

 

I've done it myself when I have to fast for a blood draw. Say the blood draw is at 9:00 a.m. and I have to fast for 6 hours before. In that case, I'll premake a smoothie, wake up at 3:00 a.m., slurp it down, and go back to bed.

 

I'm a huge believer in small, frequent meals; and, yes, I have done this.

 

To the OP: I also hate the smell of food cooking in the morning (frying eggs would gag me), and I hate starting the day with a heavy carb meal (a pastry or pancakes would leave me lethargic all day). My solution is a breakfast smoothie (with protein). It's cold. It's sweet. It's light. It's healthy. It revs my metabolism so that I'm really hungry for lunch a couple of hours later.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Cindyg

[LizzyBee]

Based on unscientific experimentation on myself it hasn't made any sort of difference. I notice that if I eat breakfast and am not really hungry that I'm hungrier throughout the day and eat more (and I'm talking even if I eat a low carb high protein breakfast).

 

So I don't force it anymore. Some mornings I am hungry first thing. Some I'm not. I go with that.

 

:iagree: This is me, too. Some days, I don't get hungry until 3 pm. If I eat first thing in the morning, I eat all day. If I don't start eating until I get hungry, I eat less overall.