The number one question my clients ask me…
“Should I be eating breakfast?”
There are so many claims out there. Specifically on magazine covers at the grocery store. I saw one the other day and thought “man, people need to know this advice is so terrible” Some of the headlines read:
“Why skipping breakfast is making you fat”
“Eating 6 meals every 2-3 hours speeds up your metabolism, so breakfast gets you start burning calories NOW”
“Even if you eat cereal and a donut for breakfast it’s better than nothing.” (ok that wasn’t on the magazine, but I’ve heard this come out of other fitness professionals mouths…)
I’m here to tell you thats all bullshit.
But wait.
“If I don’t eat breakfast I won’t kick start my metabolism… and if I don’t do that, then I’ll burn fewer calories and gain fat!!!!”
That’s not exactly how metabolism works. Metabolism cannot be generated by each meal, but rather a consistent daily calorie intake/expenditure throughout the course of time.
And if you reach for the Krispy Kreme first thing in the morning thinking that “something is better than nothing”, you’re actually setting yourself poorer choices through-out the day, and most likely a calorie surplus… which is why you are not losing weight. Not by skipping breakfast.
With all the liturate on intermittent fasting and time-restricted feeding: these statements have been proven wrong, as you cannot create a starvation response by skipping a meal.
You’re putting on weight because you consistently wait until you feel so hungry your judgment is impaired by the ravenous growling in your stomach, sending signals to your brain so you find the closest source of nourishment.
Whether you eat 2,3,10,12 meals… when diets are matched calorie for calorie, it’s been shown there are no significant changes in metabolic rate.
So if you’re not hungry in the morning- it’s OK. Skipping breakfast is NOT making you gain fat.
I suggest eating breakfast most definitely in the following cases:
You know that you will not be able to eat for a long period of time.
You’re hungry.
You’re having trouble getting in enough calories during the day.
You’re trying to put on muscle mass
You are more productive if you have something to eat in the A.M (this is me)
You’re training early in the morning. Yes. Do get something in you to fuel your performance. Moderate protein/carbs, and a small amount of dietary fat.
This can be something as simple as a piece of toast and a tablespoon of peanut butter. 1/2 a Cliff bar, or a light greek yogurt on your way to the gym.
If this helps just ONE PERSON I’ve done my job- start tearing down fitness myths one by one.
DM me if you have any questions and I’ll be more than happy to help!
- Taylor MA1, Garrow JS. Compared with nibbling, neither gorging nor a morning fast affect short-term energy balance in obese patients in a chamber calorimeter. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Apr;25(4):519-28.
- Bellisle F1, McDevitt R, Prentice AM. Meal frequency and energy balance. Br J Nutr. 1997 Apr;77 Suppl 1:S57-70.