Breakfast may not be the most important meal of the day, but...
For many people, particularly those who are busy or always on the go, skipping breakfast can become an all too regular or even intentional habit. While there are many studies showing the benefits of time - restricted eating (often called intermittent fasting), there are some major drawbacks if not done properly. One major consequence is overeating or binge eating late at night.
If one skips breakfast and doesn’t make up for the missed calories and nutrients throughout the day, they’re setting themselves up for a binge later.
Binge eating at night typically occurs when someone eats a large amount of food in a short period of time. This type of eating pattern is unhealthy and can lead to weight gain over time if it becomes a regular occurrence. Skipping breakfast is one factor that may contribute to binge eating at night because it increases hunger levels and causes cravings for high - calorie foods that will make up for the deficiencies.
When you go for long periods without eating, your body triggers hunger hormones such as ghrelin which increase your appetite. As your hunger levels increase, so do your cravings for high calorie foods. The longer you go, the more likely you become to eat larger amounts of unhealthy foods later in order to make up for missed calories. When dinner time arrives or snacks start appearing throughout late afternoon/early evening hours people who skipped their morning meal often find themselves overeating due to extreme hunger caused by missing out on important nutrition early in the day.
Not only does skipping breakfast lead to increased cravings but it also disrupts healthy blood sugar levels resulting in further issues such as mood swings or feeling tiredness during certain parts of the day. When combined with other factors like work stress or emotional problems these feelings can drive people towards comfort foods which are usually high calorie and don't offer much nutritional value leading them down path towards bingeing rather than choosing nutrient dense options like lean protein and fruits and vegetables.
Fortunately, there are ways we can break free from these negative habits before they become entrenched into our lifestyle. Firstly, planning ahead where possible so that we can fit nutritious breakfasts into our daily routine despite having busy schedules. Secondly, seeking out healthier snack options instead of reaching straightaway for processed sugary snacks. Thirdly, keeping track of how much food is consumed each day to avoid any binging episodes before they even occur. Fourthly, making sure get enough sleep each night in order to regulate hormones responsible maintaining balanced diet healthy lifestyle balance.
Overall, while missing out occasional meal here or there won’t be devastating, regularly skipping important meals such breakfast could lead to negative
behaviors later in the day. If you feel ravenously hungry in the evening and can’t seem to get full, don’t think it’s a matter of willpower. Take a look at what happened or didn’t happen earlier in your day. Skipping breakfast may have been the culprit.
