Can Eating Breakfast Really Help You Lose Weight?

You’ve probably heard that breakfast is the “most important” meal of the day. That may be up for debate, but one thing isn’t: people who are successful at losing weight and keeping it off are usually breakfast eaters.

People often think that by skipping breakfast, they’re cutting calories. The problem with this is that by lunchtime, they’re starving. They tend to overeat at later meals, or nibble throughout the day to replace the calories lost at breakfast time. Skipping breakfast is quite literally setting yourself up for diet failure.

Eating breakfast doesn’t just save you from overeating later on, either. It also gives your metabolism a jumpstart first thing in the morning and gets you started burning fat more efficiently from the beginning of your day. Also, distributing your calories evenly throughout the day keeps your body fueled and energised, as opposed to eating all of your calories closer together later on, which can make you feel bloated and sluggish.

To get the most out of your breakfast, opt for foods that are high in fibre. Foods such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables fill you up but are typically low in unhealthy fats. Also, high-fibre foods allow you to eat more for fewer calories, so they’re more satisfying and will keep you feeling full longer. So skip the bagel and cream cheese (which is a fat, by the way – not a dairy product) and instead go for high fibre, lower calorie foods such as oatmeal, low-fat yoghurt, fruit, and nuts. Or try whole grain waffles with blueberries and light syrup. You’ll get to eat more without spending too much of your calorie budget too early in the day.

If you find yourself too tempted to eat sugary foods in the morning, make some compromises so that you’re eating a little healthier than you normally would. For example, you can mix sweetened and unsweetened cereals, or you can add unsweetened whole grain cereal to something a little sweet, like yoghurt. If you crave something more substantial in the morning, try peanut butter or eggs – both rich in protein and filling, satisfying foods.

Eating a little something in the morning is a much better option than waiting until you’re starving and tempted to overeat. Get your day (and your diet) off to a great start with a healthy breakfast.