IS BREAKFAST REALLY THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY?
Whether you take it as gospel truth or just a catchy marketing slogan, chances are you’ve heard the phrase “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” And it does seem like most people have some kind of strong opinion on breakfast — whether it’s related to its importance, overratedness, or which foods are acceptable breakfast foods.
When it comes to your nutrition goals, breakfast isn’t necessarily any more or less important than any other meal, but it can be used as an opportunity to get a headstart on your nutrition goals for the day.
SHOULD I SKIP BREAKFAST IF WORKING TOWARDS FAT LOSS?
There can be a tendency to think of skipping breakfast as a way to help decrease overall calorie intake or build in extra room for a larger dinner or social event. The problem with that strategy is that it may also make it harder to manage your hunger throughout the day. It can also make it much more difficult to get adequate protein for the day — and protein intake is even more important for fat loss goals than it is for any other type of goal (including muscle gain!).
We often see a pattern of skipping breakfast to cut down on calories leading to compensation by overeating later in the evening. This can leave us stuck in a cycle of restricting then overeating, which is not only counterintuitive to any fat loss goals we have, but also harmful to our relationship with food.
BUT… DO I HAVE TO EAT BREAKFAST?
If you don’t have any challenges managing hunger or hitting your protein goal without breakfast, there’s no reason you must eat breakfast. However, if you find yourself getting hungry in between meals or having to eat challengingly large portions of protein (or using protein supplementation) later in the day to hit your protein goal, you may benefit from starting your day with a protein-forward meal.
Making a high-protein breakfast doesn’t have to be time-consuming. You can throw together an omelet or scramble using batch prepped protein sources (like turkey bacon or chicken sausage) and veggies with eggs and/or egg whites. You can also meal prep your breakfast by making overnight oats, a frittata, or baked oatmeal. A simple bowl of Greek yogurt with berries is another quick and easy way to start your day with some protein. And if you’re not a big fan of breakfast foods, there’s really no reason not to start your day with any meal you enjoy.
The short answer: no. We can’t claim breakfast as the “best” meal, but it can play a crucial role in setting ourselves up with solid nutrition for the day by helping us eat enough protein and aiding in appetite management throughout the day. What’s more important than one singular meal is our overall eating habits. Even though breakfast may not be more important than any other meal of the day, it is a great opportunity to set your intentions for the day and to get a head start on hitting your nutrition goals.
For absolute simplicity when it comes to tracking your macros, make sure to grab a free copy of Everyday Macros: our macro-friendly meal prep cookbook. It’s full of simple recipes, batch prep tips, and insight into how to make your nutrition as seamless as possible.