Whether it’s your favorite cereal, scrambled eggs or a fruity smoothie, taking the time in the morning to chow down is essential. Many individuals may be under the impression that skipping this morning meal will help them to lose weight because they’re consuming fewer calories: Research shows about 18 percent of Americans older than age two regularly skip breakfast. However, breakfast can be your ally in maintaining a healthy weight along with many other benefits. This meal sets the tone for the rest of the day. If you haven’t jumped on the breakfast bandwagon, here are a few reasons you may want to reconsider:
Sparks your metabolism
You likely haven’t eaten for about eight hours when you get up in the morning. Your body responds to this by decreasing your metabolic rate – the speed at which the body burns calories. When you do chow down in the morning, your metabolism essentially wakes up and starts burning those calories at a faster rate, helping you to maintain a healthier body weight.
Helps you stay alert
If you have a long day at school or work ahead of you, you’re definitely going to want to make time for breakfast in the morning. Skipping breakfast can have a negative effect on the way students perform in the classroom and on problem-solving tests and may make you less alert at the office. When you don’t give your body calories to turn into energy, you may feel sluggish later. Consuming fiber in the morning is especially essential to staying alert because adequate fiber prevents spikes in blood sugar that can affect how awake you feel. Stick to whole grains and fruits.
Crucial for losing weight
According to an expert panel at the Institute of Food Technologists conference, those who don’t eat breakfast consume 40 percent more sweets, 55 percent more soft drinks, 45 percent fewer vegetables and 30 percent less fruit than those who do. Overall, those who skip out on their morning breakfast tend to weigh more than their counterparts. If you include protein in your diet, like adding a protein powder to a meal replacement shake or smoothie in the morning, it seems to have even more of an effect on weight loss. Add a few scoops of Naturade Total Soy to your favorite shake or smoothie recipe in the morning to help yourself love breakfast again. A high-protein breakfast helps you to stay full and avoid overeating later on in the day.
