Should I eat breakfast in the AM if I am not hungry?

We have all heard the saying “breakfast is the most important meal of the day,” but is it really? Should we really force ourselves to eat breakfast in the AM if we aren’t hungry? I’ll admit that I am not always hungry in the morning, but as a registered dietitian I also know that lack of hunger may simply be a result of a hormone imbalance within the body… and that it is important  to eat breakfast regardless of whether I feel hungry or not. Why is this the case? Let me break it down for you. 

We all have hormones within our bodies that are responsible for providing hunger cues. Ghrelin gets secreted when we are hungry and leptin gets secreted when we are full. A hormone imbalance may alter the secretion of these hormones within our bodies, which explains why we sometimes don’t feel hungry in the AM despite having gone all night without eating. 

As a registered dietitian, knowing what I know, I think it is important that we all try to eat something within the first hour of waking up. Ideally, carbohydrates paired with a protein source should be the goal. By doing this we are essentially pulling our bodies out of its “fasting state” which helps to kickstart the metabolic process while simultaneously helping to regulate our hormones. One might also find that their AM hunger cues are “re-initiated” once hormones become more regulated.

So yes, in summary, it is important to eat breakfast in the AM even if hunger cues are not felt.

A Few QUICK, EASY, and BALANCED (carb + protein) breakfast options that one might try when looking to start the day off right:

• Peanut butter toast

• Eggs and toast

• Greek yogurt topped with fruit and seeds

• Peanut butter oatmeal

• Oatmeal topped with nuts/seeds

• High protein breakfast bar

• Fruit smoothie with a greek yogurt/milk base

• Cereal topped with fruit/nuts

Looking for more tips on how to improve your health? Are you experiencing symptoms that can be improved with diet and exercise? Interested in meeting with a registered dietitian? Nicole Baker Nutrition LLC is here for those in need!