We probably don’t have to tell you that breakfast is the most important meal of the day—especially for weight loss. Every day, it’s an opportunity to put your best foot forward toward your health goals. A healthy, nutritious breakfast can fuel your body and brain so you’re ready to take on your day. But, unfortunately, people live busy lives and they can often make common dieting mistakes in the morning that can do more harm than good.
To learn more about the morning mistakes that almost also lead to weight gain, we spoke with Dr. Daniel Boyer, a health expert and writer at Farr Institute, Lisa Richards, a registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet, and Dana Ellis Hunnes, a senior dietitian at UCLA medical center. They agree that skipping breakfast, adding fattening creams to your coffee, and eating processed foods in the morning can cause weight gain. Find out more below!
1. Skipping Breakfast
Even though you may think that it's best to skip breakfast for weight loss, this is actually the furthest thing from the truth. Boyer emphasizes that breakfast is the most important meal of the day for a reason. "Make sure to eat breakfast after waking up," he stresses, as "skipping breakfast can lead to blood sugar spikes and hormonal imbalances that can cause bloating and inflammation."
That's why it's crucial to find time in the morning to have a nutritious breakfast in the morning. Boyer says that by eating breakfast you are promoting a healthier, more consistent digestion for weight loss. He suggests "opting for a whole grain-rich breakfast with protein and fiber to keep you feeling full longer and prevent cravings later in the day." Boyer says that this will help prevent weight gain.
He also recommends eating fruits that are "low in sugar and high in fiber," for breakfast. "Fruits low in sugar can help prevent blood sugar spikes that can lead to bloating and cravings later in the day, while high-fiber fruits help promote healthy digestion and regularity (which can also lead to less bloating)," Boyer continues. He points out that eating "berries, apples, pears, plums, peaches, figs, kiwis, coconuts, and bell peppers" for breakfast is great for weight loss.
2. Adding Heavy Creamers And Sweeteners to Your Coffee
While black coffee can be great for digestion and boosting your metabolism, Richards warns that adding a fattening creamer or artificial sweeteners to your morning cup of joe can set back your weight loss progress. Heavy creamers and artificial sweeteners can lead to indigestion, inflammation, and bloating, as well.
"Adding milk or creamer to coffee is a practice done by most coffee drinkers to enhance the flavor and creamy nature of the often bitter and acidic drink," she notes, adding that "while it is common, adding creamer is also a way calories, sugar, and fat sneak into our diet and it adds up quickly." That's why Richards suggests avoiding certain coffee creamers if you're trying to lose weight. She recommends "always [reading] the nutrition and ingredient labels for fat, calories, and added sugar." Richards says that it's best to avoid any added sugar and that 1 to 2 grams should be your limit.
Furthermore, Richards says that refined sugar, or table sugar, is harmful to your gut and weight for many reasons. "This type of sugar is sucrose, and is highly inflammatory as well as a food source for bad gut bacteria," she says. "Inflammation and an overgrowth of harmful gut bacteria will result in negative health effects in many areas of the body." Yikes!
And, if you still want to sweeten your coffee, monk fruit can be a great, healthy alternative. "Monk fruit extract contains some incredible compounds that are 300-400 times sweeter than cane sugar," Richards concludes. Plus, it's "virtually calorie-free" so it "won't affect blood sugar levels, and it won't rot your teeth."
3. Eating Processed Foods
You want to start your day off right, so why would you choose a processed breakfast like sugary pastries or cereals for your first meal of the day? Hunnes warns that processed breakfast foods won't satisfy your hunger and will eventually lead to energy crashes and overeating later on in the day.
Specifically, Hunnes says, the worst processed food that leads to inflammation and weight gain, are breakfast pastries made with refined carbohydrates and added sugar. "The least healthy type of carbohydrates to eat are ultra-processed carbohydrates that are frequently found in packaged foods such as pastries like Pop-Tarts, energy bars, and pastries," Hunnes explains. Learn about the worst sugary pastry for weight loss.
"The reason these types of carbs are not great at any age, let alone over 40, is because they provide no nutritional benefit, they are often devoid of vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds," she continues. Hunnes says that the refined sugar and carbohydrates ruin your metabolism, because it leads to "insulin spikes, increases in IGF-1, an inflammatory marker, and increases [the] risk for chronic diseases and deposition (fat storage)" of calories in the body.
But, thankfully, if you still want something sweet in the morning, she recommends eating "fiber-filled fruit" with a "bowl of oatmeal," which can be extremely beneficial for weight loss. "Fiber can prevent and reduce inflammation by keeping the G.I. track moving." It does this, she says, by "attracting water into the gut and making the waste softer with more fluid, thereby making it easier to pass."
The Bottom Line
At the end of the day, the most important thing to keep in mind when it comes to your morning diet is nourishing your body with healthy foods to take on your day and avoiding the common mistakes that were mentioned above. So, be sure to not skip breakfast, add heavy creamers and refined sugars to your morning cup of coffee, and avoid processed breakfast foods like sugary pastries. Your body will thank you!
