Tip 1: The Importance of Eating Breakfast

People always say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but is that really true?

“There’s some physiology to it — eating breakfast prevents you from bottoming out and getting too hungry,” explains Susan Kraus, MS, RD, registered dietitian at the Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey. “Psychologically, you know you started the day off right. When eating breakfast becomes part of your regimen, you start having ownership of it, become more consistent, and feel that you’re making a change for the better. Nutritionally, when you have breakfast, there’s more of a guarantee that you’re getting the nutrients you need every day.”

Starting Off With Better Nutrition

Eating breakfast gives you a mental advantage. When you start off your day, your body needs fuel. “Glycogen stores start to deplete. If you haven’t had any food, by lunch you’ll start to feel fatigued,” says Kraus, adding that cognitive studies, particularly on children, tell us what happens if you don’t eat — you lose focus and concentration as well as the ability to think and problem-solve.

“Without eating breakfast, you’re more vulnerable to cravings and less likely to make healthy choices in the morning and throughout the day,” says Kraus. That’s a disaster — whether you’re on a diet or just eating for good health.

Focused Thinking

Recent research also suggests that there are advantages to both eating breakfast and choosing certain foods in particular. “Studies have shown that kids do better in school when they’ve eaten a high-fiber, low glycemic index breakfast like oatmeal, rather than a sugary cereal. The same approach should work for adults who go to work early and have to make quick decisions,” says Kraus. “It’s anecdotal, but at lectures, we always say the worst thing to serve attendees in the morning is the typical pastry — it’s only temporary filler. Couple that with a cup of coffee and you have a big surge of energy, but by midmorning your audience is sluggish or sleeping — everyone bottoms out.”

 For sustainable energy, partner high-fiber foods with proteins that promote alertness, like egg whites, turkey, chicken, fish, and lean meats.

“Breakfast can also be a smoothie, a slice of pizza, or waffles with fruit,” suggests Kraus. “It can be a homemade high-fiber muffin made with added egg whites and milk, nonfat dry milk powder, or whey powder instead of water to embellish the protein content.” Besides hot cereal made with milk, other ideas to try are smoked fish or hummus on whole-grain or rye bread or on half a whole grain bagel.

Weight Control

Eating breakfast reduces your hunger later in the day, making it easier to avoid overeating. When you skip breakfast, you may feel ravenous later and be tempted to reach for a quick fix, such as candy from the vending machine. In addition, prolonged fasting — which occurs when you skip breakfast — can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain. In fact, skipping breakfast actually increases your risk of obesity.

Eating breakfast gets you on track to make healthy choices all day. People who eat breakfast regularly tend to eat a healthier diet — one that is more nutritious and lower in fat. When you skip breakfast, you're more likely to skip fruits and vegetables the rest of the day too.

Unfortunately, more Americans are skipping breakfast. If you're one of them — whether you're trying to save time or cut calories — you may want to reconsider, especially if you're trying to control your weight.