Answer: Not necessarily.
My answer to this question has changed in the past year. If you find that eating breakfast is necessary for boosting your energy in the mornings, or staving off hunger until lunch, then absolutely keep at it. However, I often hear from clients that they have rarely eaten breakfast as an adult and really struggle ‘forcing themselves to eat’ in the mornings.
Research studies have proven mostly inconclusive about the benefits of eating breakfast, particularly in relation to weight. So my final answer is: if you function well without breakfast then there is no reason to start eating it now. In fact, skipping (or delaying) breakfast sets you up perfectly for intermittent fasting, which can be an effective tool for improving energy, digestion and weight loss. Keep in mind that the goal of intermittent fasting is not to eliminate meals, but rather to condense your daily eating period to 8 hours. Therefore, you can still have breakfast, it just likely won’t be first thing in the morning. Personally, I am someone who is very hungry in the mornings, so I choose to start my fast at 6pm and then break my fast with breakfast at 10am the following morning.
If you are someone that needs/like to eat breakfast aim to include at least 15-20 grams of protein and a source of complex carbohydrates.
Healthy breakfast ideas:
- 1/3 cup AllBran buds with 3/4 cup plain Greek or Coconut yogurt and berries
- 2 egg omelet with veggies, feta cheese and 1-2 slices of whole wheat or sprouted bread
- Everyday green smoothie
- Break-the-fast chia pudding
- Whole grain banana pancakes with peanut butter and berries
- 1-2 slices of avocado toast on whole wheat bread with 1-2 poached eggs
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