Breakfast Helps You Eat Less

04/30/08 Maintaining a Healthy Weight

If you're anything like most people you wake up in the morning, rush to get ready for work or school, hop into the nearest mode of transportation, and you're on your way. Odds are you didn't eat any breakfast. 

Maybe it took too long to get the kids ready, the alarm clock is on permanent snooze, or you've just made the conscious decision that you just don't need to eat that early. Whatever the reason, you didn't eat.

Suddenly a flashback to your childhood: "It's the most important meal of the day" starts ringing through your head. I won't tell your mom if you don't tell mine, but they were right. It turns out that there is sound science behind that catch phrase. Studies are starting to show that having something in the morning can have a significant impact on your weight.

Eating breakfast can help you eat less during the day, keep a lower overall BMI, and jump start your metabolism. This is proving to be especially true for teenagers.

This doesn't mean that breakfast has to be a big production. No one expects a full meal a la June Cleaver every day. A bowl of cereal, a bagel, or a piece of fruit on your way out the door will do the trick.

If you're a fan of energy bars you could even snag one at your local convenience store. Just don't play too loose with it. I'm pretty sure a Snickers bar doesn't count as breakfast.