Does eating breakfast make a difference in your overall weight? Julian Omidi looks at evidence that the type of breakfast eaten could make a difference in how hungry you feel throughout the day.

We’ve all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and to an extent, it is true.  A good breakfast gives you the nutrients and energy that enable you to function efficiently throughout the day. While the evidence that people who eat breakfast are slimmer overall than people who do not is scant, a new study does seem to indicate that eating a high protein breakfast might lead to less high-fat and high sugar snacking later on in the day.[1]

The study, which was published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, revealed that the consumption of a breakfast high in protein (as opposed to a high-fiber breakfast of cereal) resulted in a reduction of brain wave activity that led to the craving of high fat snack foods. 

The study was conducted on 20 overweight or obese women between the ages of 18 and 20. The participants were given either a high protein breakfast, a low protein breakfast, or were told to skip breakfast entirely, and told to fill out surveys regarding their feelings of satiety throughout the day. The subjects also had blood samples taken, and submitted to MRI scans. After six days the researchers found that the participants who had eaten a high protein breakfast not only reported feeling fuller for a longer amount of time, but also experienced a change in brain chemistry that reduced cravings for snacks.

Even though the importance of eating breakfast has been stressed for decades, this is the first study that suggests a correlation between a specific high-protein breakfast and feeling satisfied for a longer stretch of time. According to study author Heather Leidy, assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology at the University of Missouri:

“These data suggest that eating a protein-rich breakfast is one potential strategy to prevent overeating and improve diet quality by replacing unhealthy snacks with high quality breakfast foods. Eating a protein-rich breakfast impacts the drive to eat later in the day, when people are more likely to consume high-fat or high-sugar snacks.”

A survey taken in 2011 indicated that approximately 31 million Americans skipped breakfast every day. It is estimated that roughly one third of United States residents can be classified as overweight or obese. In our struggle to combat obesity, every available weapon is certainly needed.  If we make this one fairly simple change, we might be able to succeed in reducing the desire to eat potentially dangerous, high calorie snack foods.

By Julian Omidi

[1] The Huffington Post: High Protein Breakfast Helps Prevent Unhealthy Snacking Later, Study Says 3/28/2013 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/28/protein-breakfast-prevent-snacking_n_2971476.html

Julian Omidi looks at some helpful weight loss tips that you can employ in the New Year. 

Our desire to look good on the beach or fit into a new pair of jeans sometimes takes precedence over our desire to achieve physical fitness and overall health.  Every New Year, we resolve to lose a few pounds in preparation for the revealing clothing of spring and summer, and we join gyms, install weight loss apps on our computers and begin the traditional weight loss grind.  However, more often than not, we try to lose weight for purely aesthetic purposes, and whatever health benefits that might be gleaned from getting strong and fit are completely secondary (often, they don’t even rank that high; many of these fad diets and cleanses are actually bad for you).  If you are interested in losing weight in order to look toned and fit for the coming warmer months, then the following tips will help you achieve your goal healthily and effectively.

Eat more, not less.

When the body is deprived of food for extended periods, it goes into what is commonly termed “starvation mode,” wherein the metabolic rate drops sharply in order to conserve fat for an extended famine.  Obviously, this is the exact opposite of what anyone wanting to lose weight wants to happen.  In order to stave off this evolutionary phenomenon, it is important to consume sufficient nutrients throughout the day so that the metabolism stays active.  Try to eat small portions of nutritious but low calorie foods several times (two or three) throughout the day, in addition to normal meals.  Snacks can include handfuls of nuts, fresh fruit, raw veggies skim milk and lean protein (all of the usual suspects).  Also, remember to drink lots of water; being properly hydrated helps curb the appetite.  And speaking of water…

Drink plenty of water.

Not only does water provide the above-mentioned appetite suppressing benefits, it is essential to maintaining proper bowel function and ridding the body of toxins.  It is also important to maintain proper levels of hydration to ensure efficient muscle function.  When the muscles are deprived of water, electrolyte levels diminish, and muscle fatigue is the result.  When the muscles are quickly fatigued, the body is unable to perform at optimum levels, and workout sessions do not yield maximum benefits.  Drink 10 to 15 oz of water two hours before a workout and approximately 8 oz during the workout to replenish fluids lost through perspiration.

Weight train.

Aerobic exercise raises the metabolism and improves cardiovascular health, but weight training is essential to building lean muscle, which helps burn fat even when the body isn’t active.  Adding weights to aerobic exercise sessions helps accelerate muscle building and increases calorie burn.  Women who are concerned about bulking up shouldn’t worry—weight training doesn’t build competition level muscle without extreme effort. 

Don’t give up! 

The most important thing to remember when beginning a weight loss journey is to keep going.  Even if you slip up, eat a piece of cake or miss a workout, don’t despair—it isn’t the one piece of cake that thwarts progress, it’s the complete abandonment of the routine that results in failure.  Make sure you pick up where you left off and begin again, because the only way to fail to reach your destination is to give up the journey.

By Julian Omidi