My friend and I have noticed that if we skip breakfast, we can easily go without eating until around 6 or 7 pm. However, if we eat breakfast, we are more likely to need to eat lunch. It seems like the situation should be the other way around, unless eating in the morning speeds up the digestion process, and the need for more food around noon. So, does eating breakfast increase the average person’s appetite? If so, why? Or do my friend and I just have abnormal digestive systems?
Yes. The general answer is that it “speeds up” or “maintains” one’s metabolism. When you don’t eat (especially after an 8-hour night’s sleep), the body goes into “starvation mode,” which means that when you DO eat, more of what you eat is stored as fat. This is why, though it sounds strange, eating breakfast actually makes it easier for one to maintain a healthy weight.
Freejooky, that’s really interesting. Where did you find that out?
I don’t remember; it’s one of those common knowledge things. Any basic info you read on nutrition/eating/metabolism would say that.
I have more appetite when I eat breakfast. However, when I eat breakfast, I am less likely to overeat or crave junk food at lunch and dinner. More appetite, but more reasonable quantities and quality of food = I eat breakfast.
Supposedly it has the opposite effect
http://www.hhp.ufl.edu/keepingfit/ARTICLE/breakfst.HTM
Tops on the list of why people, including teenagers, say they don’t eat breakfast is the fear of gaining weight. Other popular excuses are too rushed, no appetite, would rather sleep, and eating interferes with grooming time. Gaining weight, at least, appears to be a misplaced concern. Various studies show that children and adults who eat a moderate breakfast tend to be normal weight, and those who skip this meal tend to be overweight. The higher weight among the breakfast skippers may a reflection of inadequate all-around food habits. Also, eating breakfast distributes total calories across the day. This tends to moderate appetite, which, of course, helps to avoid hunger-inspired snacking and the urge to pig-out at one or two meals.
Leaving your stomach empty for 24 hours as Omega Glory seems to suggest is not a good idea.
Lunch is for wimps. Have a good breakfast/brunch (say 2 hours after you wake) and you can feel fine through to dinner time. That’s my experience.
What are you eating for breakfast? Something that makes your blood sugar spike then fall or not?
For most teenagers I know, that would be at lunchtime, or beyond.
Thanks for the replies. Hemlock is right. Don’t try this people. Fortunately, I haven’t done this enough to end up overweight. Time to stop sleeping in, or at least stock up on more portable meals.
I wonder if this is related to a similar phenomenon. I’ve noticed that I often feel hungrier at dinner time if I’ve had a large lunch than if I’ve had a moderate one. Likewise, I often feel hungrier at breakfast time if I had a really big, late dinner.
I’ve often wondered why this is.
I don’t know if breakfast itself prevents obesity. I have read studies saying people who regularly eat breakfast have obesity rates 50% lower than those who don’t, but that is only if you eat something whole grain with fiber in it. Non-whole grain, low fiber breakfasts do not affect obesity rates.
One of the reasons I often skip breakfast is that if I don’t have breakfast, I don’t get hungry until noon or so, which is when my lunch break is. If I do eat breakfast, I’m usually starving by ten in the morning…stomach pangs and growls are distracting when you’re trying to work. I’m one of those people who doesn’t really take much joy in eating anyway (except sweets. I love sugar) so having to eat a snack (and trying not to give into the urge to pick a candy bar or cookies) as well as that additional meal…meh.
What are you eating for breakfast?
Eat a bowl of oatmeal. The real stuff, not quick oats, and don’t put 3 tons of sugar in it. Then come back and tell us if you’re hungry at ten in the morning.
What’s the difference between quick oats and old fashioned? This site ranks their nutrition as equivalent.
I have noticed something similar. I often don’t go to bed until late so even if I have eaten supper I will get kind of hungry before I actually go to bed. If I eat something before I go to bed, then I wake up VERY hungry. If I don’t eat anything and just go to bed, then I’m not as hungry when I wake up.
Quick oats are basically proper rolled oats chopped finer; they thus cook a trifle quicker; there should be no difference in nutrition. But to me it feels like paying extra for what amount to “factory seconds”, and the difference in cooking time is insignificant. I also see no reason to pay for a brand name when buying something generic like oats.
Of course, the hot setup is steel-cut oats, preferably lightly toasted. I can get these for about $.40/pound; three ounces and some raisins make a satisfying & nutritious breakfast. The fact that it costs next to nothing adds to the appeal.