Way back when I was in high school, our first bell rang at 6:50 a.m. The high school was huge and the county was growing so fast having enough buses was an issue. So the high school started super early so all the elementary and middle school students started at a reasonable time.
Because I got up so early to curl my hair, put on my makeup and try on five different outfits every day, I often skipped breakfast. My parents told me to eat breakfast, but they weren’t usually up that early, so off I went without breakfast. By the time I had finished my first couple of classes I was hungry. Instead of having a granola bar or something healthy, I’d grab the change out of my purse and buy a candy bar at the vending machine.
I continued this lack of breakfast habit for many years. In college I didn’t eat breakfast, and after I got married I didn’t either. I also gained a lot of weight during those years. At 10:00 every morning you’d find me in the breakroom of the bank spending quite a few dollars on candy, orange peanut butter crackers and cokes.
Once I started staying home with the kids, I replaced those morning snacks with brownies or cookies. The kids had oatmeal or cereal for breakfast, but not me. Even after I began losing weight for real, I didn’t eat breakfast. I did replace the 10:00 a.m. brownie with the 10:00 a.m. whole wheat toast, but never got in the habit of eating first thing in the morning.
Honestly, I still don’t eat first thing. I get up early, write, read and exercise. Then I get the kid’s breakfast, shower and get dressed. I’m honestly not hungry before 9:00 a.m, so I don’t eat early.
People ask me all the time about breakfast and I tell them that eating a healthy breakfast is important. It is important because it refuels your body after sleeping all night, sets you up on a healthy eating program for the day, and according to the Mayo Clinic, “skipping breakfast can actually increase your risk of obesity.” Apparently, it’s been shown that if you eat a healthy breakfast you tend to eat a healthier diet and select more fruits and vegetables the rest of the day.
I know that’s true for me. When I used to eat junk in the morning it set me up to eat junk all day long. Once I switched to eating something good for me in the morning, I did tend to make better choices. Not all the time, but it helped. I think it was about starting the day off right. Just like I exercise first thing in the morning to start my day, I also eat right first thing in the morning.
Are you a healthy breakfast eater? Was it something you had to change? Diane
ALWAYS ALWAYS and yesyes.
I clearly recall the week I decided OK IM NOT HUNGRY IN THE MORNING BECAUSE IM EATING TOO MUCH AT NIGHT.
and I forced myself to shift.
Now I cant imagine not eating breakfast as Im so so hungry and ready to BREAK the FAST!
Miz´s last fabulous musings ..No Excuses! book update
Breakfast is the one thing I’ve always done right. I love(!) breakfasts. My favorite meal of the day. Never, ever left the house without eating breakfast – it’s how my sister and I were raised and now, I see her with her kids, preparing a good breakfast for them, and eating with them, I’m so proud of her cause I know that she’s instilling a great habit in them.
As for me, I will eagerly go to sleep at night because I know there’s breakfast waiting for me in the morning and I will eat a little something before leaving the house even if I’m going out for breakfast (perhaps not so great but you never know how long it’s going to take to get the food and I tend to get light-headed if I don’t eat within an hour of waking up).
I’ve never understood people who didn’t eat breakfast!
Lisa´s last fabulous musings ..Highlight Reel
When I’m eating healthy breakfast is always healthy. When I wasn’t it was junkfood. First junkfood breakfast 19years ago was 1L chocolate milk and 1/2lb of M&M’s :-O
Goal is to never again have junk food breakfast or for that matter any meal of junkfood!
I love my breakfast time of the day, have no idea how anyone could skip that meal…fat or thin I ate my breakfast….love it.
My mother-otherwise known as June Cleaver-cooked phenomenal breakfasts every morning. Something different every day. While I never did like Cream of Wheat, I do miss her potato cakes, french toast, country potatoes, and the like.
I’m a lot like you in the mornings. I eat at least two hours after I wake up, but that’s only eating at 7 am. Plus, we’re more likely to do things like plain yogurt ‘parfaits’ or oatmeal.
I can’t go without breakfast though. Not unless I’m really eating too much at night, like Miz said.
JourneyBeyondSurvival´s last fabulous musings ..My Own Shower
Healthy breakfast? I am the daughter of a woman with a serious sweet tooth. So a common breakfast for us (there were three of us): take one stick of butter, cut into thirds and place one third in each bowl. Take one cup of sugar and divide it between the three bowls. Add cooked white rice. Another favorite breakfast was cinnamon toast, again with lots of butter and sugar, white bread and cooked under the broiler until the sugar crisped up. Think creme brule on white bread. It’s no wonder I had a weight problem.
While I cannot eat immediately upon waking, I do eat a healthy breakfast that includes a clean protein source. Anything else leaves me prone to sweet tooth cravings and snacking.
What an ungodly hour to start school!! I don’t remember what I ate at that age, but I do think it was probably cereal (sugared). Once I was out of college, I got into my high fiber cereal years. Very consistent. Mornings are my strongest willpower time of day:) With the South Beach diet and my yo-yo experiences, I have tried to get more protein in the mornings. My daily breakfast for the last several months has been homemade “refried” beans with cheese on top. Lots of protein, fiber, and carbs in one package:) I do get odd looks and comments when I eat it around other people. (Yes, I take it to the lake house, on vacations with refrigerators and microwaves, etc.)
Karen@WaistingTime´s last fabulous musings ..You Have Such a Pretty Facebook
I eat breakfast every day now but I haven’t always done that. When I in Middle and High school I often skipped breakfast AND lunch because I was too embrassed to eat in front of people. So I came home starving and ate junk. Not good for you- I can see that now. But I have made big changes on my breakfast. I no longer eat sugary cereals, which is a huge change!
Alissa´s last fabulous musings ..A New Me- Identity Change
I agree w/ Miz. I always know what I’ve had too much to eat the night before, cause I am not hungry in the morning. I hate that feeling. I am a breakfast person..all that way
I have always been a breakfast eater. For me it is not just eating a healthy breakfast, but the kind of healthy breakfast. If I do not include some form of animal protein with that meal I do very poorly throughout the day.
Diane´s last fabulous musings ..Holding me to my word
Sooo early to get up for school. I’m a natural born night owl. I ate the toast and OJ my mom got up to fix me on the fly out the door, but only because I was told to. I wasn’t hungry in the morning. I thought it was a good “diet strategy” to skip a breakfast I didn’t want and so skipped breakfast starting with when I went off to college. It didn’t work for me either. Vending machines and extra helpings of lunch and dinner negated any possible benefit of the skipped calories from breakfast. I started eating breakfast in 2008. I’m still not hungry, but I have a small bowl of non-sugar, whole grain cereal (shredded wheat sans frosting) with ff milk and a few berries or sliced peaches or banana around 7:30. This lasts me ’til about noon when I have a reasonable, small lunch. This is one good habit that I’ve managed to create and keep for over two years. It’s part of my lifestyle.
Tish´s last fabulous musings ..Birthday Edition
I’ve always woken up hungry, so breakfast has always been the first order of the day. Before I started losing weight, my breakfasts weren’t too bad, but did involve too much full-fat cheese. Now my dietitian has replaced the cheese with egg whites and safflower oil and, you know, I like my breakfasts just as much.
Desert Agave´s last fabulous musings ..Daily Dose of Discomfort
I was a no breakfast eater when I was young & kinda stupid. I can’t even begin to say how much a difference eating breakfast makes for me! For those that always run to the easist thing to eat at 10-11am or so when they have not eaten a healthy breakfast first, eating breakfast is a sure way to stop that uncontrollable hunger that takes over when you have not fueled the bod!
I have no prob eating when I get up OR right after my early morn workout. Already had my first mini meal today!
Jody – Fit at 52´s last fabulous musings ..Negative CAN Be Good! Marathon Running!
I’m still working on that. For quite awhile I had oatmeal,yogurt, banana’s and walnuts for breakfast, but when I started commuting 30 minutes to work, time became an issue, so I started having protein bars and coffee. I’ve continued having them, and have had a hard time switching back even though I do have the time to fix a healthy breakfast. My favorite are the Luna bars, b/c I’m able to get a little bit of chocolate for breakfast.
Lori Lynn´s last fabulous musings ..My Dear Diet Coke Letter
If it is up to me, breakfast is my biggest meal. Since I live alone, it’s the most relaxed, I’m making coffee so I have time to make it, eat it. Lunch is eaten in 10 minutes at my desk, dinner is often small and very late, or early and rushed. I think my eating is more stable on days I eat a good breakfast (fat and protein and grains and fruit), I don’t tend to munch crap at work, crave sugar, etc. But like you, I’m not hungry in the morning, so it usually happens a few hours after waking, unless I force it, which I do now that I’m working and no longer have that leisure.
julie´s last fabulous musings ..My head is spinning
Till I moved in with my husband in 1976, I never ate breakfast. My husband was a breakfast eater, and he insisted that I eat something each morning. What I noticed almost immediately was a smoothing of emotions — fewer wild mood swings and an increase of energy throughout the morning. I’m generally drinking my coffee by 4:30AM each morning, but I don’t eat till 8:30 or 9:00AM, generally after my bike ride.
Marsial2010´s last fabulous musings ..Another Goal Reached
breakfast is now my largest meal and it has a great deal to do with my maintenance. And the better quality (and larger volume) I eat earlier in the day – the less I eat at night.
vickie´s last fabulous musings ..Babies- grandhildren
I’ve always eaten breakfast, which is strange considering I had to leave for school at 6:30 am. (It also explains why I was perpetually tired.) I’ve just always woken up really hungry.
Lunch, on the other hand, was a toss-up. With only 15 minutes to get and each lunch I usually only ate a teensy bit. Thank goodness for after-school meals.
Tracey @ I’m Not Superhuman´s last fabulous musings ..Oh- Men
My breakfast habits have changed over the years…for the vast majority of my adult life, like from 1984-2005, I ate a huge bagel with cream cheese every morning. When I got wiser, I replaced that with two slices of whole wheat toast and peanut butter. The I started to change things up and would have eggs/toast, oatmeal, or peanut butter toast. Now, for the most part, I have yogurt with fruit and nuts (usually almonds or walnuts). although I sometimes have eggs, oatmeal or peanut butter toast.
Unlike Mizfit and Michelle, I have found that when I eat too much the night before (especially if it’s carby), I wake up hungrier!!
Another thing I have changed is that I don’t eat breakfast until I really feel hungry for it.
KCLAnderson (Karen)´s last fabulous musings ..What Does Strong Look Like
Yeah this was a struggle for me. I still don’t eat first thing when I get up. I am like you.. I only got into eating something healthy in the AM’s about a year and a half ago. Now, it is like clock work.
Jules – Big Girl Bombshell´s last fabulous musings ..What If and Wishes BombshellJulia Cameron
breakfast is my most favorite meal of the day. Well it’s my favorite when I can eat eggs and cheese.
But I’ve always eaten breakfast. I’ve always been overly concerned with making sure I eat every meal, so I wasn’t going to skip a chance to eat.
Shawnee´s last fabulous musings ..Counting Calories has Failed Me
My breakfast is usually a big mug of coffee with cream, but on the odd chance I get time to have breakfast (or remember to bring it to work) I will have yogurt with granola. On the weekend I have an egg with a slice of wheat toast and a bit of cheese. I’m not a big snacker, so I don’t go eat crap at 10am. I usually eat an earlier lunch though…around 11:30.
Stacy´s last fabulous musings ..Charity basket of baby boy goodness
I have always eaten a healthy breakfast so didn’t have to change anything. I need to eat not too long after I got up because I’m hungry. If I run in the morning I eat my breakfast after that because I don’t like exercising on a full stomach.
Breakfast is my favorite meal and I have always eaten it. Like you, I enjoy drinking coffee while I do my morning devotions and blog reading, but always eat cereal (granola that I make) and a fruit no later than 8:30. On days I hike, breakfast is much earlier and much more substantial.
Sharon´s last fabulous musings ..Its All YOUR Fault!
I usually have oatmeal with fruit and flaxseed in the morning. I’ve always eaten breakfast. Before, though, it was Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal or pancakes…
‘Drea´s last fabulous musings ..Other Peoples Neatness
I love breakfast! I would usually eat a HUGE bagel with full fat cream cheese before school growing up! YUM! But they stuck to my butt and thighs! lol I also ate garbage at 10ish too…candy, chips, soda was lunch or fast food once High School came around and I could drive to the closest place. I think back to those days and I really did not know any better! No one taught us about what food to eat. Glad I no longer eat that way! I would more than likely be 400 pounds or more! lol
tj´s last fabulous musings ..LOOK HOW FAR YOU HAVE COME
I have always eaten breakfast but I am not a huge fan of breakfast type foods. I might eat hummus and a pita, a sprouted bun with a turkey sausage patty and a slice of low fat cheese, a protein smoothie, or a fruit and yogurt bowl.
I never ate breakfast. A lot of the time I wouldn’t eat until late afternoon. Then I would be starving and would eat too much sugary high calorie stuff. It’s no wonder I gained all the weight. When I started the weight loss, breakfast was one of the first things I did to improve my diet. It’s pretty much always the same, oatmeal with almond milk and PB2 with a sliced banana on top.
Sandi´s last fabulous musings ..Learning to trust yourself
I’ve always eaten breakfast, even if a small bowl of cereal. I do find that I’m looking for healthier breakfast items and a granola bar just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Leah´s last fabulous musings ..Maintaining and Goals
I’m sorry Diane, but I never eat breakfast. It’s called break the fast for a reason. I like to exercise in the morning and keep the fat burning going unitl later in the day. I would recommend it, but most people can’t imagine it. When ever I see the volumn of unhealthy stuff many people eat for breakfast I can’t understand how they can function.
I never USED to eat breakfast, but now I can’t get by without it, I get shaky. I am usually awake about an hour or two before breakfast is made, but I am usually starving by then. Something about eliminating a good 1000 or so after dinner calories when I started eating healthier may have something to do with my newfound hunger in the morning, I think
Taryl´s last fabulous musings ..28 week appointment
I eat a healthy breakfast every day now. Throughout school my mom begged me to eat breakfast but I never did. I didn’t start until I started losing weight. I would keep stuff in my desk so I could eat since I had to be at school to teach at 7am.
Cynthia (It All Changes)´s last fabulous musings ..Patience is a Virtue
I’ve been good about this, but seem to be lacking right now for some strange reason. I know its something that needs to be rectified.
Pam´s last fabulous musings ..By Design
I used to never do breakfast, but now I get grumpy without it. During the week, always a protein bar. Weekends, sometimes I’ll just munch on leftovers, fruit, or make a breakfast sandwich (turkey sausage, english muffin, cream cheese).
The one thing I CANNOT STAND is eggs. Probably my least favorite food in the entire world. I wish I liked them, but I just can’t do it.
Quix´s last fabulous musings ..Something’s Gotta Give
I am a HUGE fan of breakfast. I am hungry the minute I wake up, so I can’t imagine not eating breakfast! My breakfast foods definitely have changed, though. I used to love Pop Tarts and Toaster Streudel and sugary cereal, but now I eat more filling, nutritious food. Breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day.
erin´s last fabulous musings ..Mmm- Mmm- Good
I was never a breakfast eater either! It wasn’t really until I was interning post-college that I decided to make myself eat breafkast (or else i’d snack all day at my desk). The first 2 weeks were hard and then it was like I woke up, got ready and wanted at least 250 calories!
fittingbackin´s last fabulous musings ..C25K Long Run!- Yahtzee- 9 New Dresses My Hudsons are Back!
I use to eat Mc Donalds for breakfast almost every day that I worked because I didn’t have time to eat ate work and I never have been a morning person. I finally said enough excuses and stopped eating at Mc D’s and substituted healthy food and lost 20 pounds with not making any other changes..it was the beginning of a wonderful change in my life….now 1 and 1/2 years later, I have lost almost 100 pounds. and I am happier than I have been in a long time. breakfast is the most important meal of the day…get yourself started on the right foot and eat good the rest of the day.
Diane I love breakfast. When I wake up it is a beeline to the kitchen (after bathroom necessities,hee, hee) and I eat my biggest meal. Usually 2 whole wheat toast(our fresh made of course) with faf free cream cheese. On occasion I will use Peanut butter but since I am still trying to get to goal,I usually opt for the cc. I also have a big banana. Sometimes I have oatmeal with almonds, cinnamon and honey or our farm fresh eggs scrambled with tomatoes and spinach. My medium meal is lunch and I try to do a light supper with snacks between each mea. I do try to eat superfoods every day and also get some MUFA’s in but it sure is hard when you are watching calories too.
jeanette´s last fabulous musings ..2 friends and 70 pounds gone…
Nice post and so true! I’m a breakfast girl. I LOVE it! I’m like you I get up early procrastinate, write, read, sometimes workout, and then have breakfast usually around 8:30. I can’t remember the last time I skipped breakfast.
jenn´s last fabulous musings ..Summer Salad Series- Grilled Beets and Goat Cheese
I used to skip breakfast, but now I can’t imagine starting my day without a good breakfast (almost always oatmeal). I start teaching at 7:00, so breakfast is really early for me on most days. It took some planning and getting used to, but I’ve learned that skipping it is not an option as I’ll overeat later and just don’t have the energy that I need.
Andrea@WellnessNotes´s last fabulous musings ..New Kitchen Toy
I make sure I have 16-18 whole unsalted almonds as the mainstay of my breakfast. It’s done wonders for my cholesterol!
Sunny´s last fabulous musings ..Back in the Saddle- Again!
I get up at about 5:30am and eat breakfast at about 8am. There is no way I can force food on myself before my body is fully awake. I do hydrate though by drinking water and powdered barley grass juice before breakfast. In Ayurveda one of characteristics that separates the three types (doshas) is how soon after waking they can eat breakfast. We are all different and that is okay. I believe that HOW we break our fast is more important than WHEN we break our fast.