Breakfast Is THE Most Important Meal Of The Day-Or Is At Least In The Top 3

             There is a reason why people have always said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day-and that's because it is. Yet, a recent study by the Kellogg company reported that 66% of Americans skip breakfast! While skipping breakfast may seem harmless, there are significant consequences.

-The prolonged fasting that occurs when you skip breakfast can increase your body's insulin response, which in turn increases fat storage and weight gain.
-People who reported skipping breakfast had more risk factors for heart disease than their breakfast eating peers.
-Those who skip breakfast tend to have worse eating habits and are less active than those who do eat breakfast.
-Researchers found that those who didn't eat breakfast had higher insulin levels, increased bad cholesterol, and waists that were 2 inches larger than their breakfast eating peers.
-Skipping breakfast is strongly linked to obesity.
-Skipping meals makes weight control more difficult as meal skippers tend to eat more food than usual at the next meal or nibble on high calorie snacks to keep hunger at bay.
- Several studies suggest that people tend to accumulate more body fat when they eat fewer, larger meals than those who eat the same number of calories in smaller, more frequent meals.

Aside from avoiding all of the above, eating breakfast has the following additional positive effects of your health:
- A healthy breakfast replenishes the glycogen stores that supply your muscles with energy, making any workout you squeeze in easier. (and who in the heck doesn't want a little help with their workout??)
- Children who eat breakfast have been shown to have increased concentration, problem solving ability, mental performance, memory, mood, and recall. They even had higher test scores and were less likely to miss class, be tardy, or report that they were sick. The study I looked at focused on children but I am sure this is also true for adults.

While eating breakfast is a must, keep in mind that you want to keep your calories around 250 as high calorie breakfasts have been shown to result in high calorie lunches and dinners which, of course,  will result in weight gain.

        I know we are all strapped for time in the morning so here is a list of quick and healthy breakfast ideas.
-whole grain toast with peanut butter (or sunbutter for those with allergies).
-yogurt and a piece of fresh fruit
-whole grain cereal with skim milk
-high fiber breakfast bar (look for at least 6 grams of fiber and watch sugar content).
-Rebecca's breakfast sandwich: scrambled egg cooked in the microwave on whole grain toast with low fat cheese and a glass on skim milk
-For those who absolutely have to get a fast food breakfast, subway has several healthy options.

        There are not too many situations where eating actually results in weight loss and weight control. Take advantage of it and eat your breakfast. :)

The above information can be found on WebMD, Mayoclinic.com, Medscape, and Dr.Oz's realage.com.