Breakfast is an important meal because it gives your body all the needed boost you need to get off to a good start. Skipping breakfast can lead to heart disease, increased appetite, and a slower metabolism.
People skip breakfast for many reasons. For some, it’s because they are just busy and can’t afford to fix up a meal before stepping out. For others, it is a reaction to some misguidance about what weight loss is really about. They believe that since they’re trying to lose weight, skipping meals is fine.
Whatever the case, people who skip breakfast regularly are doing their bodies more harm than good. Here are some of the side effects you may not know about skipping breakfast:
1. Your Blood Sugar Level is Dropping
One of the key functions of good breakfast meals is to replenish your body’s energy stores, so you can approach the day hyped up and ready for the tasks ahead.
When you skip breakfast, your sugar level drops. This presents with symptoms such as headaches, irritability, and less productivity. Some people may even notice fidgeting and drowsiness.
Related: 5 Breakfast Foods for Belly Fat Loss
2. Increased Appetite
When you skip breakfast, it is only expected that you will feel hungrier when it is time for lunch. This means you will eat a lot then, and often more than you need to eat.
If you work in an office setting, you are likely to settle for eating a lot of junk as a response to your’ craving.’
This defeats the purpose of your dieting, doesn’t it?
Whilst skipping breakfast may not directly cause weight gain, the spike in appetite that comes with it just might. So, it is best you just have something before stepping into the outside world.
Read: 10 Foods People With Diabetes Must Avoid at All Cost
3. Dehydration
This is especially seen in people who don’t drink water and still somehow skip breakfast. You are basically depriving your body of water.
This is going to present with symptoms similar to hypoglycemia. You will feel edgy and unproductive, and it’ll be quite difficult for you to concentrate.
You’ll also be harming your kidneys, as drinking a lot of water is one of the ways you can keep your kidneys healthy.
4. Slow Metabolism
Going for long periods without having breakfast causes the body to start stacking up calories. It senses that something is wrong and begins to prepare for possible starvation.
More and more calories are stacked, and less are burnt up—slow metabolism. This can have an effect on you in the long run.
Related: Here are Foods That Speed Up Metabolism and Burn Fat
5. You are at Possible Risk of Heart Disease
A study which was published in 2019 shows that people who stick to skipping breakfast every day are more prone to developing heart disease. Also, people who stick to eating breakfast at least one time every week are prone to developing heart disease. This study was conducted by The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
This goes further to buttress the point that skipping breakfast regularly might just be a very bad idea.
You don’t want your heart going bad, do you?
Read: 15 Reasons you are Overeating (And How to Stop Overeating)
Summary
Breakfast is one of the most important meals for the day, as it gets you started. Skipping is not a great idea. There are a number of healthy breakfast options for you. You should consider having these before stepping out next time.
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