Losing weight can be a slippery slope. You may be working out as much as possible, counting calories, staying hydrated, and still not getting the results you want. If you’ve tried everything and still can’t seem to lose weight or keep it off once you’ve lost it, it may be time to reevaluate your habits. It turns out that some things you think are helping may actually be hindering your health goals—including one common morning mistake.
To get down to the bottom of things and discover the most common morning habits that can make weight loss difficult, we spoke to health experts Daniel Boyer, MD of Farr Institute, Briana Butler, MCN, RDN, LD of Go Power Portions, and Blair Persyn, MS, RDN, LDN, CNSC of Bites With Blair. They each told us that despite what you may believe, skipping breakfast is an absolute no-go for anyone trying to slim down.
Skipping Breakfast
You may think that no matter what, less calories will always lead to weight loss—which means skipping breakfast could seem like a good choice if you're trying to shed some pounds as soon as possible. However, health experts warn that failing to eat a meal in the morning is a major mistake that could actually have adverse effects. There are several reasons for this. For one, you'll likely find yourself feeling hungrier later on, which can lead to unhealthy overeating.
"While it may seem like a way to decrease total calories in the day, skipping breakfast often leads to eating a lot of food later in the day and at night when your body realizes it has not had enough calories," Persyn warns. Haven't you ever been so hungry you didn't care about all the calories you were cramming into your mouth? That's exactly what may happen if you deprive yourself of breakfast! Persyn goes on to say that "overly restricting your food intake during the day can lead to a loss of all inhibition in the evening as you finish off that bag of chips and pint of ice cream in an attempt to unwind." We've definitely been there.
Butler agrees that missing breakfast "can increase appetite later in the day and potentially lead to decreased perceptions of fullness cues during those meals." But it doesn't stop there. When you don't consume enough food in a day, she says you can run into health issues like low energy and hormone disruptions. "When paired with lack of preparedness this can impact meal-time decision making," she notes, adding that "a better method to take is to get something into your body early to kick the day off right and set yourself up for sustainable success the rest of the day."
Boyer tells us that "skipping breakfast also deprives your body of essential nutrients and calories that you need to start your day off right." And overall, failing to provide your body with all the nourishment it needs is never a good idea, even if you're watching your weight—maybe even especially then. Instead, cooking yourself a nutritious, filling meal each morning is the best way to get all the energy you need to take on whatever the day brings and kick fat to the curb over time. "By eating a healthy breakfast, you’ll be able to burn more calories during the entire day and
reach your weight-loss goals faster," Boyer concludes. Noted!
