Eating breakfast to lose weight

A lot of Americans skip breakfast. Could that have something to do with our nation's poor nutrition and expanding waistlines? Yes. While skipping breakfast may appear to be one way to cut calories, it actually increases a person's risk of obesity.

First of all, not every breakfast is healthy. I have breakfast once a week with friends at a restaurant that offers a special with two eggs; choice of bacon, sausage, or ham; choice of grits, gravy, hash browns, or tomato slices; and choice of toast or biscuits.

That is too many calories first thing in the morning, with too many from saturated fat and refined flour. A bowl of sugary cereal is no better.

On the other hand, some combination of whole grain bread or cereal, fruit, and dairy product that adds up to about 400 calories makes an excellent start to the day. A healthy breakfast like that has at least four advantages for weight loss.

• It does not let your body feel starved. You probably have not eaten for about eight hours once you get up. If you become active before eating, your body will slow its metabolism rate and increase its insulin response. That, in turn, leads to increased fat storage and therefore weight gain.
• It reduces the chance of feeling ravenously hungry in the middle of the morning, when you are most likely to turn to whatever is in the nearest vending machine. That effectively replaces good breakfast choices with bad snack choices like candy, cookies, or chips.
• It refuels your body. A healthy breakfast gives you immediate energy and the likelihood of increased physical activity throughout the day.
• It helps you make healthier food choices the rest of the day. You will be more likely to choose fruits and vegetables later. Overall, breakfast eaters have a healthier, more nutritious diet than non-eaters.

Therefore, good nutrition at breakfast time cuts daily calorie consumption and increases physical activity--exactly what you need to lose weight. (Do you have time to make pancakes?)