It's no secret that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. While some take this saying to heart, some people lead hectic schedules and skip it altogether. The implications of this to body weight are divided, with experts saying that skipping breakfast leads to weight loss, while others suggest weight gain because skipping breakfast gets you more cravings.
Since it's all very confusing, we'll weigh the pros and cons of skipping breakfast in this article. Read on below to get started.
The Pros of Skipping Breakfast
The positive effects of skipping breakfast are as follows:
#1 - It’s a Form of Intermittent Fasting
If you’re trying to lose weight, you’re probably familiar with the term intermittent fasting (IF). The general idea of IF is keeping a regular period of time each day where you don’t eat or consume anything, for that matter. It proves to be effective because it works to control your insulin levels, which gives you more energy by lowering blood sugar levels.
#2 - Lesser Caloric Intake
The amount of calories you consume in a single day is affected by two things; how many calories are contained in your breakfast and how many meals you eat. When you eat fewer meals, you also consume fewer calories. If you take time to eat breakfast, you can expect to consume a lot more calories than if you didn’t.
#3 - Curbs Your Cravings
To lose weight and stay healthy, you must avoid eating a lot. Skipping breakfast works to curb your cravings. How does it do so? Skipping breakfast ‘teaches’ your body that it’s not going to get anything to eat; it’s going to have to rely on the stored energy in its body.
#4 - Helps with Portion Control
If you don’t eat a lot at one sitting, it means you’re accepting that you’re not going to be eating for a few hours. This allows you to work on portion control better than you could during meals.
The Cons of Skipping Breakfast
The adverse effects of skipping breakfast are as follows:
#1 - Results in Nutrient Deficiencies
If you’re skipping breakfast because you’re trying to lose weight, you’re doing your body an injustice. The body needs the right amount of nutrients to keep up its optimal performance. If you’re not giving it the right amount of nutrients by skipping breakfast, it’s going to affect your body negatively.
#2 - Causes You to Eat More
If your body doesn’t get the right amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients during mealtime, it tries to restore it. Hence, it makes you hungry, leading to unnecessary weight gain. This directly contradicts the idea that skipping breakfast leads to weight loss. If you don’t feed your body the right amount of nutrients, it will keep begging for more food.
#3 - Affects Your Energy Levels
If you’re skipping meals because you’re short on time, it’s understandable. However, when you have less energy because there’s no food in your stomach, it immediately affects your work. If you’re skipping breakfast and are trying to be productive, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
#4 - Can Lead to Medical Conditions
If you’re skipping meals, you’re not just depriving your body of vital nutrients, but you’re also exposing it to a slew of medical conditions. Skipping meals can lead to CVD, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
What Should You Do?
Instead of skipping breakfast, you should eat right. Eat the right amount of calories, and eat nutritious meals. When trying to lose weight, you need to be very careful about what you eat. Eat the right amount of calories and delicious meals so that you'll get your fill without depriving yourself.
Conclusion
When you’re having trouble losing weight, the answer is simple: you need to eat and live healthily. You can do that with proper diet and exercise. While skipping meals might be a good option, it's not wise to do so in the long term.
The Grove at Hope Seed is dedicated to promoting healing, preventing illness, and maximizing your health potentials. We believe that nutritional balance has countless benefits that can help your brain and body work to their fullest potential. Hope Seed also helps the community through mental health counseling, crisis center, and many resources. Call us today to set up a consultation. Your whole health is our priority.
