Breakfast is often referred to as the most important meal of the day. However, despite the widely known benefits of starting your day with a wholesome breakfast, many people still skip it.
While one may think that skipping breakfast may not have any adverse effects, the truth is it can have serious consequences for your health.
What happens to your body when you miss breakfast?
As you sleep, your body is in a fasting mode, and skipping breakfast prolongs this period of fasting.
Your body is now devoid of the nutrients it needs to kick-start your metabolism, burn calories and release energy needed to sustain you throughout the day. Without this fuel, your body compensates by conserving energy to carry out its various functions.
Weight gain
If you’re trying to lose weight, skipping breakfast is one of the worst things you can do. When you miss breakfast, you’ll tend to overeat during the day, and you’ll crave for high-calorie foods that your body can easily store as fat.
Your body may also go into conservation mode, producing insulin and other hormones that can promote fat storage.
Poor concentration and productivity
Breakfast not only provides critical energy, but it helps feed your brain. Research has shown that skipping breakfast can cause impaired cognitive function, and reduce attention span, memory, and reaction time.
This can cause decreased productivity, mistakes, and lapses in judgement.
Weakened Immune System
When you skip breakfast, your body has low blood sugar levels, and this can weaken your immune system significantly.
A weakened immune system makes you vulnerable to various diseases and infections, and this can lead to frequent illnesses and trips to the hospital.
Increased risk of Heart Diseases and Diabetes
Studies have linked skipping breakfast to an increased risk of heart diseases and diabetes. Your metabolism slows down when you skip breakfast, which can negatively affect your blood sugar level, and lead to insulin resistance.
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What happens if you skip breakfast
Insulin resistance can lead to type 2 diabetes, and also cause inflammation which can lead to buildup and clogging of arteries that can cause heart diseases.
Low Energy Levels
Skipping breakfast slows down your metabolism, and you won’t have enough energy to sustain you throughout the day. This can cause fatigue, reduced motivation, and poor performance during activities that require physical or mental alertness.
Bad Mood
Starting your day on an empty stomach puts your body into starvation mode, and this can have consequences on your mood and emotional stability. Skipping breakfast can cause irritability, agitation, and low moods.
Compromised Nutritional Intake
By skipping breakfast, you’re missing out on the essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that your body needs to function properly.
If this becomes a habit, it can cause nutritional deficiencies, which can have adverse effects on your health in the long run.
Impaired Exercise Performance
When you work out, your body needs the energy to fuel your muscle. If you skip breakfast, you don’t have the energy that you need to perform well during your workout session, and this can lead to slower progression, and lack of muscle gain.
Possible Impacts on Sleep
Skipping breakfast can disrupt your sleep cycle. When you don’t eat breakfast, your body misses out on a critical source of energy and nutrients, which can impact your sleep cycle.
Studies show that individuals who skip breakfast tend to have poorer sleep quality than those who eat breakfast.
In Conclusion
Skipping breakfast may seem convenient, especially if you’re trying to save time or cut back on your calorie intake. However, it’s not worth it in the long run.
The disadvantages of skipping breakfast far outweigh the benefits, and it can lead to serious health consequences. Remember the adage that breakfast is the most important meal of the day and make sure to start your day with a healthy meal.
