Eat Breakfast, Lose Weight
The morning is often a hurried time. We’re trying to get everything done at breakneck speed to prepare for our commute and work. Just grabbing a cup of coffee may seem like a good way to get your motor running, but your first meal of the day is really something to fit into your schedule or prepare the night before to take along.
Don’t Starve Yourself
If you don’t have a meal until lunch, than you’re planning to fast (read: starve yourself) for 15 to 20 hours. The body responds by attempting to store as many calories as possible, not knowing when the next refueling will come. People who skip breakfast usually get hungry earlier and tend to binge when they finally eat. Even those not prone to overeating are more likely to grab a doughnut or another unhealthy snack. Those who bypass breakfast often end up ultimately consuming more calories than those who fuel-up with breakfast in the morning.
Breakfast Benefits
Research well supports the benefits of breakfast. Studying participants of the National Weight Control Registry has found that eating breakfast is a characteristic shared by 78% of those who are able to successfully maintain weight loss[1]. Another analysis discovered that subjects who ate breakfast had reduced caloric intake overall and lowered LDL cholesterol levels. Results found that skipping breakfast can lead to weight gain and increased risk of heart disease[2]. If you needed any more reason to eat breakfast and encourage your children to do so, researchers have found that as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle, breakfast can have a positive impact on children’s health and well-being. “Evidence suggests that breakfast consumption may improve cognitive function related to memory, test grades, and school attendance[3].”
Breakfast Recipe Suggestions
Oatmeal with fruit and crunch: to 1 cup of oatmeal, made with 1/2 cup of lowfat milk, add 1 cup sliced strawberries, banana, or blueberries and top with 1 Tbs walnuts, pecans, wheatgerm, or lowfat granola.
Multi-grain waffles with fruit topping: toast 2 waffles and top with 1 cup blueberries or other fruit and 3 Tbs light syrup or natural dark maple syrup.
Dairy Protein Breakfast: 1 cup lowfat plain yogurt or cottage cheese with sliced melon. Sweeten with 1 Tbs honey if desired.
Cooked Eggs on English Muffin with Cheese: cook 2 eggs (break yolks) until firm, top with lowfat cheese (or spread Laughing Cow wedge on muffin half). *This is great for preparation the night before; wrap in wax paper to reheat.
Most Important Meal of the Day
The benefits of eating a sensible breakfast are considerable. Eating a low-fat, high-fiber breakfast will not only help you avoid the distraction of mid-morning hunger pangs and subsequent overeating, but will also boost your metabolism, helping your body burn fat.
In addition to keeping hunger at bay, eating breakfast helps to boost metabolism, burn fat, support weight loss, lower bad cholesterol, and improve academic performance in children. Like chiropractic care, adding breakfast to a healthy lifestyle is another way to keep the body performing at its peak. Visit the National Weight Control Registry if you seek additional support. If you are interested in learning more about any of the material in this blog or chiropractic care, please contact us at Matthews Chiropractic Center.
References
- Wyatt et al. Long-term weight loss and breakfast in subjects in the National Weight Control Registry. Obes Res. 2002 Feb;10(2):78-82. [↩]
- Farshchi et al. Deleterious effects of omitting breakfast on insulin sensitivity and fasting lipid profiles in healthy lean women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2005 Feb;81(2);388-96. [↩]
- Rampersaud et al. Breakfast habits , nutritional status, body weight, and academic performance in children and adolescents. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 May;105(5):743-60. [↩]
