The reasons for eating breakfast far outweigh the time saved walking out the door on an empty stomach. My recent 5 pound weight loss after adding this simple habit got me curious about the benefits of eating breakfast.
Breakfast is simply ‘breaking the fast’. We have not eaten since evening and expect our body to be fueled and blood sugar to be replenished for the day without food is unrealistic. Think of your stomach like the gas tank of your car. You put gas in the tank of you car so that it runs, why wouldn’t you do this for your body? Think of it as a ‘jump start’.
In Canada alone, forty per cent of Canadians do not eat breakfast and an alarming one half of them are women. The inconvenience and minutes it takes to make breakfast is outweighing its benefits!
Top Ten Reasons to Eat Breakfast
1 A better attention span, focus and better productivity at work, school or at home. More strength and endurance. Studies on those who work at labor type jobs have shown that those who do not eat breakfast are unable to work as hard until lunchtime and studies on children reveal that they are unable to complete school work.
2Maintaining a healthy weight. People who skip breakfast are shown to choose less nutritious and convenience foods to curb their ravenous appetite. Poor eating habits lead to eating throughout the evening and calories are stored the evening hours as the metabolism slows down. Calories stored equals fat.
3Setting an example for your children and helping them develop healthy eating habits at an early age that they can carry on throughout their lifetime. If they see you eat breakfast, they are more likely to as well.
4Essential nutrients. Many of us do not meet the essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals needed daily. i.e., calcium, iron, fiber and Vitamin B1. Skipping breakfast guarantees we will not get these essential nutrients.
5Eating breakfast can reverse the effects of fasting: irritability and fatigue. That tone can last up to 16 hours. We’ve all had our crabby moments. I know I have! Why not enjoy your meal and focus on what’s important instead of using that energy to rip into someone?
6Lower cholesterol, which reduces the risk of heart disease. Research has shown that people who eat breakfast consume less dietary cholesterol then do people who don’t eat breakfast.
7 Eating a healthy breakfast has been linked to better learning ability and memory functions.
8Increase your metabolic rate. People who skip breakfast have a metabolic rate four to five percent below normal, which may lead to an expected weight gain of eight pounds per year (one pound every seven weeks).
9Eating breakfast can have long term effects and prevent Obesity, High Blood Pressure and Diabetes.
10Breakfast foods are delicious! Avoid the processed, fatty foods. Skip the breakfast sandwiches and you will prevent yourself from consuming 560 calories and a whopping 32 grams of fat! Folks, that’s not even including a coffee and a hash brown that teams up with the heart stopper. Ultimately, you will be able to restrict the calories you are consuming so why not eat something healthy and nutritious? Bob’s Hot Cereal, Fruit, Eggs or a Smoothie?
Believe me, you’ll taste the difference and your body will thank you! Make the right choice.