I wake up not feeling hungry. Should I still eat breakfast?

When I wake up it takes me roughly 3 or 4 hours to actually feel hungry. I know breakfast is the most important meal of the day and in the past I've always eaten it but now that I'm trying to lose some weight I don't know if I should wait and eat breakfast when my stomach actually wants it or if I should just eat it anyway because most people on this site seem to eat it regardless...sorry to sound so simplistic about this issue. Thanks for your time.

Well, I'd say yes because your bodies metabolism only starts to rev up after you put something into it in the morning.  I know a lot of mornings that I'm not hungry.  But, the word "breakfast" comes from "breaking fast" since your body goes into fasting mode in the night.  You probably don't feel hungry cuz your body is in "starvation mode" and storing everything until you give it something to burn.  That's just the scientific reasons that I've learned from a dietician as to why everyone should have a breakfast.   It doesn't even have to be anything massive.  Just a piece of toast, cottage cheese and a piece of fruit.  Then, you know your body is burning it off cuz you'll probably be starving by lunch.  Hope that helped. 

I would aim to eat something within an hour of waking. Make sure you get some protein, carbs and fibre if you can, as all of these will help you feel full for longer.

I should add, though, that starvation mode does not occur overnight, but what mdrat said about "breaking fast" is true.

I agree about the breakfast thing. I am definitely not hungry this am (late dinner) but I see breakfast as a way of pushing out lunch and avoidance of snacking. If I didn't have something at 7-8am, I'd want something at 10 and it would be a donut or cookie with my coffee!

 

Original Post by lalabanana:

 

I would aim to eat something within an hour of waking. Make sure you get some protein, carbs and fibre if you can, as all of these will help you feel full for longer.

I should add, though, that starvation mode does not occur overnight, but what mdrat said about "breaking fast" is true.

another option could be a cup of tea with skimmed milk  . i have personally noticed that eating breakfast make me eat more through out the day even if its a piece of toast. so i resolved to a cup of tea.

I have this problem. On the days that I am working I drink a small glass of Smart Start and eat a small bowl of cereal. I also take a piece of fruit with me for a mid morning snack. If I don't  do this nine times out of ten I will get off track.

Original Post by tikon:

another option could be a cup of tea with skimmed milk  . i have personally noticed that eating breakfast make me eat more through out the day even if its a piece of toast. so i resolved to a cup of tea.

 That's a very unhealthy suggestion. |: You need to eat something substantial for breakfast. There is no way that a cup of tea with skimmed milk is "breakfast" - it is a drink. If you are getting hungry after a piece of toast, put some peanut butter on it. Have it with some scrambled egg. Make it more than just a piece of toast because yes, just toast is just carbohydrate that will burn up quickly and leave you hungry. I bet you now you'd be fuller from a healthy bowl of oatmeal and a bit of fruit and nuts on top than a cup of ruddy tea.

To put it bluntly, with a mod not yet around to do so:

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I suggest you try eating more. |:

I'm not a doctor - I only know what the doctor told me.  Nor, do I believe anyone here is?  Do what you feel is right and, if you're not sure what that is, ask a doctor!  That's what they're there for.  Good luck :)

If you do want ot start havning breakfast again I'd suggest starting with something light mayb a peice of fruit or some tea like someone else suggested.

Seriously, people, stop suggesting a cup of tea for breakfast.

yes, yes, and yes. I was always the same way and since I started eating breakfast, it gives me tons more energy and I can tell how it changed my metabolism because I am starving by lunch time and I was NEVER like that. It doesn't have to be a lot. I usually eat oatmeal, a banana, grapes, or pineapple, and a multivitamin with a bottle of water. It makes all the difference in the world.

i have to tell you, i never used to be a breakfast-first-thing-in-the-morning eater.  and then i decided that i would just do it anyway..... needless to say, 3 weeks later........... i AM ready to eat soon after getting up.

I think your body will get used to it.

I realized for me it wasn't so much not wanting to eat....as NOT wanting to fix breakfast......

so i created a quick breakfast that I make ahead of time, wrap, and can throw in the microwave....its a little high in sodium but if I watch it the rest of the day, its just fine..... you could always just substitute the canadian bacon or remove it all together....http://caloriecount.about.com/cc/useritem/690 87535.html

All I know is that when I was younger I never ate breakfast before going to school and I got up to 210 pounds. Now that I'm eating something every morning, even just a Luna bar I'm losing weight. It gets your metabolism working like everyone else said.

I was never a breakfast person but have found that it does jump-start your metabolism to eat somthing in the morning.  I usually have cereal or yogurt with granola and if I am in a rush a Slim-Fast Shake or Meal on the Go Bar. 

I have found that eating 6 smaller meals per day has helped me with losing 2 pounds per week.  I have Breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, evening snack.  The snacks are usually fruit, yogurt, trail mix, carrot sticks or my favorite...apple slices dipped in peanut butter.  I log everything into my food log and have been keeping my daily intake around 1600-1700 calories per day.  I don't ever feel hungry and I must be eating healthy choices becuase my daily "grade" is usually A, A- or B+.

I'm a big breakfast person but getting my step-daughter to eat breakfast is near impossible.  By nature she isn't hungry in the AM.  She knows on school mornings we will "force" a substantial breakfast into her (she's 8 and NEEDS it) but on weekends, I'm a little more lax.  If she says she is not hungry, I make her eat a cheese stick (protein!) and a take a multi-vitamin with a glass of V8 berry blend.  A 150 calorie breakfast is better than no breakfast. 

However, the more I've been reading up on weight loss (she's healthy, so not worried so much about her) the more I see that you should have a carb-heavy breakfast (compared to your other meals) to jump start your metabolism.  Why not get a large glass of milk and a cup of cereal.  You do need to start forcing yourself to eat something.

Also, when do you stop eating for the day?  I read recently that sometimes people aren't hungry in the morning because they had their dinner or final snack too late in the day.  Please consider this as well and start eating something.  If it's tough, start slow.  Have a piece of fruit for a few days, then add a piece of toast, then add some milk or cottage cheese.  I imagine if you build up to a 300-400 calorie breakfast, your body will start to crave it.

Good luck to all!

Okay I want to say something about this.  I know everyone says you must eat breakfast but I just don't get it.  It's hard enough to keep from eating when I am hungry, and yet here I'm being told to eat when I'm not hungry.  And yes, breakfast does make me hungrier for lunch, and I don't understand why that's a good thing.  The experts say if I skip I'll be starving by lunch, but it's always just the opposite - if I eat breakfast I'm starving by lunch!  If I don't eat breakfast, my hunger alarm goes off between 9 and 12 each day, and I eat then and I don't notice that I overeat.  Then I'm good for the rest of the day till dinnertime pretty much.  No offense, but why is this a problem?