Does Eating Breakfast Really Influence Weight Loss?
Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash
To skip or not to skip? That is the question!
No matter how many nutritionists you speak to or what the rules of your latest fad diets are, you’ll most likely hear that breakfast is the one meal that you should absolutely never skip. But what if eating breakfast or skipping it actually has no effect on your weight loss efforts?
In a recent study conducted by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that dieters who skipped breakfast lost just as much weight as dieters who ate breakfast regularly. Researchers also concluded that while breakfast can have several health benefits, weight loss is not one of them.
Lead study author Emily Dhurandhar stated, “Previous studies have mostly demonstrated correlation, but not necessarily causation, when comparing skipping breakfast and the likelihood of being overweight.” According to study results, skipping breakfast doesn’t seem to cause weight gain. Researchers followed a group of 309 adults who wanted to lose weight and split them into three groups for 16 weeks. All three groups lost the same amount of weight on average. This shows that whether you choose to eat breakfast or skip it actually doesn’t matter much when it comes to weight loss.
However, there were some limitations to the study. The participants of the study were able to freely choose what they ate every day. Body fat and metabolism were not taken into consideration for the study. Also, the short 16 week timeframe may have been too short to see the bigger picture.
A nutrition expert and author of “The Green Box League of Nutritious Justice,” Keith Kantor, stated that eating breakfast is still a good idea regardless of weight loss because it creates a routine. “Skipping means eating at random times throughout the day and requires more of a thought process, which allows more room for negative behaviors like skipping exercise or grabbing fast food due to lack of planning.”
Overall, eating breakfast is a good idea. It is a great way to start your day and to make sure your body is getting the right protein and energy it needs to get ready for the day.
We want to hear from you! How do you feel about eating breakfast every morning? Is it part of your routine, or do you usually skip breakfast? If you are a breakfast eater, have you noticed a change in your body since starting your routine? Let us know in the comments!
Source: http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com
