Will the refusal of breakfast lead to weight loss?
If you are trying to lose weight and are unsure whether you should eat breakfast or skip breakfast, learn about the pros and cons of not eating breakfast and its potential effects on weight loss and weight gain.
Disadvantages of skipping breakfast
Many people who skip breakfast may tend to eat more during other meals throughout the day. Breakfast can help limit your portion during lunch and dinner and help balance your blood glucose levels. This is why breakfast can be a useful strategy for losing weight or improving weight control. If you skip breakfast, you will miss out on the following benefits.Breakfast can reduce overeating cravings A high-protein breakfast can help prevent cravings for a late and very large breakfast. This craving can lead to overeating with unhealthy food, because it is the only food available in the nearest stores or fast food cafes. These foods are likely to be high in sugar, starch (causing you to be hungry again soon after eating), and calories.
Breakfast can promote portion control
Reasonable portions are not only a reasonable way to lose weight, but also the most effective way to maintain weight after achieving your goal.
If you are satisfied with reasonable portions of food throughout the day, you will reduce the likelihood that you will eat more later during lunch or dinner to make up for the lack of calories.
Breakfast keeps you feeling full
Eating a healthy breakfast with protein and nutritious whole grains will help you feel comfortable throughout the day. Protein and fiber, which help maintain stable blood sugar levels, take longer to digest, which helps you feel full for longer.
Breakfast can maintain glucose levels
In a 2019 study conducted in Japan, researchers studied 10 young people for six consecutive days when they skipped breakfast and led a sedentary lifestyle to track the effects on energy metabolism and glycemic control. They found that people who skip a healthy breakfast have elevated glucose, which can lead to weight gain.
A larger study in 2014 found that skipping breakfast caused blood glucose levels to spike dramatically compared to those who didn't skip breakfast. The results showed that the body mass index (BMI) among 766 Japanese adults was higher, which the researchers concluded was associated with obesity.
Breakfast can increase the effectiveness of exercise
Breakfast can improve performance during morning or afternoon workouts. Getting the right amount of energy before a workout can help you work harder at routine tasks and increase the number of calories you burn.
Breakfast can provide important nutrients
One of the problems associated with skipping meals is that it can lead to a lack of nutrients and vitamins. A 2014 study examined the effects of breakfast on Canadian children and adolescents. They concluded that those who didn't eat breakfast lacked vitamin D, calcium, iron, and magnesium, as well as vitamin A, phosphorus, and zinc. Insufficient amounts of these nutrients can lead to insomnia, depression, and a predisposition to infections.
Benefits of skipping breakfast
Many people skip breakfast simply because they aren't hungry or don't have time. But research shows that waiting for lunch before the first meal of the day can have health benefits. Here's what science says about why giving up breakfast may be a good idea for some people-from losing weight to increasing energy.
May reduce your daily calorie intake
Saving calories for later can mean that you consume fewer calories throughout the day, which can lead to weight loss. For example, a 2019 review looked at 13 studies on breakfast, and found that those who ate breakfast consumed more calories overall for the day.
Offers a form of intermittent fasting
Waiting until late in the day to start consuming calories is technically a form of intermittent fasting. If you've long wanted to try intermittent fasting, such as the 16/8 method, skipping breakfast can be a way to test this meal plan to see if it works for you. With the 16/8 method, you fast for 16 hours and only eat for an eight-hour window, which means you'll skip breakfast.
The benefits of not eating breakfast are similar to those of fasting. Studies show that intermittent fasting can reduce overall calorie intake, promote weight loss, and improve metabolic health.
May prevent stomach upset
Some people may experience indigestion after breakfast, especially those who exercise after eating without having time to digest the food. For example, runners often feel uncomfortable or nauseous before running if they have any food or liquid in their stomach (other than water), which can cause gastrointestinal disorders caused by exercise.
If you prefer to have a little something in your stomach before your workout to get energy, avoid fatty, acidic, and even spicy foods. Otherwise, it is probably safe to exercise low-intensity on an empty stomach.
Does skipping breakfast affect your metabolism? Probably not. Some weight loss experts have said skipping breakfast can slow down your metabolism.
Making a decision
So should you wake up for your morning lunch or skip breakfast to lose weight? The answer depends on your lifestyle and your preferences.
If you miss breakfast and find yourself eating junk food in the buffet in the morning, then you'd better have breakfast. But if you are trying to cut calories to lose weight, and breakfast is not important for you, then it is better to skip breakfast. A mid-morning snack rich in protein is more likely to satisfy you before lunch.
Keep in mind that not everyone wants breakfast. If this is the case, then there is no need to force yourself to do it. For many people, it's usually helpful to practice intuitive eating by simply following your body's natural hunger cues.
Result
Whatever method you choose, it is important to control your expectations. If you eat breakfast to lose weight, you need to keep track of the portion size and the number of calories for breakfast. And if you skip breakfast to lose weight, you won't be able to overeat during lunch or dinner to make up for it. After all, what matters is the total number of calories you consume, not the food in which they are consumed.
