I've just bought this...

[ladymuck]

...What do people think about the eat breakfast to stop your metabolism slowing, if you want to lose weight? I think it's carp myself. Rarely have time for breakfast apart from at the weekends, but as long as I can hold on till lunchtime without snacking (which is probably the crucial point) I seem to be as trim as ever. A nice healthy 25 stone.

I rarely eat breakfast. Two main reasons -firstly, I am generally a get up, get ready, get out type of person in the morning and breakfast just doesn't fit in with my morning schedule. Secondly, I'm just not hungry in the morning. I quite seriously do not feel hungry until lunchtime and I don't tend to eat a big lunch as I'll fall asleep mid-afternoon.

Things are a bit different at weekends, I'll have a brunch type thing that'll last me till dinner or some crumpets when I surface mid-morning and a late lunch around 3pm.

Despite what people say, I really don't see the point in forcing myself to eat first thing when I am not hungry - seems rather counterintuitive to me. When I have made the effort to regularly eat something in the morning (cereal, toast, not fry ups) I end up putting on more weight rather than losing it.

[Denny]

I rarely eat breakfast. Two main reasons -firstly, I am generally a get up, get ready, get out type of person in the morning and breakfast just doesn't fit in with my morning schedule. Secondly, I'm just not hungry in the morning. I quite seriously do not feel hungry until lunchtime and I don't tend to eat a big lunch as I'll fall asleep mid-afternoon.

Things are a bit different at weekends, I'll have a brunch type thing that'll last me till dinner or some crumpets when I surface mid-morning and a late lunch around 3pm.

Despite what people say, I really don't see the point in forcing myself to eat first thing when I am not hungry - seems rather counterintuitive to me. When I have made the effort to regularly eat something in the morning (cereal, toast, not fry ups) I end up putting on more weight rather than losing it.

I've heard that eating breakfast actually helps to reduce weight, but it doens't have to be a big bowl of wheat based cereal or toast. It could just be something protein based, like a yoghurt or a boiled egg which can easily be bolted down before you rush out the door. That way your body won't go into starvation mode. This will surely happen if you haven't eaten all night and all morning as well and your blood sugar levels won't be an optimal levels either. When your body goes into starvation mode, even if you're not particularly hungry, it does everything possible to retain fat stores, and would rather let go of muscle mass first, so even exercising on an empty stomach first thing is not the best way to shift the right kind of weight - fat. Exercise is best done an hour or so after eating a light meal.

Still, if you find you can go without breakfast and it hasn't done you any harm so far why change?

[SandyDown]

I rarely eat breakfast. Two main reasons -firstly, I am generally a get up, get ready, get out type of person in the morning and breakfast just doesn't fit in with my morning schedule. Secondly, I'm just not hungry in the morning. I quite seriously do not feel hungry until lunchtime and I don't tend to eat a big lunch as I'll fall asleep mid-afternoon.

Things are a bit different at weekends, I'll have a brunch type thing that'll last me till dinner or some crumpets when I surface mid-morning and a late lunch around 3pm.

Despite what people say, I really don't see the point in forcing myself to eat first thing when I am not hungry - seems rather counterintuitive to me. When I have made the effort to regularly eat something in the morning (cereal, toast, not fry ups) I end up putting on more weight rather than losing it.

Ladymuck, I believe if you are not hungry then don't force it, there are plenty of people who believe in IF (Intermittent Fasting) to keep weight off... so without realising you are fasting from dinner the night before till lunch the day after (i.e. 15-16 hours) which is a very good method of keeping excessive weight off... forget about grazing and eating every 3 hours crap diets... if you think of the stone aged man, he would rarely graze, they may eat one day (when they manage to hunt) but would stay without food for a very long time till the next hunt (apart from gathering some berries here and there)... hence I don't believe in grazing... what you are doing (IF is good) only are you drinking coffee? if so do you put cream/milk in it? check out what kind of coffee and if its a machine white one or not... there are a lot od hidden calories/sugars in such things, so may be you are not actually fasting!

[DodgyAgent]

It's my glands. I can't help it!

To console myself I munch my way through a Crispy Creme donut or two then a bag of clotted cream toffees followed by a family size chocolate bar polished off with a couple Danish pastries all washed down with a mug of double banana milk shake and a couple of freebie Asprins, courtesy of the taxpayer.

You usually get thyroid problems from being overweight in the first place.
Thyroid my ar*e

[Denny]

my ar*e

Exactly. You do talk out of your backside, so well done!

[SandyDown]

I've heard that eating breakfast actually helps to reduce weight, but it doens't have to be a big bowl of wheat based cereal or toast. It could just be something protein based, like a yoghurt or a boiled egg which can easily be bolted down before you rush out the door. That way your body won't go into starvation mode. This will surely happen if you haven't eaten all night and all morning as well and your blood sugar levels won't be an optimal levels either. When your body goes into starvation mode, even if you're not particularly hungry, it does everything possible to retain fat stores, and would rather let go of muscle mass first, so even exercising on an empty stomach first thing is not the best way to shift the right kind of weight - fat. Exercise is best done an hour or so after eating a light meal.

Still, if you find you can go without breakfast and it hasn't done you any harm so far why change?

Denny - latest research says starvation mode is a myth, old ladies tale.... think of WW2 prisoners - rest of population when they had rationing, the great famine and let them eat cake era etc.. they lost weight with no problems when they didn't eat... yes they lost a bit of muscle mass, but as long as you eat 100grm (depending on height/weight and LBM - for me its 100 gram of protein, for men it can be anything between 200-300 grams) then you muscle mass stays intact. Forget about starvation mode!!

[ladymuck]

Ladymuck, I believe if you are not hungry then don't force it, there are plenty of people who believe in IF (Intermittent Fasting) to keep weight off... so without realising you are fasting from dinner the night before till lunch the day after (i.e. 15-16 hours) which is a very good method of keeping excessive weight off... forget about grazing and eating every 3 hours carp diets... if you think of the stone aged man, he would rarely graze, they may eat one day (when they manage to hunt) but would stay without food for a very long time till the next hunt (apart from gathering some berries here and there)... hence I don't believe in grazing... what you are doing (IF is good) only are you drinking coffee? if so do you put cream/milk in it? check out what kind of coffee and if its a machine white one or not... there are a lot od hidden calories/sugars in such things, so may be you are not actually fasting!

Black coffee at work - it's out of a vending machine and the fake powered milk is dire. Have milk when at home - semi skimmed goats to be exact. Don't tend to go for decaf, more out of habit but I do also find the taste a bit off in comparison. Also getting into nettle tea of late, which makes a nice change.

[Denny]

Denny - latest research says starvation mode is a myth, old ladies tale.... think of WW2 prisoners - rest of population when they had rationing, the great famine and let them eat cake era etc.. they lost weight with no problems when they didn't eat... yes they lost a bit of muscle mass, but as long as you eat 100grm (depending on height/weight and LBM - for me its 100 gram of protein, for men it can be anything between 200-300 grams) then you muscle mass stays intact. Forget about starvation mode!!

I didn't know that, Sandy. As it is only eat a solid breakfast at weekends anyway - usually a boiled egg and my homemade wholemeal bread and butter. If I eat Muesli at all it's normally later in the day as a quick snack. Otherwise, I just drink a semi skimmed cappuccino first thing in the morning which contains protein and caffeine. I find if I don't eat at all, or drink just black coffee I just want to hit the biscuits at morning meetings.

At lunch I only eat a light salad or fruit or sandwich. I don't eat any high GL starches at all during the day because of sugar sensitivity - otherwise I would just want to fall asleep.

[SandyDown]

same here Denny, if I was hungry in the morning I just eat something protein (eggs/ slice of meat) but not sugary, if I wasn't hungry I just have tea or rarely americano with a spoon of cream (don't like milk) ... I don't folow a specific rule.. important thing is if you are not hungry don't force it.

[Denny]

same here Denny, if I was hungry in the morning I just eat something protein (eggs/ slice of meat) but not sugary, if I wasn't hungry I just have tea or rarely americano with a spoon of cream (don't like milk) ... I don't folow a specific rule.. important thing is if you are not hungry don't force it.

I've tried the warm water with lemon in the morning as well. It's good for kick starting your liver, apparently. I try and drink Green Tea as well, which is good for boosting metabolism.

Protein is great for stifling hunger pangs. If I'm really starving I sometimes eat a dessert spoonful of peanut butter instead of eating carbs. Not sure it's the best thing though as it's a bit oily and salty. But I do love it and seems to do the trick.