for display only
Big Blue Interactive The Corner Forum  
Back to the Corner

Archived Thread

NFT: Is Eating Breakfast As Good For You As You've Been Told?

gidiefor : Mod : 5/23/2016 8:54 am
Not according to this article in the NY Times.
Sorry, There’s Nothing Magical About Breakfast - ( New Window )
John Oliver on scientific studies  
jgambrosio : 5/23/2016 8:59 am : link
.
Link - ( New Window )
i don't buy it  
UConn4523 : 5/23/2016 8:59 am : link
conservatively speaking lets say the average person's last meal is at 8pm (i'm guessing its earlier). Waiting 16 hours to eat again seems crazy, especially for children that are growing. Some people can do it and that's fine, but IMO, that's hardly grounds for a blanket statement.

Plenty of studies link many small meals to better cognitive function and that's before we get into heart health, etc.
.  
arcarsenal : 5/23/2016 9:02 am : link
I feel much more energized in the morning when I eat breakfast and have something to run on. It also depends WHAT you eat for breakfast. There's a difference between a sausage McMuffin and a bowl of oatmeal and a banana.
RE: i don't buy it  
giants#1 : 5/23/2016 9:07 am : link
In comment 12967555 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
conservatively speaking lets say the average person's last meal is at 8pm (i'm guessing its earlier). Waiting 16 hours to eat again seems crazy, especially for children that are growing. Some people can do it and that's fine, but IMO, that's hardly grounds for a blanket statement.

Plenty of studies link many small meals to better cognitive function and that's before we get into heart health, etc.


The article isn't making a blanket statement. In fact, it's saying the common "breakfast is the most important meal of the day" blanket statement is incorrect.

Basically, if you're hungry, eat:

Quote:
One of the reasons that breakfast seems to improve children’s learning and progress is that, unfortunately, too many don’t get enough to eat. Hunger affects almost one in seven households in America, or about 15 million children. Many more children get school lunches than school breakfasts.

It’s not hard to imagine that children who are hungry will do better if they are nourished. This isn’t the same, though, as testing whether children who are already well nourished and don’t want breakfast should be forced to eat it.

It has been found that children who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight than children who eat two breakfasts. But that seems to be because children who want more breakfasts are going hungry at home. No child who is hungry should be deprived of breakfast. That’s different than saying that eating breakfast helps you to lose weight.

The bottom line is that the evidence for the importance of breakfast is something of a mess. If you’re hungry, eat it. But don’t feel bad if you’d rather skip it, and don’t listen to those who lecture you. Breakfast has no mystical powers.
I guess that's my point  
UConn4523 : 5/23/2016 9:13 am : link
the article basically says that overall evidence is still questionable, so I'm not sure why the article was named what it was other than click bait. Its a guy saying he doesn't eat breakfast, but then goes on to say not everyone can do it and that kids need nourishment, etc etc etc. It was a long drawn out way of saying "do what works for you".

Basically, I learned nothing from that article. Its purpose was to get clicks and it succeeded.
I wouldn't eat breakfast either if  
Bill in UT : 5/23/2016 9:32 am : link
my eggs looked like that
Moderation and a fewl small meals a day  
DC Gmen Fan : 5/23/2016 9:36 am : link
seems to be a safe bet
I know its not healthy to skip breakfast  
dep026 : 5/23/2016 9:38 am : link
but I have done so more times than I should since dieting, and I havent noticed much of a drop off from a hunger standpoint. Usually my mornings are quite busy and I dont even have time to think of food.

However, if I miss out on lunch....forget it.
I eat a big breakfast (eggs/fruit).  
TheManUpstairs : 5/23/2016 10:21 am : link
And a couple of light snacks/meals/whatever during the day. No LUNCH as such; I probably snack around 11, 2, and 4:30 ish, so I'm not starving when I walk in the door.
Science is important.  
manh george : 5/23/2016 10:44 am : link
Never forget that the most common cause of cancer in rats is scientists.
RE: Science is important.  
Big Al : 5/23/2016 11:07 am : link
In comment 12967708 manh george said:
Quote:
Never forget that the most common cause of cancer in rats is scientists.
A study discussed on Fenwood Tonight in 1977 proved leisure suits caused cancer in rats.
RE: RE: Science is important.  
Big Al : 5/23/2016 11:14 am : link
In comment 12967742 Big Al said:
Quote:
In comment 12967708 manh george said:


Quote:


Never forget that the most common cause of cancer in rats is scientists.

A study discussed on Fenwood Tonight in 1977 proved leisure suits caused cancer in rats.
Marin Mull was host.
Link - ( New Window )
Al  
manh george : 5/23/2016 11:16 am : link
That might have been accurate back then, because back then scientists wore leisure suits.

Then again, I can disprove that: Leisure suits are extinct, but rats still get cancer.
I am 51  
mdthedream : 5/23/2016 11:27 am : link
and never eat breakfast and funny thing is I am a morning person who loves to get things done early.
Jerry Seinfeld actually noted (without joking)  
BlackLight : 5/23/2016 11:38 am : link
that nobody gets up in the morning and breaks their diet by eating a plate of brownies at 11am. It's always at 11pm. Why? Because you're tired at 11pm, and less able to resist their fudgey siren song.

Point is, whether you're able to resist eating brownies at 11pm has a lot to do with whether you got a good night's sleep the night before. And having eaten something at 8am, whether you're hungry or not, adds an additional bulwark against late-night snacking.
Imo,  
robbieballs2003 : 5/23/2016 12:07 pm : link
if you eat when you are hungry then it is too late and most people tend to overeat. The best diets are the ones where you eat a little every few hours.
Intermittent fasting is my way of life  
Somnambulist : 5/23/2016 12:19 pm : link
I feel 10-15 years younger then I did before. 16 hours off, 8 hours on. After 2 weeks I didn't even think about breakfast any more. Funny thing is, I've actually added muscle and lost fat at the same time. It works.
After getting up  
phil in arizona : 5/23/2016 12:58 pm : link
I can get by for maybe an hour on just coffee and cream, after that I'm the walking personification of a snickers bar commercial. If there is no food AND no coffee, oh man, I'm going to be spending the rest of the day apologizing to people.

COOK THE MAN SOME FUCKING EGGS BITCH!  
phil in arizona : 5/23/2016 1:00 pm : link
.
.  
arcarsenal : 5/23/2016 1:04 pm : link
I eat a solid breakfast which usually holds me over a couple hours and then I eat smaller "snacks" between that and lunch and then lunch and dinner.

Basically, once I start getting really hungry it's like a ticking clock and the longer I wait, the more likely I am to settle for eating something I shouldn't because I just want to stuff my face. It's just easier to stay somewhere between empty and full for as much of the day as possible because it allows me to be more disciplined in choosing what I eat.
keep your fruit and oatmeal  
Bill L : 5/23/2016 1:08 pm : link
don't mess with my eff mcmuffin. philistine.
I tell you what,  
phil in arizona : 5/23/2016 1:16 pm : link
when I was doing paleo and making an omelet almost every morning (peppers, onions, mushrooms, chives, cheese, avocado, and bacon/sausage), my energy level was through the roof. I didn't even have to snack much (or at all) between breakfast and lunch.
RE: Science is important.  
EricJ : 5/23/2016 1:34 pm : link
In comment 12967708 manh george said:
Quote:
Never forget that the most common cause of cancer in rats is scientists.


Apparently science does not matter anymore.
RE: i don't buy it  
charlito : 5/23/2016 1:50 pm : link
In comment 12967555 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
conservatively speaking lets say the average person's last meal is at 8pm (i'm guessing its earlier). Waiting 16 hours to eat again seems crazy, especially for children that are growing. Some people can do it and that's fine, but IMO, that's hardly grounds for a blanket statement.

Plenty of studies link many small meals to better cognitive function and that's before we get into heart health, etc.


The studies I've came across tell me the opposite. The brain prefers ketones over glucose. Ketones, hgh, bdnf are increased significantly on a fasted state after 8 hours of eating. There are plenty if intermittent fasting articles and videos out there. I found myself more focused skipping breakfast.
its important to avoid  
Dankbeerman : 5/23/2016 1:58 pm : link
snacking and overeating. it tougher to eat well when its not planned out. bring your breakfast with you and eat when you are hungry but plan/balance your intake for the day ahead of time and eat when hungry
RE: Intermittent fasting is my way of life  
charlito : 5/23/2016 2:04 pm : link
In comment 12967881 Somnambulist said:
Quote:
I feel 10-15 years younger then I did before. 16 hours off, 8 hours on. After 2 weeks I didn't even think about breakfast any more. Funny thing is, I've actually added muscle and lost fat at the same time. It works.


I've been on the 16/8 IF for a month I feel better than I've ever felt. No more heartburn for me and just like you, added muscle and lost weight. It will catch on. Skipping breakfast is not a problem after a couple of days.
RE: RE: i don't buy it  
UConn4523 : 5/23/2016 2:13 pm : link
In comment 12968020 charlito said:
Quote:
In comment 12967555 UConn4523 said:


Quote:


conservatively speaking lets say the average person's last meal is at 8pm (i'm guessing its earlier). Waiting 16 hours to eat again seems crazy, especially for children that are growing. Some people can do it and that's fine, but IMO, that's hardly grounds for a blanket statement.

Plenty of studies link many small meals to better cognitive function and that's before we get into heart health, etc.



The studies I've came across tell me the opposite. The brain prefers ketones over glucose. Ketones, hgh, bdnf are increased significantly on a fasted state after 8 hours of eating. There are plenty if intermittent fasting articles and videos out there. I found myself more focused skipping breakfast.


I think there's many way to optimize eating habits, but its safe to say the majority of the population can't stick to fasting timeframes. Whether its school, work, travel; its just not possible for a bulk of the population and certainly not something most kids can do or should do.

Skipping breakfast for most people means they will eat sloppily for the rest of the day (too big of a lunch/dinner with increased snacking).
I've been doing Intermittent Fasting  
Now Mike in MD : 5/23/2016 3:41 pm : link
for 4 years and love it. I've gained muscle mass and shed fat and my energy levels are higher. I was always in good shape but this (along with Bill Starr 5x5) has taken things to a new level. I'm putting up more weight and my body fat is 13 percent.

One of the major ways in which it helps is that working out in a fasted state can increase your HGH levels by over a 1000 percent. That's good for older guys (I'm 48) because you lose 20 percent of your HGH levels every decade after 20.

Anyway don't just automatically dismiss it. Do some research. Try it out.
I know a couple of people who do IF  
RB^2 : 5/23/2016 4:04 pm : link
and they have claimed similar results, so there may be something to it.

Personally, breakfast or lack thereof makes or breaks my day unlike anything else. I can get by without coffee in the morning but breakfast is an absolute must.

However, I still think it mostly comes down to a) staying at or below 2,000 calories (unless you're working out a lot) and b) no junk food, especially the big one - refined sugar. I also keep the meat to a minimum - 5 servings a week or less.
RE: i don't buy it  
JOrthman : 5/23/2016 5:32 pm : link
In comment 12967555 UConn4523 said:
Quote:
conservatively speaking lets say the average person's last meal is at 8pm (i'm guessing its earlier). Waiting 16 hours to eat again seems crazy, especially for children that are growing. Some people can do it and that's fine, but IMO, that's hardly grounds for a blanket statement.

Plenty of studies link many small meals to better cognitive function and that's before we get into heart health, etc.


Myself and some of my coworkers have tried a diet called the fast diet where you only eat between 2pm and 8pm. I don't know how healthy or unhealthy it is, but all of us lost weight from it.
I will add that it's hard to stick with at times, work, travel, family  
JOrthman : 5/23/2016 5:43 pm : link
etc..., but overall I've liked the results.
RB2  
Now Mike in MD : 5/23/2016 5:43 pm : link
I was the same way the first couple days because I was a big breakfast guy. Loved it. But after the first couple days it passes and you realize that those hunger pangs were not real. They were just your body reacting to not being stuffed first thing in the morning. Now, it doesn't even occur to me. And you also realize from IF how often you eat because you're "supposed to" vs. genuinely being hungry.

I know I'm probably coming across as overzealous, but honestly it's been an absolute game changer. I constantly get people telling me I'm in better shape than in my 20s, and I was an athlete before. Played college basketball. So it's not like I was a couch potato before.

Anyway, just trying to pass along something that's really helped me at least
RE: I tell you what,  
Boy Cord : 5/23/2016 8:12 pm : link
In comment 12967965 phil in arizona said:
Quote:
when I was doing paleo and making an omelet almost every morning (peppers, onions, mushrooms, chives, cheese, avocado, and bacon/sausage), my energy level was through the roof. I didn't even have to snack much (or at all) between breakfast and lunch.


Why did you stop paleo?
RE: RE: I tell you what,  
chopperhatch : 5/23/2016 8:19 pm : link
In comment 12968555 Boy Cord said:
Quote:
In comment 12967965 phil in arizona said:


Quote:


when I was doing paleo and making an omelet almost every morning (peppers, onions, mushrooms, chives, cheese, avocado, and bacon/sausage), my energy level was through the roof. I didn't even have to snack much (or at all) between breakfast and lunch.

Neither cheese nor bacon/sausage are Paleo...just saying.



Why did you stop paleo?
RE: RE: I tell you what,  
chopperhatch : 5/23/2016 8:28 pm : link
In comment 12968555 Boy Cord said:
Quote:
In comment 12967965 phil in arizona said:


Quote:


when I was doing paleo and making an omelet almost every morning (peppers, onions, mushrooms, chives, cheese, avocado, and bacon/sausage), my energy level was through the roof. I didn't even have to snack much (or at all) between breakfast and lunch.



Why did you stop paleo?


Sorry, screwed that up.

Neither cheese nor bacon/sausage are Paleo...just saying. Going strictly paleo is waaaaaay too tough. It's tougher to stay on a diet where you don't like what you eat. One slice of cheese in an omelet should not be "prohibited" in a diet. It adds about 100 calories to your meal with minimal health benefits.

I also agree that eating a nice breakfast loaded with protein in the morning changes my energy level as well as my eating habits. My go to pre workout breakfast is chopped onion with a cup of brown rice, fried in a pan. Then I add two eggs either whipped or over easy. If I want to spike the protein another 10 grams, I add minced turkey cold cut meat. I've had that or Greek yogurt with crumbled almonds and blueberries just about every day for the past 6 months.

People who have bagels, donuts, muffins, Danish or cereal in the morning I don't get. Minimal benefit nutritionally. Just makes you feel full in the morning.

Article is just pointing out a basic principal  
eclipz928 : 5/23/2016 8:49 pm : link
which is that it's not necessarily unhealthy to eat less, regardless of what time of day it is.

I always eat breakfast - for me it's the most important meal of the day. It gives me energy in the morning, and stops me from overeating later in the day.

Coffee naturally suppresses appetite and also boosts alertness, which is why I think most people are able to go a while in the morning without eating. I think the best approach in terms of diet is to eat something light, and then have coffee after.
I'm actually interested in IF...  
arcarsenal : 5/23/2016 9:20 pm : link
I just can't get past that mental barrier of feeling like if I don't eat for such a long period of time that I'll feel totally weak and not have the energy I need.

I'm one of those people who eats every couple hours but doesn't eat a ton in one sitting... breakfast lunch and dinner (none of which are huge portions) with snacks in between.

Maybe I'll try doing it one day a week and seeing how I feel.
.  
arcarsenal : 5/23/2016 9:22 pm : link
I take in about 220g of protein a day.. it seems like it'd be really hard to do that in an 8 hour window, no?
Back to the Corner