Can I ask a monumentally stupid question about breakfast?

[IWantToGoDancing]

I've never eaten breakfast. My mum gave up about 14 and since then I've not eaten until about midday.

Anyway, I'm trying to change my habits because I'm a bit underweight.

I just can't fathom the logistics of actually making something to eat and cleaning it all up.

I get up at 6.30 and leave at 7.30. How long does it all take you? What do you have?

Ideally something low in calories because I couldn't be doing with toast.

If I put on weight too fast I'll only upset myself. I'm not good with bread.

I really think I could do yoghurt though!

You can do scrambled eggs in the microwave, that would save time spent cleaning pan

Granola, yoghurt, honey.

Literally a case of putting 3 things in a bowl.

You don't even like breakfast , you're only having it to put on weight, so if I were you I think id just have a glass of whole milk and a banana

If you're happy with not eating until lunchtime and don't get hungry, tbh I'd stick with your current regime and just add some extra calories at lunch and dinner.

Full fat Faye Greek yoghurt is delicious, though and is very versatile. I have it as breakfast and also some times make a dessert out of it by stirring in a spoon of lemon or lime curd. It's a couple of hundred calories for a couple of hundred grams and because it's full fat and has lots of protein, it's really filling.

Do you need to eat breakfast? If you're trying to gain weight it might be better to increase the calories in your other meal rather than forcing yourself to eat when you're not really wanting to. Add a bit of butter to veg, have a handful of nuts after a meal, treat yourself to a full fat latte etc?

Fage Greek yoghurt! Not Faye.

I think it would be very good for me to get into the habit of eating three meals and three snacks a day. If I eat later on at night I know that I'll go into a junk food slide, which I don't want to do, so a healthy breakfast seems the way to go.

@IWantToGoDancing

Could you have breakfast when you arrive at work?

Yes, but I'd have to make it before leaving the house and bring it with me.

Scrambled eggs take ages! And having to scrub the pan. Is that not half an hour?!

Do them in a cup in the microwave. 1-2 mins then leave the cup to soak.

I'm slim and healthy. I have hot water with a slice of lemon before I eat anything then I have all of the following 3 things:
-fruit
-cereal / museli / porridge with flax seed

• toast or crumpet (maybe not if had porridge)

Occasionally I'll have eggs or french toast or something as a change.

Don't start eating more carbs if you're not used to them, and are worried about loss of control.

If you eat a bit more fat it won't cause your blood sugar to spike/crash (like a high carb meal would), and you'll find it easier to keep control/moderate how much you eat.

I don't typically eat until I've been awake for ~1 hour. Pre covid I used to take cereal to work and eat at my desk.

Or if you just don't feel like eating but need to put on weight then eat a bigger lunch/dinner/snack?

I don't eat til lunch time , sometimes not til dinner time . I'm not underweight , if I was I'd just eat chocolate ! 😂

You can do scrambled eggs in a cup?

I had this terrible habit, same, since late teens. Trouble was eventually you stop wanting breakfast and the thought of food early just makes me feel sick 🤢

I have just about got into the routine of a banana on a morning now, every morning, and it's starting to make me feel hungrier earlier which is only a good thing I guess.

If you eat a bit more fat it won't cause your blood sugar to spike/crash (like a high carb meal would), and you'll find it easier to keep control/moderate how much you eat.

What do you mean by fat?

Yogurt and banana sounds good, maybe a little granola on top.

For me it's a yoghurt during the week

At the weekend it's fruit in a bowl with toast or scrambled egg with toast

Scrambled eggs take five minutes at most - and you leave the pan to soak. Until you get home.
Poached eggs are just as quick and the pan will only need a quick rinse. I don't like them much but you might.
Avocado smashed on toast is fastest of all. (Just don't feel obliged to Instagram it.)
Or make a smoothie - yogurt, milk, banana, few strawberries whizzed in the blender. Swill blender under the tap and give it a proper wash when you get home.

If you're used to not eating breakfast and it works for you, then why change it?

There's lots of evidence if you look for it regarding the numerous health benefits to be gained by giving your body a regular fast, which is basically what you usually do.

Instead, why not start including a good variety of unprocessed nuts and lots of different seeds in your diet if you want to increase your weight a little? You get the added bonus of the extra nutrition too.
Good luck.

Why would you want to start eating snacks if you don't already? It's better for your body if you leave longer gaps between meals, to let your body digest the food and not have so much insulin being produced.

Fat and protein make you feel fuller quicker than just carbs, simple sugary carbs in particular.

You can do scrambled egg in a microwave

2 eggs per person. Splash off milk and a knob of butter. In a microwaveable bowl.

2 mins in microwave for 2 mins. Whisk with a fork. Then a few blasts of 30 seconds whisking each time. Until there's no liquid visible.

@IWantToGoDancing

If you eat a bit more fat it won't cause your blood sugar to spike/crash (like a high carb meal would), and you'll find it easier to keep control/moderate how much you eat.

What do you mean by fat?

It's now proven that eating fat doesn't make you fat (unlike carbs, which do), and it's also very filling - so you eat what you need, and then your hunger will switch off so you feel in control too.

Butter, cream, cheese, oils etc are all good for you. Adding butter or a drizzle of olive oil to veg is great because many of the vitamins in veg are fat soluble so you need to eat them with fat to get the benefit. Also things like peanut butter, avocados, fatty meat.

@IWantToGoDancing

Something like nuts are higher in fat and protein. You'd only need a small handful so you won't fill really full. You could sprinkle some nuts on the yogurt and eat with a banana. You could also consider full fat yogurt, rather than low fat. If you are underweight and trying to gain weight in a healthy way, nuts is a fantastic way to go.

Yoghurt, shove some granola on top and you are good to go.