Breakfast and weight-loss

[Mr_Wombat]

OK, I have heard conflicting things about whether or not eating a breakfast helps in the quest to lose weight.

Before starting my weight-loss mission I very rarely ate breakfast, and would hold off until lunchtime to eat, but have started having a slice of toast in the morning with my coffee to see if it makes a difference either way. Certainly, it's too early for me to tell yet, but I wondered if anyone can please clear up once and for all the pros and cons of having the early meal, and maybe what things to enjoy in the morning?

 

[wheels]

For me it's useful because by making a conscious effort to choose breakfast I'm less likely to snack on biscuits etc. Also I'm more likely to choose a sensibly portioned lunch rather than think "I can have a bigger lunch because I didn't eat breakfast".

To be fair though only really getting into this ("this" being the d word that I'm trying to avoid becuase the d word has always failed before) properly this week but it is something I've noticed before.

 

[Mr_Wombat]

Thanks for the reply wheels, yes that is a way to look at it that I hadn't considered before.

What things do you have for breakfast?

 

[wheels]

If I get up early enough I try to eat some kind of cereal at home. Else it's marmite (when I can resist the jam) on toast at work.

If I'm bad it's a Pret a Manger egg and bacon or egg and tomato baguette. Bad becuase of the money and 372 calories (not a disaster) and 19.9g fat (not so great) but it is lovely and stops my tummy rumbling.

I was deceived by those yogurt things though. Had one this week from Eat: banana, honey, yogurt and grapenuts - 441 calories! I know it was good stuff in it but even so.

 

[KD]

For the first 2 years of maintaining, every month I experimented with something. Breakfast was one of those 'studies'.

Can't comment on the metabolism thing, as I should imagine it would take a while for the increase to really show up on the scales. Can comment on my experience with calories consumed and how I felt.

Week 1 - with brekkie
Week 2 - without brekkie
Week 3 - with brekkie
Week 4 - without brekkie

I found I could go without breakfast and not feel hungry, but when I did have breakfast...unless it was certain things....I would be much hungrier throughout the morning.

Contrary to other research, I actually ate more for lunch when I didn't have breakfast. This might have been because I subconsciously felt I could 'afford' it.

The biggest difference I noticed, and one I wasn't expecting at all, was that I tended to binge more in the evening when I didn't have breakfast.

this has nothing to do with my hunger signals, I just seemed to have much more aggressive cravings.

On the days I had a good breakfast (fav being porridge with fruits and yoghurt), plus a healthy lunch and dinner, I rarely overate in the evenings

As I said earlier, this didn't really have anything to do with hunger. In fact the calorie levels could be pretty much identical. I just seemed to have more aggressive cravings in the evening when I didn't have a wholesome breakfast.

 

[Mr_Wombat]

Cheers for the comments/suggestions folks, all this info is very useful to me

 

[Hazelnut]

I always eat breakfast- bowl of muesli and semi-skimmed milk every morning. It's not especially low fat but I need something that's going to keep me going.

Occasionally if I don't have a proper breakfast I find not that I get hungrier sooner, but that my urge to snack when I come home in the evenings is almost overpowering.

 

[Taz]

I find the best way for any diet (that involves food) is to eat little and often. I always make sure I have healthy snacks to hand so that I never feel deprived. I always have breakfast even if it's only a cereal bar as it starts your body working for the day

 

[Mr_Wombat]

Sounds like I am doing the right thing then, thanks everyone

 

[Georgiestar]

I have breakfast too its usually some kind of cerial like musli but in the past I used to have fruit, I try to avoid bread, although sometimes have a slice for breakfast.

 

[dehli]

I always have breakfast, usually 2 boiled eggs with 3 slices of ww brown danish toast topped with laughing cow and marmite, or 2 weetabix with skimmed milk and splenda on top. If I don't have breakfast I'm starving by 10 o'clock, and these are the only two breakfasts that keep me going til lunch. I also believe it stops your body going into starvation mode and slowing your metabolic rate down. I try to snack only on fruit or shape yogurt between meals.