Psst, want to lose some weight? Turns out your mom's right: eat breakfast.
University of Minnesota scientists did the 5-year study of more than 2,000 younsgers and found those who skipped breakfast weigh about 5 lb. (2.3 kg) more than those who ate "the most important meal of the day." What's more interesting is that the breakfast-eaters actually consumed more calories on a daily basis.
"It may seem counter-intuitive," said Mark Pereira, who led the research. "But while they ate more calories, they did more to burn those off, and that may be because those who ate breakfast did not feel so lethargic. [...]
"They skip breakfast because they worry about weight gain - and it's ironic that the ones who aren't worried and eat in the mornings are the ones who keep their weight down."
You eat many small meals a day - your metabolism is working faster all the time, burning off excess fat
You eat one or two big meals a day - your metabolism gets slower and your body burns off your muscles first to compensate for the lack of energy. Then after the majority of your muscle mass is gone - your body starts taking from the fat as a last resort.
I always thought that the most easily accessible fuel source (fat) would be the first to be burned off? Like in starvation a person burns off fat first and then muscle as a last resort to produce energy for the heart and brain to use.
The study only shows a positive correlation between 2 traits. The suggestion of anything further is not borne out by what is reported in the article. Who funded the study, Kellogg's, Post, or Geberal Mills?
This is often passed off as something of an obvious thing, but it is like that old thing with correlation of ice-cream eating and rape; just because somethings share a pattern does not mean that they are in a causal relationship.
That's what a lot of people think - but it's actually the complete opposite though. The body tries to store up on fat if it knows it won't get energy, so it burns off muscles in the meantime. That's why people actually wind up gaining weight when they diet...
I think we have a bit of a debate going on here if it's really the breakfast that causes weight loss, or is it just that "healthy" people would eat breakfast anyway.
Personally, I don't believe the whole 4-6 meals a day increases your metabolism.
I think that eating breakfast curbs your hunger for a good part of the day, and makes you less likely to overeat later in the day.
My 2cents.
-Sean
http://www.insiderdietsecrets.com