Home
>
Weight Loss
>
Breakfast and Weight Loss

Breakfast and Weight Loss

Some people think that skipping breakfast will help them lose weight. It won't.

Studies show a direct link between breakfast and successful weight loss, and that compared to breakfast skippers, breakfast eaters generally:

? Eat fewer calories throughout the day
? Eat less saturated fat and cholesterol
? Have better nutrition habits
? Weigh less (women 4 kilograms (10 pounds) less, men 3 kilograms (7 pounds)less.

The key to successful Weight Loss.

The key to successful weight loss is burning more calories than we consume each day.

Our body burns calories 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. How quickly we burn those calories is called our metabolic rate.

Our individual metabolic rates change throughout the day and night, depending upon things like when we last ate and whether we are active or at rest.

Even though we burn calories while we are asleep, our metabolic rate slows dramatically during this time and we burn fewer calories per hour as a result.

(Now before you go planning to give up sleep to lose weight, which is definitely not the answer, let us tell you a better way).

The way to maximize the number of calories we burn each day is not to stay awake longer but to maximize our metabolic rate while we are awake.

This is where eating breakfast comes in.

Why breakfast is so important to Weight Loss.

One of the secrets to successful weight loss is to kick-start our metabolism as soon as possible after we wake. The best way to do that is to eat breakfast. In fact, nothing, including exercise, gets our metabolism going as fast again after eight hours of restful sleep than eating a healthy breakfast!

When we skip breakfast, not only does our metabolic rate stay low, so too does our blood sugar level. Low blood sugar levels resulting from missing breakfast often leads us to feel lethargic and of having less energy.

Low blood sugar levels in the morning eventually make us feel very hungry later on, which sets us up to impulsive snack eating, or eating overly large portions of food at lunch and dinner.

When we eat breakfast, our body feels nourished and satisfied, making us far less likely to overeat during the rest of the day.

Common reasons for missing Breakfast

The most common reason that people skip breakfast are:

? No Time

? I like to exercise in the morning instead

? I'm not hungry when I wake up

? I just can't stomach food first thing in the morning

Here's what to do if you if either one of these causes you to miss breakfast regularly:

"No time" is no excuse

Time is at a premium for most of us. Nevertheless, it pays to make time for what is undoubtedly the most important weight loss meal of the day.

If time is a real issue for you and you only have a few minutes for breakfast in the mornings, try to:

? Eat something that doesn't take any time to prepare, like a glass of pre-squeezed fruit juice, a couple of pieces of fresh fruit or a tub of low-fat yoghurt. Even last night's left-over stir fry is a better option than eating nothing at all.

? Prepare your breakfast the night before. Lay your cereal packet, dish, spoon or toast condiments on the breakfast bar of your kitchen so they are ready to go first thing in the morning.

? Do two things at once. Try doing something within your morning routine, like ironing a blouse or shirt for example, while your toast is browning in the toaster. (Try not to do two things at once while you're eating, you'll eat too quickly and your digestion will be affected. If you have no choice, fine eat anyway, but try not to do this too often).

? Have a least something to eat no matter how small and take the rest of your breakfast with you. Drink a breakfast smoothie and take your favourite breakfast cereal to work with you in a plastic container for example.

? If you are in a rush to get somewhere, eat something as soon as you get there. If you're meeting someone, meet them in a caf? or coffee shop. If you are always in a rush to get to work, leave a breakfast cereal in your office kitchen or in a drawer in your desk.

Morning exercise is not as effective without breakfast

Most people like to exercise in the morning for the very same reason they should eat breakfast, to raise there metabolism and burn extra calories.

If you exercise in the morning on an empty stomach, your metabolism won't reach the same heights it would if you ate something before hand.

What if you don't like to exercise on a full stomach? Ideally we shouldn't really work out until an hour or two after your breakfast (or any other meal), but if you like exercising in the morning or it's the only time you have, a glass of fruit juice or small piece of fruit beforehand will give your metabolism the spark it needs to maximize the calories burnt during your exercise.

Remember, you don't need to eat a three course meal to get your metabolism going in the morning, even something small like a banana or fruit smoothie will get it going.

I'm not hungry when I wake up

If you're not hungry when you wake up, chances are you are eating too much the night before.

It's OK to eat right up until you go to bed at night, but if you are going to do this make sure you eat something light with not too much sugar, natural or otherwise, which is likely to affect your ability to get to sleep.

Good night-time snack choices include:

? A bowl of cereal made of whole-grains or bran

? An apple

? Reduced fat cheese

? A small turkey and lettuce sandwich

? A small tub of yogurt and berries

? A fruit smoothie or scoop of frozen yogurt

? A warm cup of milk or hot chocolate

I just can't stomach food first thing in the morning

If you feel like this regularly find something you can stomach or leave breakfast until after you've showered and are ready for the day ahead.

Eating breakfast is so important (especially when trying to lose weight) that it is well worth the time and effort to experiment with breakfast alternatives until you find something you can eat. Here are some possible choices:

? Milk and whole-grain cereal, or yogurt and cereal

? Instant oats topped with raisins

? Whole-grain bagel topped with fruit and yogurt

? Peanut butter on whole-wheat toast

? Fruit smoothie made with yogurt

? Fruit cocktail, with orange juice, strawberries, pears and pineapple

? Cheese and whole-grain crackers

? Muesli bar or commercially made breakfast drink

Remember, when it comes to eating breakfast and getting your metabolism going it is more important that you eat than what you eat. Once you're used to eating breakfast regularly, then try weaning yourself on to healthier options.

For all your weight loss and healthy lifestyle needs, visit www.weightloss.com.au and become a happier, healthier you.

Scott Haywood

disinfecting cleaning services Winnetka ..

In The News:

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.