I used to skip breakfast too. I have a mentality that, if I'm going to do something, I want to kind've get a head of myself - so, for example, if I'm aiming for a certain weekly mileage, I like to really push my running for the first couple of days so I feel I've got ahead. The same thing applies with food: if I'm trying to cut down on my calorie intake, I like to eat less throughout the day so I feel I'm 'ahead' of myself, and so I can indulge a little later on.

But I've tried to fight that mentality, and it's really worked. I have porridge in the morning with skimmed milk, and put fruit on the top (usually half a cup of frozen blueberries that I take out of the freezer the night before). Porridge give you a slow release of energy, and I really do find myself feeling full up until a mid-morning snack (few bits of carrot, or something lie that) and then lunch (usually small portion of pasta when I'm at work). These days, I come home from work and feel energised for a run, whereas in the past I would come home from work and grab whatever was in the fridge/cupboard, whether it was healthy or not. After my run, I crave food that is healthy, and I never want to eat loads. My morning porridge with fruit works out at 180 cals. I usually have a small glass of orange juice (about 80 cals) or cranberry juice (much less) too.

I read somewhere that sumo wrestlers tend to skip breakfast, so that they feel hungrier later in the day and have an appetite so they can really pile on the pounds.

I read the same thing as tklep about breakfast eaters supposedly weighing less than those who skip it. Or being able to lose more weight. There may be some truth to it, who knows for sure?

I definitely felt a lot better after I started regularly eating a good breakfast, and this was before I had heard about these studies. If you look at a lot of people, they eat nothing early, then end up eating more and more as the day goes on because they are starved from the moment they wake up. It's called breakfast because you are breaking your nighttime fast. But many people skip it and end up eating ridiculously huge meals and snacks, especially at night. Why do you need food at night when you're planning to go to sleep? You need it during the day when you're active. I think so many people "need" coffee in the morning because they are not properly fueling up by eating breakfast.

Look at it another way, say you eat dinner at 7 PM. And then you don't eat lunch until 12 noon. You just spent 18 hours of a 24 hour day not eating but just getting hungry. So it's really easy to eat too much because you feel so hungry. On the other hand, if you eat a sensible and filling breakfast, you won't be as likely to go overboard later on in the day. You don't have to eat as soon as you get up, but don't wait until lunchtime...

quote:<HR>Originally posted by tklep:
Study after study has shown that eating breakfast does tend to make people slimmer. People may argue why that is, but slimmer people eat breakfast (when compared to overweight people). I personally don't think it is necessary you eat right away when you wake up, but you definitely need to eat something before lunch and I think ideally you should eat within an hour of waking up (I am pretty sure I read that somewhere but I cannot give you a source).

I have also read that eating eggs really helps keep you full longer and that women who ate eggs for breakfast ate less for lunch compared to an equal caloried breakfast. NOw if you don't like eggs, that won't help you so much. but it is a thought. good luck. <HR>

Say what you want about Atkins but, unlike a lot of other fad diets, it includes some very sound princilples.

One of those that really works is that high protein foods vs high carb foods keep you from getting hungry. I used to eat a bagel and a yogurt for breakfast, usually around 7 AM. By 9 AM, I would be absolutely starving. When I went on Atkins, I switched to 2 eggs and a piece of sausage. I found that I didn't even start getting hungry till around 11 or later.

I you want it to last, skip the carbs for breakfast.

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Big Ed

teetime~ perhaps if you gave up eating late and your evening snack you'd be hungry in the morning? Maybe you could try it for a week and see if you develop a sense of hunger in the morning? I know my mother doesn't eat all day, but when she starts eating in the evening she pretty much eats right up until bedtime. Then, instead of resting at night, her entire digestive system is busy digesting food. She wakes up not hungry and somewhat sick to her stomach. I think part of the reason she feels that way is because she didn't get a good nights' rest from all the work her body had to do.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by graingirl:
teetime~ perhaps if you gave up eating late and your evening snack you'd be hungry in the morning? Maybe you could try it for a week and see if you develop a sense of hunger in the morning? I know my mother doesn't eat all day, but when she starts eating in the evening she pretty much eats right up until bedtime. Then, instead of resting at night, her entire digestive system is busy digesting food. She wakes up not hungry and somewhat sick to her stomach. I think part of the reason she feels that way is because she didn't get a good nights' rest from all the work her body had to do. <HR>

Hi Graingirl,

Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried to do that very thing in fact. What tends to happen is that I don't sleep as well as I will be a bit hungry (my work schedule has me going to bed quite late but I do have the ability to wake up a bit later than "normal folk") and I wake feeling even less interested in food ... which as has led to weight loss (which I don't need) and less energy for workouts.

This morning I was up at 5am and ran at 5:30 and was ready for breakfast around 10 (but I wanted and had lunch food). So part of it is likely that I run later (9ish). But I really just don't think much before lunch time works for me.

I agree that going to bed full is no good. I feel best having a light snack that I don't quite "feel" before bed.

quote:<HR>Originally posted by queenjaneapproximately:

Maybe I SHOULD try forcing down a scrambled egg or two instead. It seems worth a shot<HR>

I have EggBeaters instead almost every morning. Avoids the cholesterol but gives the protein. That with some oatmeal is a good start then I just eat every two hours from there on out (~200-300 cals).

Good luck.

-Jay

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