It’s true that if you do not eat any food then you will not eat any calories. If you want to lose weight then fewer calories is a good thing, right? Yes and no. It depends.
Some people do not eat breakfast so that they’ll lose weight. However, people who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight or obese . Sad but true. This does not seem logical until you look at it more closely.
What Eating Breakfast Does for You
When you eat breakfast, you are giving glycogen to your muscles. When your muscles have glycogen then you have energy and you do not feel like a slug. You have get-up-and-go. Having this extra energy can help you be more physically active throughout the day. Of course, the more active you are, the more calories you burn. When you’re lying on the couch, dead-tired, you’re not burning many calories!
Through the night, as you’re lying in bed sleeping, your metabolism slows down. When you get up in the morning you do not want your metabolism to stay slow. You want to rev it up so it burns calories. How do you rev it up? Yes, by eating breakfast. (Schaeffer)
Another thing that happens when you sleep is that your insulin level is either high nor low. When you get up but do not eat breakfast, your insulin level falls. Later, when you eat lunch, it can rise sharply and then it can drop again. This continuous rise and fall can lead to insulin resistance which can lead to type 2 diabetes. Simple solution? Eat breakfast. Even eating an unhealthy breakfast can help you lower your risk for diabetes; however, if you really want to help your body, then choose a breakfast that is high in fiber and protein, and low in sugar.
It’s interesting that people who eat breakfast do tend to choose food that is healthy for them through the rest of the day. Perhaps doing something they know is good for them at the start of the day subconsciously sets the tone to take care of themselves for the whole day. If you’ve eaten something like cereal and milk for breakfast you’re more likely to get the fiber, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs to function well for the day. (Zeratsky)
Not feeling ravenous will also help you to resist the temptation to snack on high-calorie foods. These foods are usually just empty calories which can sabotage a weight loss program.
Eating breakfast can help more than your body. It can improve your relationships and your job performance. That’s a pretty big claim. How can breakfast make your relationships better? People tend to be grouchy in the morning. When you eat breakfast you give glucose to your brain and you’re more likely to be in a better mood. Feeling happy can make for better relationships and less irritable mornings.
Your job performance can also be enhanced by eating breakfast because when you eat you stabilize your blood sugar which can improve your concentration, memory, attention span, and your ability to think. Strengthening these areas can only help you in your job.
Even though not eating breakfast looks like a logical way to reduce calories, it actually is not. A far superior way to lose weight is to go ahead and eat that breakfast.
References
Schaeffer, Juliann. (2011, September). Rise and Dine! – A Breakdown of Breakfast’s Benefits with Experts’ Best Meal Suggestions. Retrieved from http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newarchives/090111p44.shtml
Zeratsky, Katherine. (2011, July 23). Why does eating a healthy breakfast help control weight? Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/food-and-nutrition/AN01119