Hi! I'm Melanie. A little birdie told me that possibly you aren't subscribed to this site. Are you nuts?
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Without a doubt, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and one of the key’s to achieving better health. It is such a simple and easy step to take, however so often it is forgotten.
Breakfast literally means “breaking the fast.” Eating breakfast helps us to “restock” or “refuel” our energy stores, which have been depleting during the overnight fast. It also gives us energy for the day’s activities.
It has been shown that people who eat breakfast have more balanced diets than those who regularly skip this meal. However, the BDA state that 10 - 33% of us regularly miss out on eating breakfast.
What are the benefits of eating a healthy breakfast?
- Eating breakfast causes our metabolism to speed up, and therefore more calories will be burnt throughout the day.
- Our hunger will be well regulated and therefore, less total calories should be consumed during the day, from snacking on unhealthy foods.
- Breakfast can provide essential vitamins and minerals (from fortified cereals), which people may find difficult to get elsewhere, if they regularly skip this meal.
- Eating a healthy breakfast helps to improve mental performance, concentration, and mood.
- Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
Good examples of a healthy breakfast may be a bowl of whole grain cereal with semi-skimmed milk, a hard boiled egg, and an orange. Or, porridge with semi-skimmed milk, a slice of whole grain bread, and a bowl of mixed berries. Try to avoid choosing sugary cereals, sweet bread, pastries, and white breads, as these foods are absorbed quickly into the blood, and will cause you to feel hungry and tired again within a very short period of time. Opt for high fibre, wholegrain versions where possible, which will help you to feel fuller for longer.
If you find you don’t have time for breakfast, or don’t enjoy eating first thing in the morning, at least try to have a piece of fruit, or a small carton of low fat yogurt, within a few hours of getting up.
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What about eating brunch? i.e. an extra large lunch to combine breakfast and lunch…!
Is this advisable?
On another note… who’s been busy with photoshop? Your website’s looking superb!!!
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Kyle - it’s always best to eat breakfast within 2 hours of getting up….I don’t think combining breakfast and lunch is a great idea!!!
Of course, if you don’t get up until lunchtime, that’s another matter! Honestly you students!!!
Glad you like the new design, I’m hoping this is the ‘one!’ Armen has designed it, I came up with the idea of the stick person, and he put it together. I think he still wants to change it slightly, but for the most part it should stay this way for a while!
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What do you think about waking up hungry? I’ve been waking up hungry quite a bit lately? Although, I have been VERY active lately so that might have something to do with it but just curious what you thought!
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Waking up hungry is okay. I’d say you’ve just been noticing this recently due to your increase in activity, as you said! The increase in your metabolism, due to exercise, will have resulted in your body using up its energy much more quickly.
You may even need to eat a little more at meal times, to compensate for the increased activity. Eating plenty of high fibre foods, such as, whole grain bread, wheat cereals, fruit and veg etc will help to sustain your appetite throughout the day.
Feel free to contact me with any further queries!
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I have learned a lot of things about EATING BREAKFAST!!!!! Wahahaha……..-0/
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Hi Jennelyn,
That’s great to know! I hope you learn more on your future visits
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Melanie: I agreed with you, “it’s always best to eat breakfast within 2 hours of getting up”. I found it difficult to concentrate if I didn’t eat breakfast after 1 1/2 hour of getting up. I’ll feel very weak, then my hand will start to shake. The worst is I’ll get gastric pain after that. But some of my friends do not have any problem at all if they didn’t eat breakfast.
I’ve read about how much food you need to take in for breakfast. What I mean is breakfast is the heaviest meal of the day. But it’s hard for me to practice this. If I eat the same food for lunch, I’ll feel it’s just enough, but for breakfast, I’ll feel very full (& overeat). A friend of mine even feel surprised I eat so little food for breakfast.
Are all these habits nurtured since young or are they related to our genes?
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Hi Seline,
I think it’s caused by a number of reasons, but one may be to do with what you ate the night before. So, if you eat late at night, you may not be able to eat as much the next morning, or vice versa.
And it’s also to do with the habits you have nurtured over the years, such as snacking, timing of meals, and the types of foods you choose.
Really, the main thing is that you do what works for you. So, if a small breakfast is enough for you, and you don’t feel excessive hunger prior to lunchtime, then keep doing what you’re doing.
You mentioned your hands shaking if you don’t eat breakfast - you’re body gets used to eating at a certain time, so when it doesn’t get food, blood sugars drop low, and you get the effect you mentioned. It’s nothing to worry about, but you should eat before it gets to this stage.
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