Mom was right when she said breakfast was the most important meal of the day. After a night of sleep, your body is literally starving. Your body needs fuel at breakfast time.
When you skip breakfast, your metabolic rate slows down, and your blood sugar levels may fall. The result? You may get cravings for high-calorie foods. This sets you up to impulsively snack in the morning – often on high-fat sweets – or to eat more during the day. If your metabolic rate is low, you’re more likely to store the food you do eat later in the day instead of burning it for energy. This is a protective mechanism the human body has learned over time. Surveys show that people who don’t eat breakfast are more likely to be overweight.
When you eat breakfast, your metabolism gets a jump start. Your body feels nourished and satisfied, making you less likely to overeat the rest of the day. Eating breakfast every day may reduce the risk of obesity and insulin resistance syndrome – an early sign of developing diabetes – by as much as 35 to 50 percent.
Breakfast choices are endless, although whole-grain cereals top the list as the best choice for weight control and improving health. Look for cereals that list whole grain or bran as their first ingredient and contain at least 2 grams of dietary fiber per serving. Bran cereal and oatmeal contain at least 7 grams per serving. Try to choose foods from at least two or more food groups. Protein takes longer to digest, provides sustained energy, and keeps you feeling full longer.
Here are quick, tasty, and nutritious choices to get your day off to a good start: milk and whole-grain cereal; oatmeal topped with raisins and milk; whole-grain granola topped with fruit and yogurt; peanut butter spread on whole wheat toast or a bagel; fruit smoothie made with yogurt. Energy bars have exploded in popularity. Although they are convenient and may satisfy your hunger in a pinch, read the label carefully. While they might contain a variety of added vitamins and nutrients, they often contain very little fiber and are loaded with as many calories as a candy bar!
Time is at a premium for most of us. Nevertheless, it’s still important to fuel your body with healthy food throughout the day. If you’re trying to lose weight and don’t currently eat breakfast, start by adding this important meal into your day and cutting back on the amount you eat at evening meals. You may find your energy level going up and the excess weight going down. W
Breakfast and Weight Loss