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Original poster

To think it quite normal to skip breakfast

150 replies

McHappyPants2012 · 22/04/2012 19:16

Settle an argument for me.

My dh thinks it is not normal for people to skip breakfast, he thinks I am weird because I have never had breakfast.

OP posts:
janelikesjam · 22/04/2012 22:37

"3 square meals a day". Only necessary if you work on a farm or are a builder IMO.

quite normal not to have breakfast, though if I'm hungry sometimes I do.

BustersOfDoom · 22/04/2012 23:03

I never have breakfast, I can't face food at all until I've been up and about for a couple of hours. I always have two cups of tea before I leave for work but the thought of eating makes me feel sick.

My DM always used to make me toast when I was at high school and I always used to take it with me and eat it at morning break. I do the same now, I love cold toast. And very weirdly cold toast was what my DM craved when she was expecting me.

DS is similar to me. He can't even have a hot drink until he's been up and about for a couple of hours, let alone food. DP has no problem eating or drinking from the moment he's awake.

Bunbaker · 22/04/2012 23:15

"I think it helps me keep slim."

You are right. Scientic research has shown that people who eat breakfast tend to have fewer weight problems

"I don't get hungry til about 1pm and I don't have much of an apetite. I am a uk size 16 but eat very little don't make sense lol"

Yes it does. By not eating regularly your metabolism has slowed down and your body goes into starvation mode because it doesn't know when the next meal will be. Eating small meals regularly will speed up your metabolism.

I always eat breakfast. I feel sick and feeble if I don't. I don't eat a huge breakfast as it triggers off my IBS, but I usually have a slice of toast or a banana.

SocietyClowns · 23/04/2012 10:41

I've been thinking about this thread and find it incredible that people can go without food for so long Shock. I got up at 7, had three slices of toast and two mugs of coffee at 7.30 and I am already raving hungry again, so will have a snack with my two year old in a minute before making a proper hot lunch.
I think I have a ridiculously high metabolism though. I am 5'11, weigh 9.5 stone on a good day and have to eat like a horse to stop myself slipping into the underweight category.

SardineQueen · 23/04/2012 10:49

TBH I didn't want to wake up until I had got my commute out of the way!

Ditto I don't want to wake up now until the school run is done!

I didn't used to eat til lunch when I was a young woman - it was just a habit - and I was too hungover to eat quite often in the morning anyway Grin

deliciousdevilwoman · 23/04/2012 11:00

DH used to annoy me-he HAS to have his full breakfast, no matter what time he gets up, and even if we have a 6am red eye flight to catch-he will not wait til we are at the airport.

I think he's right with his "breakfast like a king" mantra. Although I prefer to save the bulk of my calories for dinner, personally. He is in excellent shape and rarely gets energy dips. I stopped grabbing coffees and pastries at the station or running to the local deli for treats at 11, and made 20 mins for a nutritious breakfast at home when I was working, and felt better for it.

BusinessTrills · 23/04/2012 11:02

YANBU

I don't think everyone should skip breakfast (or should be able to, for those who are marvelling at the non-breakfast-eaters' ability to go without food), but I also think it's silly to eat when you don't feel like it.

I only ever have breakfast at weekends (a good number of hours after getting up) or if I know that I will not have the chance to eat later when I do feel like it.

WorraLiberty · 23/04/2012 11:51

YouOldSlag I don't think anyone here has said they allow their kids to skip breakfast Confused

As for being 'naughty' and 'bad' (Lol!)

Well I've always made a point of not eating if I'm not hungry...no matter what time the clock says.

StealthPolarBear · 23/04/2012 12:01

Is there any evidence that breakfast, or hot water with lemon kick starts your metabolism? I don't actually even know what that means.
And if people who eat breakfast tend to be slimmer, that doesnt imply causality.

BusinessTrills · 23/04/2012 12:02

"Kick starts your metabolism" does sound a bit like woo, doesn't it?

StealthPolarBear · 23/04/2012 12:10

it does a bit but it's so widely accepted. Surely your metabolism just works as well or poorly as it does - doesn't need "firing up" in the morning?
Happy to be told I am wrong though as I forced down a cup of lemony water this morning
I'm another that if I don't eat breakfast I'm happy to wait until lunch (about to have my 'breakfast' now) but if I have breakfast I'm raiding the kids' chocolate stash at 10am.

BusinessTrills · 23/04/2012 12:19

Maybe "kick starts your metabolism" is code for "makes you hungrier".

Like mud face masks "draw out deep impurities" and give you spots

raininginbaltimore · 23/04/2012 12:23

I have to have breakfast. If i am late for work, I would skip a shower rather than skip breakfast.

And it is true about weight- by sister skipper breakfast for years and used to say she could never understand why she ate so little and was overweight. Not saying eating breakfast fixed that, but as part of other change it helped.

BusinessTrills · 23/04/2012 12:25

I don't think you can say "it is true about weight" when one person that you know lost weight after making a number of changes to their diet, of which eating breakfast was only part.

MagsAloof · 23/04/2012 12:28

Missing meals does have nasty effects on blood sugar levels, which are linked to metabolism. I am not a nutritionist or doctor, so not sure of the science, but it makes sense to me...

StealthPolarBear · 23/04/2012 12:31

yep, OK I can believe that.
So your metabolic rate is affected by your blood sugar levels??

StealthPolarBear · 23/04/2012 12:31

or affected by the stability of the levels

MurderOfProse · 23/04/2012 12:32

I am like littleducks - no matter what I eat, no matter how low GI - if I eat something from breakfast I end up starving a few hours later. My blood sugar just dips. I'm fine if I have nothing to eat.

I don't feel hungry in the mornings, never have - it makes me feel queasy and I'll only eat something if I'm dealing with morning sickness. I am an early luncher instead.

DCs have breakfast of course!

Meglet · 23/04/2012 12:33

Kick start your metabolism = makes your go to the loo (IME).

I rarely miss breakfast. But if we're busy then I eat porridge or yoghurt it when I get to work.

headfairy · 23/04/2012 12:35

oooh you're all wierd. How can you effectively go from 7/8pm to middday without any fuel? I simply cannot function until I have a cup of tea with a slice of toast and a piece of cheese.

Kewcumber · 23/04/2012 12:38

I believe there is research to show that on average people who skip breakfast tend to have more problems with their weight.

You don't eat breakfast becasue you feel hungry - you have breakfast to feed your body, your muscles, brain etc. Lots of evidence to show children perform better if they've had breakfast.

You don;t have to eat much if you're not hungry.

small glass of milk, apple and a crispbread with a slice of ham should do it.

StealthPolarBear · 23/04/2012 12:39

I'm sure that's right, but it doesn't necessarily follow that eating breakfast would help resolve weight problems

headfairy · 23/04/2012 12:40

If the breakfast skippers totted up their calorie intake I'm sure they would find they eat the same if not more than the breakfast eaters... but the key thing is not just calories but insulin senstivity. If you have all your calories concentrated in one or two larger meals, your insulin levels soar. You then suffer the downside of higher insulin levels after they crash in that you feel hungrier afterwards. Three or four smaller meals are much much much better for you than one or two bigger ones, even if they are the same amount of calories.

Kewcumber · 23/04/2012 12:44

american government research showed that women who ate breakfast ate fewer calories overall during the day. Apparently fasting for 15 hours or so means you tend to over-produce insulin when you do them eat (which predisposes you to deposit fat rather than burn it) but I haven';t looked to see if there is any research to back that up.

I should add I was told the breakfast = lower calories during the day but a dietician working at an NHS weight management centre which I hope would use reputable data!

DialsMavis · 23/04/2012 12:45

I do eat breakfast, but I usually just have a banana, sometimes with greek yoghurt and some berries, then its just coffees until lunchtime. Its the only way I can keep my weight down, I know people say if you have a great big lovely breakfast with loads of protein then you lose more weight. But it doesn't seem to work for me, I'm just too greedy and still eat just as much later on. At weekends though, I always have a lovely big protein filled brunch, with bacon and eggs or halloumi, mushrooms and tomatoes...mmmmmm.

The DC have porridge and fruit every day, except weekends, then they have whatever they like