I decided to write this article about breakfast, as I have come across during my clinics that clients and people are not consuming breakfast in the morning. I have heard various reasons for this; however for weight loss purposes it is very important to consume breakfast. This article will explain the reasons why it is so important, how we can increase the chances of consuming food at this important time, and explaining examples of healthy breakfast options that we can go for.
The word breakfast is split into two parts break and fast, meaning breaking the fast. Therefore we are consuming our first meal since our last meal which was maybe over 10 hours ago. If we really think about this if our last meal was around 7pm, then we go to sleep at around 10 pm, we wake up the next morning at 7am, we get ready, and leave for work without consuming anything. It shows that we have gone over 12 hours without any consumption of food. Therefore when we wake up in the morning the body is already in starvation mode. The sugar levels become depleted, and this causes hunger. Therefore it is a very important time to consume breakfast. If breakfast is not consumed in the morning during lunchtime the person may be more likely to have a large meal or go for unhealthy meals. If this is consumed on a day to day basis, it can lead to weight gain.
Recommended consumption of fat per day for a male is equivalent to 19 teaspoons a day, for a female is 14 teaspoons a day. An example of how the teaspoons of fat can increase quickly is that an egg mayonnaise sandwich, with a chocolate bar, and a packet of crisps, totals up to 9 teaspoons of fat. This is the most likely meal that a person would go for if that person did not have breakfast in the morning. However a person who had breakfast would choose a meal comprising of a ham salad sandwich, low fat yoghurt, and a banana. These totals up to 3 teaspoons of fat. The other benefit of consuming breakfast is that the person is more likely to choose healthier items when it is lunchtimes, as the sugar level stays constant in the bloodstream. This can reduce the chances of craving which can increase the chances of choosing foods that are high in fat, sugar and salt. There are a variety of foods that are ideal to be consumed during breakfast time, this can include:
– poached egg on wholemeal toast
– crumpets
– porridge/oats
– banana, apple or other fruits
– grilled full english breakfast
Unfortunately due to lack of time people are unable to consume the various foods similar to the foods above. People would like to consume foods that are quick, easy and on the go.
Finally skipping breakfast is not good especially if weight loss is high on the agenda, no breakfast can cause weight gain, and lead to increase chances of obesity led diseases including coronary heart disease (CHD)
Supermarkets have introduced new ideas to encourage people to consume breakfast, this includes cereal bars and pots, smoothies as well as fruit bowls, with natural yoghurt.
Overall there should be no excuse for skipping breakfast.
