Friday, July 23, 2010

Myth Busted – I Just Can’t Eat Breakfast

Many people have gotten out of the breakfast habit they had as babies. Yes, if we were blessed to have someone to care for us, we woke up hungry and insisted we be fed, first thing in the morning. We had breakfast every day. Yet many people tell me that they don’t wake up hungry and/or just can’t make themselves eat breakfast. Others say they don’t have time or there is nothing in the house to eat. As a result, they think it’s okay to skip breakfast regularly, especially if they’re trying to lose weight.

However, after sleeping 6-8 hours, our bodies need the energy (calories) breakfast provides to start the day. The brain needs carbohydrates to function, so if you plan on thinking before lunch, breakfast is a must. That’s why teachers encourage parents to have their children eat breakfast, especially on days when standardized testing is going on. It always disturbs me to see parents require their kids do something they themselves don’t do, such as wearing a helmet when bike riding. Breakfast is the same kind of thing. What’s good for your kids is good for you.

Eating breakfast also gets the metabolism started. Just as a fire goes out without enough wood, so too does metabolism slow when calories are reduced or we don’t eat regularly. It’s no wonder then that in a survey of people who have lost 30 pounds or more and kept it off for at least one year, 78 percent eat breakfast every day (Source: The National Weight Control Registry).

How about the time crunch? If you have time to shower, dress, shave, and/or apply makeup, you have time to eat something. Shop and prepare things ahead of time. Quick, nutritious choices for breakfast include fruit, hard boiled eggs, cheese sticks, yogurt, cereal bars, whole wheat toast with peanut butter, instant oatmeal, and cereal. But don’t feel limited to traditional breakfast foods. Leftovers from last night’s dinner work just as well. If you don’t feel hungry enough to eat any of these, start with juice and take something with you for later in the morning. Start with something light, such as a 6 ounce yogurt cup. In time, you will get used to eating breakfast and will become easier. Studies show that people who eat breakfast eat fewer calories later in the day. Give it a try and find out how good you feel when if you give your body the nourishment it needs.

4 comments:

  1. You're missing the concept. When someone says they CAN'T eat breakfast, it's because they can't. I'm one of them. I have the time to eat and there's plenty of food. I'm not suffering from stress, I'm not pregnant, and I'm not diabetic. I'm perfectly healthy. But if I eat breakfast, it will cause me to throw up within a few minutes no matter what I eat.

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    1. I feel the same way. I have been doing this crazy exercise program and I need to eat something before 2pm lol I started off with half a banana for a week, and today I had oats 2 hrs after I woke up. Took me ages to eat it, bit by bit and it tasted gros ( at nite oats tastes so delitious lol). This is the hardest thing for me to do. But I guess you have to start slow and your body will slowly adapt. I only eat 1300 calories but have been 15-20lbs overweight coz of my bad eating habbits. Oh yeah as off tommorow I gotta skip my coffee in the morning and have it later after I had something to eat first. Coffee first thing most likely caused me to feel full till afternoon. This will be a challenge. Well just thought I'd reply as Im searching for more breakfast options for people like us :)

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  2. I'm wondering how soon after rising you attempt to eat. Starting with juice, milk or other beverage that appeals to you may help. If you are unable to take in anything two hours after rising, I would encourage you to talk to your doctor. Vomiting is not to be expected when you eat breakfast. Eating breakfast is still a healthy habit.

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  3. I know what you mean by feeling like puking; it's really because your no longer use to having breakfast. You want to gradually increase your breakfast 'load'. Start off by having yogurts (they seem to go down really well) and eventually work your way up to solid foods. Once your body gets use to the habit then you should be fine and the feeling will eventually go away.

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Thanks for taking the time to comment.