I always find it fascinating when new studies are released about a new way to eat in order to lose weight. For example, I came across this new study called the Big Breakfast Diet in which a group of obese individuals were split up into two case studies. One group was assigned to eat a low-carb, low calorie breakfast each morning of about 290 calories, while the other group ate a high-carb breakfast around 610 calories.
Both groups lost weight by the fourth month with the low-carb breakfast eaters losing 28 pounds and the high-carb breakfast folks losing 23 pounds. What made the study interesting is by the eighth month, the low-carb people regained 18 pounds while the high-carb people continued to lose 16 more pounds.
The real differences showed up at the eight-month mark, when the low-carb dieters had regained an average of 18 pounds and the big-breakfast eaters continued to lose, dropping another 16.5 pounds on average.
In all, members of the big-breakfast group lost more than 21% of their body weight; low-carb group members lost 4.5%. [Source: WebMD]
I found this interesting since most health information says to eat light breakfasts filled with protein and low carbs. This doesn't mean it is the magic bullet for weight loss either. We all know there is no magic bullet when it comes to losing weight. It always requires work in the form of a healthy diet and plenty of exercise.
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
I can only speak to my experience but my biggest meal of the day is breakfast and I’ve had some success.
This is a bit confusing. Why do you think it went this way? Is it because low carb breakfast diet will make you eat more the rest of the day? Personally my cravings in the rest of the day is reduced if I ate all I can in the morning.
I always eat a big breakfast, I think it helps control my hunger cravings throughout the day. It’s interesting that thelow carbers gained back weight.
Unlike most of the other commentors I usually start the day with a light breakfast. I think you have hit the nail on the head with your closing comments though – this is no magic bullet. Whether you eat a light or heavy breakfast is not going to have a significant impact on your overall health and weight. What you eat throughout the course of the day, the weeks, the months and the years is going to be the much bigger influence.
Hmm… I used to eat big breakfasts… but by mid morning I was SO tired. I was falling asleep at university and lecturers weren’t too pleased. Now I have very small breakfasts – a grapefruit perhaps and some yoghurt….
And now I don’t get tired during the day – have a whole lot more energy, and eat my biggest meal at dinner time. Its weird perhaps, but thats what works for me!
But yeah you’re right… there is no one solution. You have to try things to see if they work for you. Every body is different and requires different things. A big breakfast may work for some but not others. There is no single solution!
Im a bigbig breakfaster BUT not high carbs as that gives me the crash AND the munchies…
M.
I find it interesting that the low carb and fat group regained the weight ,what was the cause, did they stop eating low carb ? what were the circumstances?
I completely agree with this article. I have always been a big advocate of eating breakfast. It is vitally important and sets the stage so the body will not rob nutrients later on, causing you to feel hungrier and eat more. Thanks for this great article.
This makes sense to me, I’ve always had better eating days when I have a huge breakfast.
My Endocrinologist told me after a 10 year or so struggle with weight loss that I was eating too many carbohydrates so she told me to only eat 3 meals per day (I don’t have an issue with behavior when it comes to food…I eat when I’m supposed to and that’s it…if I get a little hungry in between I grab an ice cream cone from McDonalds asking them to just trim off the top significantly or I have a Jay Robb’s Protein shake with some Mocha Java from Dr. Smoothie), she told me that yes, one should always eat breakfast and that it didn’t matter when you ate during the day as long as you modified throughout the day what you were eating. She is from Pakistan; she told me that we as Americans eat entirely too much (I agree with her on that one) and that by eating 3 meals per day that should get me to lose some pounds). I started by eating an egg with some cheese and a protein shake (all adding up to around 400 calories or more…depending on what if I had the eggs or not (sometimes I just don’t want to eat that much in the morning) and then I was find until lunchtime. I usually have a protein shake in the afternoon with some dark chocolate (around 85% dark…low sugar, low carbs (around 8 grams) and then I wait till dinner when we have a light meal of salmon, veggies and later another protien drink and perhaps a salad too. That’s it people. I lost 6 pounds only by doing this though and am at a plateau. I have 45 pounds to loose. I am continuing to do this….I think I need to really raise my exercise level to 45 minutes per day on the elliptical and 20 minutes or so in the gym…time is of the essesnce here.
Speaking from personal experience i ate my meals opposite. I ate a big breakfast with all four food groups more protein than any other, a medium lunch again lots of protein and a small dinner with more veggies than anything else. It works.
I noticed a difference. The big breakfast kept me full and gave me energy for the rest of the day. I did not get that 10 am snack craving or that 3/4 pm snack craving. I went from size 6 to size 2. Mind you I was dedicated to exercising and it took me about a year with small changes like this.
Great article. I think that so many people like myself, are looking for the magic diet that will reverse years of bad eating habits in an instant. After years of unseccussful diets I realized that most of these diets lead to starvation and in turn failure. What I have found is that by allowing myself to eat more throughout the day, that I am less likely to over indulge in foods that are otherwise bad for me. When I eat more throughout the day, I don’t feel deprived and I am also more likely to pass on food that I will regret later.
somewhat on the same subject, wondering how you guys feel about meal replacements. There are many days were i have no time at all to focus on making a good meal at home and must resort to energy shakes and other supplements to keep up on good nutrition. I also eat well whenever possible, just interested in others opinions, thanks gang
I agree with the view here.. This also maps to the aancient eastern saying..
Eat like a king in the morning.
Like a Minister in lunch and
Like a Beggar in dinner.
With exercise,yyour fitness is guaranteed..
Sriram.B