A few weeks ago I exposed the benefits of eating breakfast, particularly a BIG, protein-rich breakfast, and wouldn’t ya know, researchers from The University of Kansas Medical Center and another team from Virginia Commonwealth University decided to give us even more proof and reason to be following those exact recommendations for the most rapid weight loss.
Study #1 – University of Kansas Medical Center
This study analyzed the effect of a protein-rich breakfast on appetite and overall daily calorie consumption among teens who typically skip breakfast.
In the study, teens either consumed a protein-rich breakfast of solid foods, a protein-rich breakfast beverage (i.e. meal replacement shake), or a breakfast meal containing minimal protein. All meals were 500 calories each.
The result?
The protein-rich breakfast groups (both solid food and beverage) faired better than an equal calorie breakfast not containing substantial protein. Further, it’s interesting to note that the solid food protein-rich breakfast group scored significantly higher than the protein-rich beverage group with regards to consuming less calories at lunch and feeling considerably more full after the breakfast meal.
Should the study included a control group with a lower-calorie or skipped breakfast, results would have been even worse (proof below).
Take home lessons from this study:
1. Eating breakfast isn’t enough. The breakfast meal needs to contain ample protein to adequately affect satiation and overall caloric intake.
2. A meal replacement shake breakfast doesn’t seem to have the same satiation and calorie intake benefits that a solid food protein-rich meal does.
Study # 2 – Virginia Commonwealth University
Study participants either consumed a diet which included a large protein + carbohydrate breakfast (totaling HALF of daily total calories) or a typical low-calorie diet.
The result of this one?
The group that at half their daily calories at breakfast lost FIVE TIMES MORE WEIGHT than the typical calorie restrictive diet group.
If that’s not convincing evidence (beyond everything I’ve shared last time) that a big, protein-rich breakfast trumps some low-calorie “piece of toast” breakfast, then I don’t know what does.
The ultimate take home lesson:
The ideal breakfast should be BIG, containing plenty of lean protein and carbohydrates.
Want to learn 3 other specific fat-burning tips that you can start using today? Check out the below link:
Enjoy the above tips!
Joel
I’ve started having scrambled eggs with green peppers and onions for breakfast. On the carb side of things, mainly rye toast, but sometimes I feel like that isn’t enough still?
A year ago (pre-healthy me), I was gorging on froot loops and waffles HA not anymore thank you!
Is eating whole grain cereals with skimmed milk + whey protein + fruit (an apple or a banana) can be considered a good breakfast?
I usually have two hard-boiled eggs and a couple of rice cakes with peanut butter.
I like (home made) smoothies in the morning. This morning: a big banana, a cup of strawberries, half a cup of blueberries, yoghurt, a scoop of protein powder and a cup of milk. Add some ice, blend and mmmmmmmmm … enjoy!
Excellent finds, Joel. Nice “weapons” to have in the fight to convince people how to have better health.
Personally, I eat a big bowl of oatmeal mixed with fruit, nuts, and yogurt plus an egg (this totals about 600 calories) along with some juice to drink. Whole food with high protein and whole carbs. Not as big a breakfast as the Virginia study, but pretty well in line with the Kansas one. Nice to get a little “pat on the back” from the nutrionists like that! Thanks for posting it!
I love my rice porridge with nuts, fresh fruit and shredded coconut with cinnamon and flax seed oil on top. Definitely hits the spot
We decided that if our family was to be successful, we needed a good start. Just like my Daddy said, a million years ago. So whole wheat tortilla, scrambled eggs with some vegetable (onion, squash, bell peppers etc) sauted, sometimes fried potatoes (in olive oil) hey we have growing teenagers! Then out the door we go, then I go a more low cal way the rest of the day with 4 more small meals and I don’t want to kill somebody!!! I have lost 25 since January to June, taking the summer off. This includes aerobic activity and weights like our guru says :)
I eat steak and eggs when I can get it! Liver and onions is good in the morning too believe it or not. More often I have a Greek scramble with feta cheese, green onion and red peppers (love the colour), sometimes in a wrap, sometimes with a bit of my kids Peanut Butter Porridge (regular oats with pb melted in and raisins or dried fruit and coconut, slivered almonds, a touch of maple syrup). I have to be careful not to overdo in the morning or I can end up stretching my tummy and wanting more later on than I otherwise would.
I’ve found the same thing about big breakfasts. It seems that my body processes the food better and I find that I’m not so ravenous at lunch so that I’m tempted to cheat. I actually like, (especially when I’m trying to get lean or at least maintain when I have minimal time to workout) to eat a big breakfast of close to half my caloric intake, then eat the rest of my calories at the end of the day after having fasted about 12 hours. If I workout, I will have a post workout shake, so a slight caloric increase on those days. But I still have a shake with my breakfast in the morning….and if I’m running late, just the shake ;-)…
I just checked in here so forgive if I’m new. But am I to understand that in order to lose weight I should be eating a large high protein, high carbohydrate breakfast. That would look like bacon, eggs and pancakes. or????? If so that would explain lots of things, I have been eating shakes, for breakfast since the ’70’s, about the time they were first invented and I have been increasingly over weight since then. Is this date coincident or what???
The next logical question is what would be the IDEAL breakfast and what do we follow it up with for lunch and dinner?
I like to do scrambled eggs (3 whites w/ 1 whole + 1oz lowfat cheese) with oat bran and whole milk 4oz. However, I frequently end up doing protein shakes due to time constraints.
K R goes 12 hours without not eating???? NOT GOOD even after a big brekkie!
without eating* and if you’re gonna be working out then you should be definitely eating again 1-2 hours before you workout!
2 whole grain waffles, 1/2 cup greek yogurt, 1 cup berries and pomegranate seeds
Sauteed ( in olive oil) chicken Italian sausage with roasted onions, sweet potatoes, & green and red bell peppers. A little thyme and oregano for seasoning.
I just have 2 boiled eggs for breakfast. I used to eat 2 slices of wheat bread earlier but gave it up since I read that one should not mix carbs and fat. Do you think I need to make changes to my breakfast?
yes, a big breakfast ist great!
my normal breakfast is of two variations….on a training day its weetabix or oats + a protein shake and fruit. on a non training day its protein shake with apple and 2 boiled eggs (sound okay?). I’ve always found the more whole food i have for breakfast the better, sadly time doesn’t permit me to go all out every day so i save really good breakfasts for the weekend (healthy ones of course :D).
I start with a piece of fruit while porridge (rolled oats) is cooking. Then mix in some protein powder, throw a couple of spoonfuls of greek yoghurt on top, and finish with a drizzle of maple syrup (the REAL stuff)…Just thinking some chopped walnuts would be pretty yum in there too, will have that tommorrow.
My favorite breakfasts are. 2-3 organic eggs, scrambled with fresh salsa and a pinch of colby jack cheese. I love ham and cheese omletes too!
Jessica
@Joel Marion – I always start the day with a big bowl of cinnamon and sultana porridge (140 cc scoop of oats) made with soya milk and honey. Should I be following that with a boiled egg or two, or maybe stirring in protein powder?
(I also usually sprinkle the porridge with chocamine, an extract from cocoa that contains high concentrations of caffeine, theobromine and polyphenols. Just gives a gentle lift to the morning; can’t cope with coffee or tea!)
I’m in the terrible-morning-mood-person group and I’m REALLY slow in the morning. That includes my appetite. I’ve never been keen on big brekie’s other than weekends, and then I usually eat after being awake for 1.5 hours. It’s like my metabolism needs time to wake too. But I would never skip breakfast and go to class on an empty stomach. Therefore I eat what I can, usually 2 scrambled eggs with a smootihe made from ½cup of yoghurt, ½ cup of milk, ½ banana and ½ cup of berries, or a fruitsallad with cottage cheese and then a smoothie for snack around 10.
I like to do a 3-4 egg (egg whites only) breakfast with 1 slice of multi-grain bread. I do add just a little baby swiss cheese, spices and tomatoes for taste. Then a protien shake (100% Whey protein, Rice Milk, and mixed organic berries)and some creatine. Sometimes if I am in a hurry it, it is just the protien shake and creatine.
Other days it is a large can of tuna fish with mustard, relish, spices, and a little low calorie/low cholesterol mayo with 1 slice of multi-grain bread. Yes, I am on a strict diet, but I prefer protien for almost all my meals.
My workout days I like to eat a bowl of oatmeal and mix some bananas and protien powder in it. Then workout an hour later. ;-)
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Hey, it’s Joel! So you want to know a little more about me, huh? Well, I’d be happy to oblige :-)
I guess it all started back in 2001 (my freshman year of college) when I was just a “skinny fat” 19-year old kid. At the time, I was spending close to 2 hours a day in the gym (now my workouts last about 30 minutes), and despite my efforts, you’d probably never guess I worked out a day in my life by looking at me...read more