6 Die-hard Myths About Skipping Breakfast
I'm tired of the 'breakfast buzz' - every breakfast article finds that eating first thing is essential. Fact is, much 'breakfast research' is done by groups that have a lot invested in the "Eat Breakfast like a King" theory.
So it's hardly surprising that researchers comes to the same conclusions. It's called 'research bias.' Researchers design their hypothesis and questions to inevitably prove their hypothesis true.
Let's look at each of the claims:
1. It kick-starts your metabolism
This implies our metabolism has stopped. Unless you're dead, this is untrue. Our basal metabolism keeps going 24/7. It's the energy our body consumes keeping our essential bodily functions going -breathing, digesting, excreting etc...2. You won't be able to concentrate without it
Plenty of people who don't eat until they get hungry in the mornings tell me their concentration isn't impaired at all. Water and exercise help mental agility as does oxygen. But breakfast researchers don't ask questions about water consumption or exercise. It wouldn't fit their hypothesis.3. You won't have energy
My body only wants food between 10-11am, so I only eat then. Yet, I have tons of energy having only had a large glass of lemon water and a brisk walk/jog. But let me eat a highly processed, refined and sugary breakfast cereal - and I'm lethargic and even sleepy.4. You'll have problems with your blood sugar
If you suffer with problems of blood sugar regulation -your body will let you know that. It's an amazing biological masterpiece, constantly letting you know what's going on with it. While some people may have blood sugar fluctuations if they don't eat first thing in the morning, the vast majority don't.5. You'll be starving
Notice how your eating pattern changes over the weekends or on holiday. Do you eat later than usual? Could that be because your body only gets hungry later?6. You'll struggle to maintain your weight
Well yes, if you don't honor your body and eat whenever it tells you it is hungry you will most likely have a battle with the bulge. When I ate breakfast before I was hungry I still found myself getting hungry around 10-11am. And so I'd then land up eating twice. But when I eat my first meal of the day only when I am hungry and when I then eat whenever I am hungry thereafter, I eat in a way that maintains my weight just fine.And when I do skip my hunger - and note I didn't say when I skip breakfast - THEN I land up eating uncontrollably later in the afternoon. So it doesn't surprise me that breakfast research shows that if you skip breakfast (by which they mean you don't eat at all any time in the morning) you gain weight.
The Last Word
I'm not disputing whether to 'break-the-fast' ... all I'm disputing isa) Our unquestioning belief in breakfast research.
b) When we eat breakfast.
I don't believe in eating when I'm not hungry, nor does it fit my body clock (see more about this). But when I eat according to my body's needs I have plenty of energy and concentration, I'm never hungry and maintaining my weight or blood sugar levels is simply no problem.
Sometimes research 'sounds right' because we've heard it so often that we never stop to question if it is all true for us personally. But when it comes to what I believe - I'm afraid my body, and not breakfast research, is king!
Written by Cari Corbet-Owen, clinical psychologist and author of Mind over Fatter and The Joy-Filled Body.
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62 Comments
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Created / Updated: November 23, 2011
Hmm.... I suppose I never have questioned it because it is right for me.
But then, I have fasting hypoglycemia (NOT reactive) and it makes sense after any extended period without food such as I go through without sleep my body would react poorly if I try to do anything without eating first.
I do feel that each person needs to find what works best for them. Our bodies are so evolved and variable, there is very little you can say is right for everyone in every case without getting extremely vague.
ReplyWhat Heather said!
I need to eat very soon after I get up in the morning - within an hour for sure. We don't have "sugary breakfast cereals," or really any breakfast cereals for that matter. (There's a box of Cheerios that my boys snack on, and I buy Chex sometimes to make Chex mix. Oh, and when I was pg I craved Frosted Flakes, but that's been 2 years.)
It is an individual thing. I eat, I make sure my boys eat in the morning, but my husband rarely eats before 2 in the afternoon - he NEVER eats breakfast. Coffee, coffee and more coffee work for him.
I can't imagine how eating a healthy breakfast regularly would hurt most people, especially if they are in school or work jobs where there won't be another chance to eat for a long time. It's one of my problems with traditional school - eat breakfast at 7:30 a.m. and then not another chance for a bite of anything until sometimes 12:30. I think that's too long for a lot of people - especially young kids - to go without eating.
Replyi never had a problem losing weight until i integrated breakfast into my diet. i wasn't brought up with breakfast really, so i'm not used to that anyway, and i really dont get hungry until about 2-3 in the after noon. if i eat earlier in the day, i feel as if i'm starving all day long and all i want to do is graze on junk and high sugar foods. so, my solution is that when i do get hungry in the afternoon, that i add fruit to whatever i eat and this balances out the sugar cravings i would normally get after eating and i dont have to eat breakfast to maintain my weight
ReplyHi Cari,
Interesting point of view. What are your thoughts on children eating breakfast before school?
I'm curious as to how many studies are sponsored by breakfast cereals - good point. I would have to take at least some issue though, with the way you framed your arguments. I think with breakfast it isn't so much a matter of you NEED to eat first thing OR ELSE... It is more of an optimization thing. While it isn't advisable to stuff yourself if you aren't the least bit hungry, it certainly doesn't make physiological or common sense to skip either.
So while not eating breakfast won't necessarily STARVE you, give you blood sugar problems, make you lethargic and keep you fat - breakfast does in fact help in these aforementioned areas.
It is an individual thing, no doubt - but I still wouldn't balk at highly recommending breakfast to those who don't normally eat it - even if it's something small.
ReplyHI Mike
(And thanks everyone for your comments - I think it's such an interesting debate)
Mike in answer to your question about children and breakfast. My sister has two children and always had breakfast struggles because neither of them wanted to eat breakfast. Now she makes them a smoothie with fruit and yoghurt which they take to school in opague cycling bottle that they can have anytime in class. She spoke to their teachers who said that as long as it looked like a water bottle she didn't think the school could object. This then tides them over til their break when they have a sandwhich and whatever else.
I just think we'd have a lot fewer obesity problems if we had more body-based eating than culturally based eating.
Sorry I wasn't able to post earlier - was having a few sign-in gremlins!
ReplyCari
Hi Cari,
Thanks for your response. Yes - it is an interesting debate! I think your example of different hunger levels of children is a good comprimise.
Are you suggesting that eating breakfast is a cultural thing? I would suggest that nowadays it is almost counter-culture. I agree with the "body-based" eating idea, however we have greatly mistaken "hunger" for "appetite" and this has in part lead to a society of overeating. Further, body-based eating a great way to go, but sometimes our bodies need the food even if we don't feel like it. A good example is the post-workout meal. In this case, hunger is often the very last sensation we feel, and yet this is the window where are bodies most need the replenishment.
I think it is prudent to eat something - even if it is something very small for breakfast. In my experience, those who don't eat breakfast are usually quite tired and lathargic in the mornings and need coffee just to get them functional.
I also think we need to examine WHY people aren't eating breakfast. Many believe that this will prevent them from losing weight. I think THIS is the prevailing problem moreso than people trying to cram something down their throats to fit the the "culture". And for the studies out there showing the benefits of children eating a good breakfast - I'm glad this is part of our culture.
I think it's an interesting idea, but I don't see encouraging breakfast eating as a negative thing.
ReplyI remember when I was a kid, my parents always made us eat breakfast before school, but it wasn't a huge meal. Usually they'd tell us to eat a bowl of cereal or oatmeal, a bagel, or a granola bar and a yogurt. Sometimes, if we weren't hungry yet or we were running late, we'd grab fruit and a granola bar to eat later on in the morning. I think it's important for kids to eat before going to school because they usually have a lot of stuff going on before they get to eat lunch. Plus, some schools don't let kids eat during class, so they aren't able to eat ANYTHING until 12 or later.
ReplyI am not sure I agree with the "unquestioning belief" that we have. Hasn't it been questioned by doing the scientific research that you mentioned? It seems to me that you are saying, yes there is research which agrees that it's important but then dismiss it by saying that it's clearly biased - offering no proof.
"Researchers design their hypothesis and questions to inevitably prove their hypothesis true" really smacks of not valuing the hard work and long hours that many put in trying to come up with solutions or explanations for issues. The system may be flawed, but thank God there are people out there trying.
ReplyHI Tanya - sure we need to be grateful for research.
But having worked in an advisory capacity on a 'Board' funded by a major company - it was a REAL eye-opener as to what research they would undertake in the first place and just how carefully us 'researchers' had to be with how our questions were framed... and how often results when they didn't turn out the way they expected to just quietly went away. The questions I would ask were very often just ignored (and for obvious reasons) and they were (and can we blame them for that) not going to spend their hard-earned profits on research that didn't benefit them.
ReplyRgds Cari
I think there is a lot of personal variation on this one. It probably depends on how one spaces out their food for a 24 hour period. I do think it's advisable for children to eat a healthy breakfast before school.
ReplyAs for me, haven't eaten breakfast in a long time. Do you know how early in the morning the operating room opens? I love those days when by 10:00, I've already been working for 4 hours :-(
Very true. I don't eat breakfast if I am not hungry either. The very reason most people put on weight is because they associate the clock with must have food in system or else.
ReplyI completely disagree. Never in my entire life have I associated particular times with food. If anything, it's the opposite. I was always distracted by something else more *interesting* to do than food.
I can remember my mother trying to get me to eat oatmeal (which I hated), while I was only interested in getting to a horseback riding lesson.
I grew up NOT feeling hungry at breakfast time. Trouble was, by not eating then, by skipping lunch as well (still NOT hungry) and not eating until late afternoon, when I finally DID feel hungry, then I gorged, ate too much and often was so hungry that I'd eat whatever was convenient and fast... which usually isn't the healthiest option.
I always found it easy to fast or do without food if needed. And got fatter and fatter, because when I did remember food, I'd be famished and overeat.
It was not a case of justifying the extra food because of a missed meal so much as simply being ravenous! I literally could, at those times, eat like a 6'10" football player and not feel stuffed after either.
It's only in the past year and a half, where I've been eating breakfast, hungry or not and eating regular meals (5 per day), hungry or not, that I've actually started to lose my weight and keep it off.
So, I'll stick with what works.
ReplyIt's funny -- I always assumed that the research pointed to eating breakfast...whenever you happen to get hungry in the morning, not first thing. It's 11 a.m. and I'm just now starting to feel peckish. Why would I eat before that?
ReplyI guess it depends on the metabolism and nutritional needs of each one. Like for example, I have a blood sugar condition (postpandrial hypoglucemia I believe...)with which I cannot have anything sugary for breakfast or else I'll be feeling all zombie-like throughout the day...
After my nutriologist told me that, I only eat salty breakfast... which is a pain for me since I loooooove sweet food :(
ReplyLook into taking Chromium Picolinate. Ask your health care provider about it's ability to stabilize blood sugar levels
ReplyAs some who practices intermittent fasting I can say that I never eat before 10am and somedays not before Noon. Maybe some coffee but that is it. My metabolism may slow down a bit, but because of the lowered calorie intake during the day you can still burn fat for fuel. The main key is reteaching your body to burn fat, to have a fat based metabolism. You can burn fat all day long if you give your body the right hormonal signals. Low blood sugar is usually directly related to the #1 problem people have which is insulin resistance. If you never give your body a "break" from insulin, how does it improve it's resistance issue? Much like if you are going deaf from loud music...how do you get your hearing back? Turn off the music! Periods of fasting can help to reverse insulin resistance...and then many good things happen from there. When in doubt, start slow and start off by eating healthy foods all day long...add in a fasting day 1-2x a week where you may not eat till later in the day. Of course quality of food is the most important factor. Here's a good intro to it all.
ReplyAlso eating large meals take a strain on the digestive system...so people always are going to feel sluggish after a large meal. Look at everyone at work around 10am and 2pm...all drained from a large breakfast and lunch...and then half asleep and looking for a sugar jolt. Eat small through out the day and have your bigger meal at dinner....after all isn't that the cultural default around the world? I notice more mental clarity and get more work done without eating till 10-12 everyday and then keeping it small meals until dinner when I can "enjoy" my food. Hunger is not starving ourselves as we have enough fat to burn for fuel...you can only be malnutrioned from a lack of vitamins and minerals, so quality of foods is important (more fruits and vegetables...less processed and sugar)
ReplyI agree with this. There have been times when I've gone running on a lunch break and in the afternoon, I'm the only one awake :-)
Replythink you hit the nail on the head with this one!
ReplyCari
Interesting article. My girlfriend never eats breakfast and does quite better than me at staying fit, so I've always wondered about this.
Of course, that's only one very skewed data point.
ReplyBut if you last ate at 7pm, and you skip breakfast and have your next meal at 12pm the following day, that's many hours with no fuel. Isn't it common sense that we should feed our bodies more often than that?
Replythat so called "common" sense is why obesity is climbing...how about instead...using those internal storage tanks of unused energy call FAT....we have enough of that to go for days....ever hear of person dying without eating for a day?
ReplyI think that's a big part of it...socially, we're conditioned to NEVER feel hunger. People feel like if they go more than 3 hours without food, they'll die or something. I've done fasts where I'll go a day or so without eating and I don't feel terrible. Hungry, yes, but not like I'm going to die. Your body is a lot smarter than people give it credit for. We have systems for storing energy and accessing it later on if immediate energy (from food) isn't available.
ReplyFor me what is common sense if body sense which is eating when my body tells me when it's hungry. I think so often what we think of as 'common sense' is culturally eroded sense. But again each person is an individual - and if we all responded to when our bodies were hungry and stopped when we'd had enough, we'd eat smaller quantities more often and have fewere weight problems. At least that's the way I look at it.
ReplyCari
Perhaps it depends on how late you eat at night? We eat dinner at 6pm and I rarely eat after that. I go to bed around 9pm and wake up at 4:45am. I'm usually hungry when I wake up -- often REALLY hungry. If I don't eat breakfast, I can't concentrate on anything until I have something to eat. I feel nauseated if I wait too long.
ReplyThere are many factors to hunger...such as the amount of calories you consume and the quality of them...if you eat high quality foods like fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins/fats and no processed foods...then you can eat as you feel you need to....if you are putting processed foods and sugar in when you feel hungry, it is just going to mess up your hormones, lead to insulin resistance, weight gain and ill health. Most people confuse hunger with needing sugar....when it's just your body asking for healthy nutrients. A person who's body is also deficient in essential vitamins/minerals/nutrients may also have increased hunger...because the body is trying to tell you something. Unfortunately these instincts for self preservation by the body were designed millions of years ago well before anything processed or sugar was available.
ReplyAre you replying to my message? I eat healthier than anyone I know, so I don't think the quality of my food -- or lack thereof -- is making me hungry in the mornings!
ReplyJust because you think you are eating "healthy" and "quality food" doesn't mean you are. Listen to the experts and stop arguing.
ReplySusan, not sure how long you've been here, but Fitness Factor excels in the art of trolling.
Though this one was funny if you take it with a grain of sarcasm. Which might be how it was intended. They're hard to read sometimes.
Of course, do what works for your body. If I last ate at 6 pm I'd be hungry even sooner than that (I usually eat small, frequent meals)
ReplySusan, I agree that even thought many people think they eat healthy...sometimes unfortunately that can be far from the truth. There may be underlying foods that are marketed as healthy but also may leave you deficient in essential vitamins and minerals. When in doubt I always say eat organic local fruits and veg, lean healthy meats and healthy fats. Things like grains and other so called healthy foods...while in some people may not be any issue...in others can cause nutrient deficiencies. You can google "leaky gut" if you want more info on that. Unfortunately with the food supply it is today we don't even know what kind of vitamins and minerals are in one apple...to the next.
ReplySusan - I have to agree with you on this. The later I eat and the heavier the meal - the more ravenous I am when I wake it. It's almost as if I've put my body clock out of whack.
ReplyCari
I wake up hungry nearly every morning, with hunger pangs and all.
But it wasn't always this way. Only when I began making myself eat breakfast, did my body come to expect it.
ReplyYeah, I went for years without eating breakfast - about 20 years, drank a lot of coffee in the morning, but didn't eat.
I started to eat breakfast when I wanted to lose weight, and I do think it helped, at least it helped to eat more frequently, because I ate sensibly regularly and didn't want to eat everything in sight later in the day. Now I really do feel I need to eat in the morning, but not always right when I wake up. Usually an hour to three hours passes before I need it.
However, the biggest change I noticed was that once I started eating breakfast, I had energy all day. Before I used to crash big-time in the afternoon, having lunch made no difference. So I'll keep with the breakfast thing. I'm just talking about a modest portion of oatmeal with other whole grains here, though. Nothing huge.
ReplyEveryone is on their own schedules. Breakfast probably should be eaten, but when it's time for them, not 7-9AM. For some breakfast might be at 10-11.
Reply