Breakfast Benefits
Monday, October 05, 2009
Debbie writes: Is breakfast really "the most important meal of the day"? I'm just not that hungry in the morning. Should I make myself eat something before noon?
Dear Debbie,
Breakfast is a very important meal of the day; it literally means to break the fast your body has been on all night long. It also helps to improve the body’s metabolism.
Unfortunately, it is the one meal that people are most likely to miss each day because they don’t make time to eat it, or like you, are not hungry in the mornings. Others may skip breakfast in an effort to lose weight. But breakfast can easily be incorporated into a busy lifestyle and the habit of missing breakfast can easily be turned around. Starting gradually will make the transition to a breakfast easier. You can start by eating a small breakfast such as hot or cold cereal, or fruit with toast. Preparing the necessary breakfast items the night before can be another way to avoid missing out on a nutritious breakfast.
Studies show that eating breakfast can improve concentration and lead to increased energy levels throughout the day – and it is an important part of a successful weight loss regimen. The National Weight Loss Registry shows that successful losers, those who lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off at least one year, ate breakfast regularly.
10/28/2009 8:41:54 AM I used to say that I did not have time for breakfast and would be extremely hungry and cranky by 10:00 or so. Now I make time for something small; a small bowl of high-fiber cereal, a bagel with some peanut butter, a hard boiled egg. This gets me through and if I am still a little hungry at that hard time--10:00, I eat less, or drink some water or a cup of tea and can maintain until lunch time. I find that eating breakfast helps me cope with traffic and think more clearly. It's a good thing.