Life Skills: Skipping Breakfast—Not a Good Choice!
By Tami Rupe
Do you regularly skip breakfast to save time, calories or to get a few more minutes of sleep? Then you are doing more damage to your body than you think.
After a good night’s rest, your blood sugar levels are low and skipping breakfast prevents your body from leaving that hibernation-like state. Taking the time to eat a nutritious morning meal saves you time in the long run by recharging your brain and body to make you more productive.
Some people skip breakfast in an effort to save calories, but eating a good meal in the morning boosts your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories throughout the day. Studies show that skipping meals, especially breakfast, can actually make weight control more difficult because you will eat more food than usual at the next meal or nibble on high-calorie snacks. A recent study from Vanderbilt University found that women who ate breakfast were better able to stick to their diets and lost more weight than those who skipped breakfast and cheated on their diets.
A morning meal may also give you the power to resist calorie-laden food temptations like donuts in the break room. Results from a recent University of Minnesota study indicated that regular breakfast eaters tended to have the lowest body indexes. As the frequency of breakfast-skipping got larger, so did their size! Over 95% of overweight individuals do not eat breakfast. You can make a healthy change by starting the day out right!
You can do it! Start simple to break the habit of skipping meals. Plan it out the night before, and experiment with quick, nutritious foods that you enjoy. It is important that the meal contains complex carbohydrates, protein and a little fat to keep you satisfied until lunch. Here are a few ideas:
• Bowl of whole grain cereal, skim milk and berries
• One egg on whole wheat toast and some OJ
• Half a bagel with almond butter and a banana
• Low-fat yogurt and a small bowl of low-fat granola
• Breakfast bar and a bottle of apple juice
• Even some fast-food choices like McDonald’s Egg McMuffin or Burger King’s Ham Omelet Sandwich can be good choices.
If fast-food restaurants are too tempting for you, bring some leftovers from last night’s dinner. Who says you can only eat breakfast foods at the start of your day? The goal is to find a satisfying combination of protein and good carbs. Even a protein shake or protein bar will give you energy and help you function until lunch. Grab what is convenient, but choose wisely and don’t go without!
Adapted from WebMD articles.