Nutrition Question of the Week: Should I eat breakfast even if I am not hungry?

Here’s my favorite answer:  It depends!!

I am a fan of eating breakfast because I believe it sets the tone for the day.  I also believe in eating a higher protein/fat/fiber  breakfast because that helps to stabilize blood sugar and prevents the blood sugar drops that motivate people to reach for high sugar empty calories later on.

From what I have seen in over ten years in the fitness business, most people should eat a higher protein breakfast because otherwise they are feeding the sugar dragon or overeating all the day long.

HOWEVER this isn’t right for EVERYONE!

I know several holistic nutritionists who believe that people should drink smoothies for breakfast or that people should should stay away from heavy foods early in the morning because it’s too much for digestion.

If you are someone who is not hungry in the mornings, then you must test out what works for you.  However if you have found that you’re one of these people who skip breakfast and then find yourself excessively snacking, reaching for sugar, or overeating the rest of the day, then you need to train yourself to eat breakfast even if it’s an Apple and Nut Butter or some type of green smoothie.

The Energy Balls pictured above are great if you’re on the go early in the morning or you’re not hungry early in the morning.  You can take these with you to eat when you get to where you are going or when you are hungry!  (Recipe is at the end of this post)

If you are someone who prefers tea or coffee in the morning and you eat your first meal  midday, then have at it.

Throw out the Rules

If I have learned anything over the past few years it is that people need to find what works for them.  Test out what works for you, your body, and your lifestyle and then become consistent with it.

Even though I advocate for higher protein/fat breakfast, that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone, every lifestyle, and all the time.

When I was in France, I loved how you started the day with coffee and croissants (but I think the REAL BUTTER in the CROISSANTS helped out) and that is not a high protein/fat breakfast but it worked.

Throw out food rules and test out what works for you!

Recipe for Energy Bites

Courtesy of Chef Savvy

INGREDIENTS

• ⅔ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• ½ cup ground flax seeds
• 2 tablespoons honey

DIRECTIONS