Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?
Have you ever heard the saying that ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day?’ and ‘those who skip breakfast are more likely to be overweight or obese?’
Well, new research now shows that this isn’t necessarily the case.
Before you disagree with me, let me explain! I’m not saying to skip breakfast, I’m saying be smart about when you do eat breakfast.
This is because intermittent fasting has been shown to be very effective for weight loss.
So, what is intermittent fasting you might ask?
Intermittent fasting is an eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting (not eating). There are many types of intermittent fasting such as:
- 12/12. Fasting for 12 hours, eating within a 12-hour window
- 16/8. Fasting for 16 hours, eating within an 8-hour window
- 5:2 diet. Restricting calories to 500-600 for 2 days.
The 16/8 intermittent fasting has been shown to be most beneficial for weight loss.
Fasting isn’t a scary thing at all. We all fast for some time over night (some more than others) as it depends on how late you finish your dinner and then have breakfast the next morning.
However, fasting 16 hours overnight has shown significant results in weight loss, speeding up your metabolism, lowering insulin levels, reducing hunger, lowers cholesterol balancing blood sugar levels, decrease inflammation and gut healing.
Before you ask, 16-hours overnight is possible, and yes the first few days you might be a bit hungry/angry! But, once your body and hormones adjust, it will have been the best thing you could have done for your body!
When fasting, it’s critical that during the 8-hour eating window you’re getting the correct ratio of macro and micro nutrients.
Before you start any type of intermittent fasting, its critical to do it under the guidance of a clinical nutritionist. This will ensure you’re having a balanced diet that will ensure stabilised blood sugar levels (that will prevent any binge eating)
Alex is available for consultations Tuesdays 2-6pm, Fridays 1-5pm and Saturdays 8-10am.
Call us on 9887 4144 to make an appointment to start your weight loss journey today!