Slimming: Should You Really Eat Breakfast Your Own?
The famous saying goes, “Breakfast is like a king, lunch is like a prince, and dinner is like a beggar.” But "let's go" at breakfast, arguing that we have the day to burn off our calories, is it really a good idea? And those who do not go hungry when they wake up, should they force themselves to eat something? Enlighten us Florence de Le Roux, MD, dietitian, nutritionist, and author of the illustrated book L'anti-mythe alimentaire published by Editions Albin Michel.
Listen to your body and its feelings
Breakfast, like all other meals of the day, depends on each person and the previous meals. Some people wake up hungry, others won't be able to swallow anything unless they force themselves...
When your alarm goes off in the morning and you enter the kitchen, the first question you ask yourself is “How do I feel? Am I hungry, very hungry, or, conversely, not hungry at all?”
Taking a few moments to listen to your body and its needs, allows you to adapt your breakfast and portion sizes, to start the day on your right foot.
Don't you feel hungry in the morning? Do not force yourself!
Many parents tirelessly repeat to their children that it is necessary to eat something before going to school, "to have strength for the day" . However, many people (children and adults) do not feel hungry in the morning when they wake up, simply for physiological reasons. But skipping breakfast isn't a problem, provided you convert it. The main thing is to adapt breakfast to your physiological needs.
If you're not hungry in the morning, or if your body doesn't "request" anything before you go to work, for example, don't force yourself to eat anything at all costs.
What if we split breakfast?
Depending on your needs, and your feelings about waking up, several options are available to you. It is up to you to choose the most suitable:
You won't feel hungry at all when you wake up in the morning: no problem, you just have to wait until the moment you feel hungry, by changing breakfast an hour or two after waking up. To do this, plan breakfast at your workplace, for example (a dairy product, compote or fruit, a handful of almonds or hazelnuts, etc.).
You're not hungry enough for a real breakfast: split this meal up! By eating breakfast in two portions, you will not only avoid forcing yourself in the morning to eat a real breakfast, but you will also reduce the risk of snacking associated with morning cravings, as morning approaches. the lunch. For example, you can eat something not too big before leaving the house (fruit, a banana for example, rich in starch and carbohydrates). Then in the morning, eat a dairy (a protein source), or a handful of nuts.
Breakfast King: Watch out for the portions!
Are you one of those people who wake up hungry and consider breakfast the meal of the day? It is really important to listen to your body, and provide it with the nutrients it needs to start the day, but at the same time you have to be careful to limit yourself in terms of quantity.
Because excesses, whether in the evening before going to bed, or in the morning upon waking, are not good: calories eaten will be just as important, whatever the meal. Here again, it's all about listening to your senses, and feeling the messages of satiety your body sends.
The point of breakfast is to pamper yourself, but in reasonable quantities. We choose this for a balanced and varied breakfast that suits you! Do you like jam? Don't deprive yourself, but don't finish the baguette either and reduce the amounts of jam on the sandwiches. Whole wheat bread is also preferred over white bread, which is more interesting from a nutritional point of view.
Example of a full breakfast: a supply of slow sugars (bread or oatmeal for example), accompanied by fruit, a handful of nuts, a dairy product and/or a hot drink.