Is Breakfast Really a Big Deal?

Hey there hey! How was your week? Better yet, how was your Valentine’s day? I hope you checked out the blogs Instagram. I made a fun V-Day post. I put together a collage of little workout ideas you could do on your own or with a partner. Soooooo if you haven’t checked it, GO! But wait until you have read this post of course :)

Let me just start off by saying pull ups SUCK! I hate them! Mainly because I have been working on them since November of last year and I have yet to do a single pull up unassisted. Hhhrrumph! I wanted to complete at least one tiny little pull up on my own by my birthday in March but it’s clear that won’t happen. I do pull ups EVERYDAY! I’m so ready to quit this venture again. I mean, my elbows just don’t bend. I won’t give up though because I’m stubborn. It’s a blessing and a curse. At least my back has gotten stronger and I’ve noticed some sort of V going on back there so I just need to take the pros and keep working on the cons.

Speaking of cons, I feel very defeated in the gym lately like I should be lifting heavier. My bench press is pathetic. I know that’s just because I don’t have a spotter. If I had someone to spot me I would have more confidence to push heavier weight. When I’m on my own I fear my arms giving out and being trapped under the bar. I know someone would come help me but that’s embarrassing. I would never be able to go back to that gym again if that happened.  I should also be squatting heavier. What’s with these people that squat like 200lbs +?! I’m squatting like 115lbs and feel like I might blow a knee. Again, I need a spotter. I dunno, I’m very cautious with my squats because I do have knee issues and maxing out on weight is not worth injuring my knee. Maybe that’s just an excuse……I dunno. So, I’m taking applications for gym partners. This position requires being at the gym by 4am Monday- Friday for 1 ½ -2 hours with no breaks, well except when you’re spotting me. Any takers? Please submit your application to barbellsandboyshorts@gmail.com. Thank you.

So, what’s the deal with breakfast. Is it a break or is it fast? Huh? Huh? Please tell me you were reading that in a Jerry Seinfeld voice because that’s how I wrote it! LOL! But really, what is the deal with breakfast? In recent years, I feel there has been a growing debate on breakfast. To eat breakfast or to not eat breakfast is the question. So, I’m here to offer some insight so you can form your own opinion about breakfast and choose the best meal plan for you.

Growing up, all of the Saturday morning cartoons, afterschool specials, and health teachers preached that, say it with me now, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I have always lived as though that was gospel. I can remember when I was in elementary school my mom would sit me in front of the TV to watch Winnie the Pooh while I ate my breakfast. This gave her time to get ready for work and take care of any loose ends prior to leaving the house for the day. Plus, I was a pain in the ass when I was little and that’s how she shut me up for 30 blissful minutes. Then, when I got the, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, speech at school, much to my mother’s dismay I advised her of the same and we started eating breakfast together at the dining room table every morning. This continued all through my school years.  In high school and college I never understood how my friends and classmates could skip breakfast. And why? Who would opt to skip breakfast!? Breakfast is the best! It’s not only the most important meal of the day but my favorite meal of the day. Sometimes I even have breakfast for dinner I love it so much.

Now a days…..yes I sound old right now, breakfast has become an option. With different studies and diets the scale tips back and forth constantly in the fight for or against breakfast. I want to provide you with some of this information so you can form your own opinion about breakfast and what works best for you.

Let’s start with the argument against breakfast. Well, I shouldn’t say that. No one is really telling anyone NOT to eat breakfast. They aren’t saying, eat breakfast and you’ll die! It’s simply up for discussion if breakfast is necessary. Is it as important as it has been made out to be?  

It’s important to first understand the idea behind breakfast. It is exactly as it reads, you are breaking a fast. While you sleep, your body is fasting. When you wake, your body is depleted of nutrients hence why it has been thought for so many years that breakfast is so important.

Per WebMD and the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition people who skip breakfast overall still consume a similar or lesser intake of calories throughout the day. There are no positive or negative effects from skipping breakfast. What we eat is more important that when we eat it. By extending your body’s fasting period by skipping breakfast the idea is that you are putting your cells through mild stress which helps them to better adapt to a lower caloric intake. Many people have started gravitating toward this idea that breakfast isn’t necessary whether that is for health purposes or time restraints. While the idea is that following this type of eating will cause less energy and focus there have been numerous articles and posts stating just the opposite.

So, if you choose to skip breakfast then what? Well. The idea behind breakfast is that it sets the tone for the remainder of the day. Eat a well-balanced breakfast then the rest of your meals will follow suit. Eat Poptarts and sugar coated cereal you’ll feel hungrier sooner and may gravitate toward other unhealthy choices. If you aren’t having that meal to set your choices for the rest of the day it is important to be mindful of what you’re eating. If skipping breakfast is part of your nutrition lifestyle you may choose to have a specific eating window. This is usually around 4 hours where you get in all of your calories for the day. If this Is the case, you should make sure to include nutrient dense food choices to provide your body with the proper fuel it needs to sustain itself during your extended fasting period. Skipping breakfast gets a bad rap because many people who skip breakfast do so simply because they feel they do not have time for breakfast but then tend to over eat during the remainder of the day. Their fasting isn’t a conscious effort.

Now the argument for breakfast. As I stated earlier, breakfast is an opportunity to replenish your body with nutrients after fasting during sleep. It isn’t necessary to put your body into a forced state of fasting. In fact, forced fasting can cause adverse effects over a prolonged period. When your body goes without food for an extended amount of time it goes into starvation mode in which the body holds on to fat in order to keep a reserve so the body has enough energy to function.  Breakfast is a way to kick start your metabolism which helps you burn calories throughout the day. Eating a well-balanced breakfast is linked to better memory, concentration, lower risk of type 2 diabetes and lower LDL or “bad” cholesterol.

If you are active in the early part of the day breakfast is important for endurance and strength during physical activity.

Much like skipping breakfast if you have breakfast its important what you eat. Having a breakfast that is high in protein slows digestion which makes you feel fuller longer. While, having a breakfast high in sugar can cause the body to store fat. This can make it increasingly difficult to cut calories. It can also lead to overeating later in the day.

So, at this point I know your tired of reading all of this but I wanted to show you both sides of the coin. I, myself, am a breakfast advocate or Pro-Breakfast, if you will. I like to follow the rules and the rule has always been that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I am not closed minded to the fact that there is evidence otherwise. If I said I had never fasted and never considered a fasting type diet regimen I would be lying. It really comes down to what works best for your body. As for myself, I work out at 4:00am Monday- Friday. I complete my workout fasted because I do not have time to eat prior to the gym nor would eating a big meal before working out go over well. I eat my breakfast after the gym, in my truck, on the way to work. It is more of a recovery meal. It isn’t anything fancy but it is Protein dense to help keep me full through the morning. I know my body and I need that fuel in the morning to function. When I have fasted in the past it was difficult for me to concentrate and focus plus I just become hangry and no one wants to be around me when I’m hangry. And finally, I eat breakfast because I no longer want to feel hungry and I fear binge eating which I have had problems with in the past. If I plan my meals my silly mind will not deviate from them. I’m like a mouse in a maze, must get to the cheese, must get to the cheese.

At the end of the day you must do what works the best for your body. Listen to what your body tells you. For mine, it is breakfast all the way. My metabolism is like a snail so any help I can get I’ll take it! Just remember that no matter which route you choose be mindful of what you put into your body. Maybe try meal planning/prepping, I can help with that!

For those of you that feel you just don’t have time for breakfast check out the blogs Instagram. I’ve posted the best choices for breakfast on the go.

Do you have a favorite breakfast but avoid it because it’s not the healthiest of choices? Comment below or e-mail the blog at barbellsandboyshorts@gmail.com and I will recreate a healthier version for you so you can still enjoy your favorites without the guilt!