‘Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, dinner like a pauper’. You might have heard this old saying, which roughly indicates that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, many trying to lose weight tend to skip this important meal. Intermittent fasting is one such example in which people abstain from eating for about 16 hours. Hence, if you have dinner at 8, you might have your next meal at 12 the next day, which means -- no breakfast. But does it really help? Does skipping breakfast help you lose weight? More importantly, is it healthy? To get answers to these questions, Onlymyhealth spoke to Neha Patania, who is a dietician at Paras Hospitals, Gurugram.
“No, I would not recommend you to skip breakfast to lose weight,” said Patania. Although studies and research into the health benefits/drawbacks of skipping breakfast have shown mixed results, it is an important meal of the day. After not eating throughout the night, you break your midnight fast with this meal, hence the name ‘breakfast’.
- When you do not eat throughout the night, your stored energy reserves start getting used up.
- If you continue this in the morning, your body turns to protein and fat reserves, as well as carbohydrates stored in the liver as glycogen, for energy.
- Your metabolism gradually slows down when you skip breakfast regularly.
- The nutritionist recommends having breakfast about one to 1.5 hours after waking up.
Does Skipping Breakfast Help In Losing Weight?
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Although skipping a meal, especially breakfast might seem like an easy, attractive, and convenient way to consume fewer calories, and thus, lose weight. But does it actually help in the long run?
- When you skip breakfast, you start getting extremely hungry during the day. Hence, chances are you might gobble more than the required amount of food during lunch and the later part of the day. This isn’t a healthy deal. Physical activity too drops towards the later part of the day, which means, your body doesn't need to use the food you ate, and hence, it stays in your system for long.
- “Breakfast or no breakfast, it’s the 24-hour calorie count that decides your weight loss or weight gain,” says Patania. Hence, if you miss your breakfast, and eat more during the rest of the day, you can still gain weight. Hence, if for example, you decide to consume 1,200 calories throughout the day, then plan your meal accordingly (for example 500 calories in breakfast, 400 in lunch, and 300 in dinner).
- “It’s always a good idea to have breakfast to break the fast,” the nutritionist said. Also, your metabolism is a very running machine in the morning, hence, there is less chance of you accumulating fat or weight.
How Does Skipping Breakfast Impact Your Health?
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As you saw, skipping breakfast might not always help you in weight loss, and is instead determined by how many calories you consume throughout the day. But does it have any negative health impacts?
- Metabolism: As already noted, your metabolism slows down when you miss your a.m. meal. This will make it more difficult for you to lose weight.
- Memory Loss: When you think of how calories you consume are used up, chances are you might only consider the physical activities. However, your brain needs fuel too to function. Glucose is the preferred energy source for your brain. As you do not eat during the night, the stored carbohydrates get used up. When you prolong this in the morning, your brain gets tired and you feel lethargic and non-energetic.
- Stone: Losing weight at a vigorous rate isn’t recommended. It can cause gallbladder stones, Patania said.
Also read: Have Your Breakfast By 8.30 AM To Reduce Risk Of Diabetes, Study Says
What Does An Ideal Breakfast Look Like?
As you know, skipping breakfast isn’t a good deal. You should focus on having breakfast that is not only balanced but also prevents gaining weight. “Cereal with a protein source is a good combination,” Patania said. “And when I say cereals, I mean complex carbohydrates that contain more fiber,” she added. Some options include:
- Milk and oats
- Milk and daliya (porridge)
- Poha/chilla with lots of vegetables as these contain lots of fiber, which induces the feeling of satiety.
Other Weight Loss Tips
On being asked for some tips to lose weight, here is what the nutritionist said:
- Do not skip any meals. Have proper breakfast, lunch, and dinner, which have a balance of different food groups and macronutrients.
- When it comes to weight loss, portion control is very important. As you already know, you lose weight when you are on a calorie deficit diet. This means even if you eat excessive amounts of low-calorie foods, you can still gain weight. Hence, practice portion control and eat food as per your set calorie intake goal.
- Timing is another important aspect. Make sure you have the three meals at the right time. Have breakfast 1 to 1.5 hours after waking up. Also, it is generally recommended that you must have dinner early, generally 2 to 2.5 hours before you go to bed.
So, as you can see, when it comes to weight loss, calories are the game. Hence, set a per-day calorie intake goal and fulfill it judiciously. Also, skipping breakfast might save you some calories in the morning, but it’s of no use if you eat more in the latter part of the day. It has negative impacts too. Rather focus on having all your meals that are balanced, nutritious, and contain all the requisite vitamins, and minerals.
(With inputs from Neha Patania, who is a dietician at Paras Hospitals, Gurugram)
Photo Credit: Freepik)