In the study, obese participants who ate a breakfast high in protein and carbohydrates that included a dessert were better able to stick to their diet and keep the pounds off longer than participants who ate a low-carb, low-calorie breakfast that did not include sweets.
And the headline said "cake" too. I find this kinda misleading. Unless they are making cakes and other desserts filled with protein . . .
I'm not sure about the desserts thing, but breakfasting like a king, lunching like a prince and dining like a pauper is working very well for me.
I always wake up feeling hungry, and do my primary workout early in the morning. There's no way I could work out on an empty stomach, so I have a substantial low-GI carby breakfast, with protein if I'll be doing weight training. Lunch is modest, usually protein and veggies, and on cardio nights I have a low-calorie carby snack before working out, and no dinner. I never feel hungry after cardio, so that works for me.
- Country-style scrambled eggs made up of 3 egg whites, 2 ounces cheese, 2 ounces ham, and veggies
- Half an English muffin with cream cheese
- Cereal with 8 ounces of milk
- Strawberry smoothie
- A chocolate fudge brownie
Kinda mind blowing, that breakfast...
Here are the meal guidelines:
- Breakfast: 7 servings of protein (including 2 servings of dairy), 2 servings of carbohydrates, 2 servings of fat and 1 sweet.
- Lunch: 3 servings protein, 3 servings low-calorie vegetables, 2 servings starchy/sweeter vegetables, 1 serving fruit.
- Dinner: 0-3 servings of protein, unlimited low-calorie vegetables, 2 servings starchy/sweeter vegetables, 2 servings fruit.
It is total calories per day that determine whether one loses weight, regardless of when the calories are eaten. I think the interesting part of the study, though, was what happened in the second 16 weeks, when people were given the option of eating more if they felt hungry. Evidently the big-breakfast group did not feel as hungry as the small-breakfast group, on average.
- Country-style scrambled eggs made up of 3 egg whites, 2 ounces cheese, 2 ounces ham, and veggies
- Half an English muffin with cream cheese
- Cereal with 8 ounces of milk
- Strawberry smoothie
- A chocolate fudge brownie
Kinda mind blowing, that breakfast...
Here are the meal guidelines:
- Breakfast: 7 servings of protein (including 2 servings of dairy), 2 servings of carbohydrates, 2 servings of fat and 1 sweet.
- Lunch: 3 servings protein, 3 servings low-calorie vegetables, 2 servings starchy/sweeter vegetables, 1 serving fruit.
- Dinner: 0-3 servings of protein, unlimited low-calorie vegetables, 2 servings starchy/sweeter vegetables, 2 servings fruit.
It is total calories per day that determine whether one loses weight, regardless of when the calories are eaten. I think the interesting part of the study, though, was what happened in the second 16 weeks, when people were given the option of eating more if they felt hungry. Evidently the big-breakfast group did not feel as hungry as the small-breakfast group, on average.
Jay
All that (the breakfast) totals 600 cals? WHEW! And do they have cooks working to make that for them? My brekkie prep time is 5 minutes start to finish - and that includes doing the dishes.
Cookies for breakfast! Thanks for giving me a great fantasy (however fleeting) Jayell
Oh my gosh! There is no way I can eat a 600 calorie protein-filled breakfast in the morning! I would get stuffed halfway through! I do usually eat a 200ish calorie protein-filled breakfast though
I do a lot of my working out in the evening, so I think I need the larger dinner to fuel my workout During graduate school I didn't have time for dinner before my exercise and I found that generally when I just had a large breakfast and lunch to compensate that my workout wasn't as effective and I felt dizzy halfway through! I needed that dinner beforehand.
Now I find on the days I workout in the morning (weekends, mostly) that I need a slightly larger breakfast (50-100cals at the most), but nowhere near 600 calories.
I don't think I'll be replicating the egg, ham, and cheese omelet every morning, but the idea makes sense to me. When losing weight and starting maintenance I used to eat mostly carbs, with a little protein, around 300 cals for breakfast. I've found in the last 1-2 years that I need more and more protein to keep me satisfied until somewhere close to lunch time, and have added protein and healthy fats to my breakfasts, getting them up around 400 calories. I'm not going to jump to 600 but I can certainly appreciate the findings of this study!
I have found that when I include more starch in my dinners it gives me a false sense of hunger, though. I guess we are all an experiment and we need to do what works for us!
Yeah, I agree, Megan. We're all an experiment of one. But I have gone down the path of clinging to one approach long beyond when it has stopped working--and I've seen others do it, too. For example, trying to muscle through hunger using force of will.
If that drive to eat is hormonal (meaning ghrelin and other appetite hormones), then eating to balance those hormones seems like a better approach--or at least one worth trying--compared to sheer will power.
If that drive to eat is hormonal (meaning ghrelin and other appetite hormones), then eating to balance those hormones seems like a better approach--or at least one worth trying--compared to sheer will power.
It did to me, too, freelancemomma. But I noticed the article that listed the breakfast didn't indicate whether it's whole milk or skim, what kind of cereal, whether it's lowfat cream cheese, and so on. It also doesn't give the recipe for the strawbery smoothie. So I guess one would have to check it out in the book.
So, I just took it as a loose example--and I thought it sure looked like more food than I've been eating for breakfast. I have a problem with overeating at the end of the day, and perhaps this model explains why...
I eat a fairly small breakfast, never more than 350 cals and most often right around 300 calories. I do have a snacking issue at night though - I eat a smaller dinner usually and then snack during the evening. I wonder if a large breakfast would stop that snacking? I'd be afraid to try, I think I'd eat the big breakfast and then just keep eating!! Food for thought anyways!
I eat a fairly small breakfast, never more than 350 cals and most often right around 300 calories. I do have a snacking issue at night though - I eat a smaller dinner usually and then snack during the evening. I wonder if a large breakfast would stop that snacking? I'd be afraid to try, I think I'd eat the big breakfast and then just keep eating!! Food for thought anyways!
That is what i used to do, and it's the biggest change i'm working on making. I used to eat a huge breakfast including both protein and sweets, and then i'd just keep on snacking all morning. I'm trying to reverse that habit by eating zero carbs for breakfast. i've been eating 200 calories worth of steak or chicken for breakfast. Then no snacking until lunchtime. It's been really hard, but i think it's just a matter of training my body not to expect a whole bunch of food in the mornings. It will just take time to get used to it. I've stayed on plan with this for 4 weeks now but some days it's really hard.
I do usually eat a 200ish calorie protein-filled breakfast though
During graduate school I didn't have time for dinner before my exercise and I found that generally when I just had a large breakfast and lunch to compensate that my workout wasn't as effective and I felt dizzy halfway through! I needed that dinner beforehand. 
