For years if you told someone that you skipped breakfast they would most likely look at you wide-eyed in horror.
Recently skipping breakfast has become more accepted in mainstream society. The truth is that for most of us skipping breakfast will do more good than harm.
One of the biggest reasons is breakfast in the West usually is unhealthy.
After a good nights sleep the last thing your body needs is sugary cereal and cow’s milk.
1. Skipping breakfast has no adverse effects on your metabolism
“You need to jump-start your metabolism.” I always heard this growing up. On the days I skipped breakfast I walked around thinking that my metabolism was dommed.
In reality, that claim has no hold scientifically.
In 2104 a study was done twice with eight males to debunk this myth.
In the study:
- Energy metabolism and blood glucose were measured.
- The study was randomized to compare the effects of breakfast skipping.
- The men were compensated with a large lunch and dinner after skipping breakfast.
The study found that skipping breakfast didn’t affect 24hour energy expenditure. In other words, the men who had their metabolism challenged by skipping breakfast was still robust.
Skipping breakfast also allows your body to continue to burn fat for energy instead of glucose.
Hormones like the human growth hormone (HGH) are impeded when you eat.
John Romaniello who is a huge advocate of fasting in his article, IF 201: A Look of The 4 Most Popular Intermittent Fasting Protocols says,
“ Caloric manipulation aside, fasting works incredibly well because of the effect that fasting has on your overall hormonal environment.”
Skipping breakfast gives you the best opportunity to lower insulin levels and allow for higher HGH production.
HGH paramount for lean muscle growth.
John also makes the great point that the fewer times you eat per day the less your insulin will be spiked.
He says, “ The elevated HGH in combination with low insulin is a deadly one-two punch to your body fat.”
Eating stops HGH release.
HGH production is at its highest in the morning and then tapers off throughout the day.
If you wait a few hours before eating, you experience these benefits for the long-term. If anything eating breakfast slows you an your metabolism down.
This is especially true if you are consuming processed foods like muffins and cereal.
2. Skipping breakfast can help you lose weight
There are many studies that contradict the study that I referenced above. An article on Healthline sums up this contradiction well.
The article states that:
Breakfast eaters tend to be healthier and leaner than breakfast skippers. This may be due to the fact that breakfast eaters have other healthy lifestyle habits.
Since society has said that skipping breakfast is bad for you healthy minded people are filled with fear.
If you are healthy and skip breakfast you most likely will see improvement in your physique.
Weight loss is easier if you skip breakfast. You allow your insulin levels to be more stable throughout the day.
Have you ever experienced food coma after a hearty breakfast? Your blood sugar was spiked.
Then a few hours later you became ravenous?
That’s your blood sugar dropping.
Growing up I was mystified by this phenomenon. I would eat the delicious pancakes and grits my mom made.
Then a few hours later I was starving.
To avoid unnecessary weight gain, skipping breakfast or delaying your first meal for a few hours will help with weight loss.
For some skipping breakfast is not an option.
Instead eat foods like:
- Avocado
- Eggs
- Nuts/Seed
- Saurkraut
- Hormone-free bacon
When you eat a low carb high-fat breakfast you to experience some of the same benefits of skipping.
Even though I’m completely against breakfast, I know that everyone is different.
3. Skipping breakfast gives you more focus
When I starting skipping breakfast and embraced intermittent fasting, I was amazed by my energy levels.
After about a week of skipping breakfast, I noticed that I had a surge of energy. After a while, I started working out fasted as well.
Skipping breakfast helps you focus on the most important tasks of the day first.
A lot of us have more focus in the morning and then see it taper off as the day goes on.
A double blind study that focused on caloric depervation for 2 days found that cognitive performance in 27 healthy participants was not affected.
Humans are designed to go for periods without food. If we needed food all the time we would have never evolved past the stone age.
Consumerism is at an all-time high. One of the best improvements you can do for your life is to skip breakfast.
Focus on eating a wholesome lunch and dinner. Your future self will thank you for it.
Extreme hunger is why most won’t stick with fasting
Download the Stop Hunger While Fasting Guide. Implement the 5 tips suggested. Your fasting experience will be much better without mind-numbing hunger.
