Starting the day off right is a result of one simple thing many don’t do: eating breakfast before school or work.
Waking up and eating breakfast is essential to a healthier life, according to Dr. Dana
Gafoor. Not eating breakfast can have many unhealthy effects, according to health and fitness professional and
choreographer Ria Martin.
When a person does not eat breakfast their metabolism is lower because they haven’t eaten all night. They are on low energy and not as focused. As a result, they proceed into lunch hungry, eat, then the body takes the energy they gain to process the food. Their body enters a post-food coma, which results in low energy, again. Not eating breakfast also affects someone physically and mentally, with symptoms including: moodiness, crankiness, low energy and being unfocused according to Dr. Gafoor.
“I never eat breakfast, I’m too busy sleeping in the morning
because school is so tiring,” sophomore Jenna Jajjo said. “On Thursdays and Fridays, I always get myself an everything bagel from the school store.”
When someone has breakfast they are more focused, productive, own more energy and will be in a better mood throughout the day. Acquiring the right amount of nutrition, which eating breakfast can provide, makes them more mentally stimulated and can help to get through the day, according to Martin.
“For me, because I teach fitness, I need the energy to start my day. Like this morning, I taught two classes back-to-back, and I would not have been able to finish teaching my class or do my class effectively if I didn’t have the nutrition to get through it,” Martin said.
Skipping breakfast is a habit that doesn’t support one’s health. The body needs to be fed and nourished with food. Consuming a variety of foods, in addition to developing a healthy relationship with food and the body can help support making the most out of breakfast, according to Gafoor.
“If I don’t eat, breakfast I’m more hungry come lunchtime,” sophomore Michaela Dharte.
There are a variety of foods and
nutrition available to meet breakfast nutrition requirements. A quarter of calories required should be eaten during breakfast, such as a square breakfast that would contain protein, grain and some sort of starch. The meal itself should be balanced so all the nutrition gets taken care of, according to Dr.Gafoor and Martin.
Many substitutes, like coffee and donuts, as breakfast options may seem easy to grab. However, in reality, they should be the last thing eaten for breakfast. They contain sugar and a lot of calories that could contribute to weight gain according to Martin and Dr. Gafoor.
“Even if you’re not hungry, you should still have a good balanced diet throughout the day,” Gafoor said.
Waking up not feeling hungry is normal, but people should still have breakfast within two hours of waking up, because the stomach will advance into starvation mode. Otherwise this happens when a person hasn’t eaten all night, and the body obtains low metabolism at that time since no food was digested.
Waking up and not feeling hungry or not having enough time are all excuses for not eating breakfast, starting your day right and being focused is a lock to the key which is breakfast.