‘Breakfast’ is just that. Breakfast is “Breaking the fast” from your overnight sleep….if you think about it, your body hasn't been given anything to run on in 7+ hours, so the way the body copes is by slowing down your metabolic rate. Having breakfast in the morning breaks this ‘fasting’ cycle and yells GOOD MORNING to your body and your body wakes up, speeds up and starts burning!
Skipping a meal if often thought to help you lose weight, when this is absolutely NOT the case. There are two main reasons as to why this doesn't work for anyone, first being that when you decide to skip a meal, your body goes into what medical professionals call a “fasting mode” which will increase your insulin response. Insulin is a hormone which moves glucose (sugar) from the blood into the muscles and fat cells for storage - which is not what we want!!
The second reason is that you will be HUNGRY and more likely to over-indulge with every meal throughout the day. If you don't eat first thing, your body will crave high-fat and high sugar foods.
However, if you DO eat in the morning you will experience…. increased energy, increased cognitive function, an improved metabolism, many beneficial nutrients, and boosts your fibre and calcium intake (compared to no breakfast).
I always ask the question, WHY don't you eat breakfast? and the answer i usually receive is “i have no time”. My answer to that is MAKE TIME. Set your alarm 15-20 minutes earlier if you want to eat breakfast at home OR pre-make breakfast options the night before and take with you on your way out.
Leah xx
