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Friday, June 8, 2012

Breakfast: The Most Important Meal of the Day



Now obviously, food is fuel and energy for our bodies and without it we spend the day stumbling around in a fog and fighting off a headache and a bad attitude. Breakfast is literally just that, breaking the fast that your body is in from the night before.


The consumption of an early morning snack increases the metabolic rate (how fast you burn calories) and kick starts your body into gear, telling it what to expect the rest of the day. If breakfast isn't had, your body doesn't process your next meal as quickly and tries to hold onto those nutrients. Since it didn't get any morning fuel, it tries to hold onto the afternoon meal as long as possible — instead of burning it right away.


Studies have shown that weight loss can be more difficult and weight gain more prevalent in folks who opt out on the morning meal. Those who skip breakfast have a tendency to consume more food than usual the next chance they get to grab a bite to eat and also have a higher tendency to snack on high-calorie foods to keep hunger at bay until then.


Research studies have also indicated that children who eat breakfast perform better on cognitive tests and in school. Maybe it works that way for adults too since our brains need fuel to work properly.


Breakfast should include a healthy source of protein and plenty of fiber; the combination will help satisfy your hunger and will keep you feeling full until lunch time.


So next time you stop in at your local coffee house for breakfast, know it won't hold you over till the lunch break and even if you think it does, it isn't helping your body gain the energy needed, or burn the calories it should!


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