The idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day actually just originates from an ad campaign, I believe it was for cereal. I do, however, work early in the morning and have to go a few hours before I get a chance to eat again, and I’ve found that it’s not the calories that make the biggest difference in my getting hungry before then. The protein intake of my first meal does. Between 20-30g of protein seems to keep me full the best
It really depends on your meal plan. I skip breakfast and have and early lunch of 1700-1800 calories, and fast the rest of the day. It’s called OMAD (one meal a day) intermittent fasting, effectively a 23 hour daily fast.
The short answer is it depends. It depends on your weight and activity level, and whether you’re trying to lose or gain weight. The most important thing is to eat a breakfast that will hold you through the morning. I find that oatmeal (high in fiber and with a low glycemic index - the sugars are digested more slowly) with some peanut butter for protein fills me up and really “sticks to my ribs” so to speak. If I’m hungry later in the morning I try to have yogurt. That’s based on me being 205#, work in an office, and trying to lose weight. If you’re more active, you’ll want to eat more. There are a number of apps that have free options that can help you plan your calorie intake to balance it for the day. I use Lose It!, and Under Armor makes a good tracker, too. If you’re looking to judge what works best for you, tracking what you eat - either with paper and pen in a notebook, or with an app, will help you be more aware of how your breakfast impacts your hunger throughout the morning. Best
It’s not so much the number, but the type of calories that matters. Prioritise proteins, healthy fats and "slow carbs" (aka low-GI foods like fresh fruit and non-starchy vegetables) to maintain energy levels throughout the morning and avoid a sugar crash. That being said, since breakfast is literally the breaking of a fast that might have lasted as long as 12 hours, you should be getting a good amount. A good rule of thumb is somewhere between 350-500 calories, depending on the individual.
I think that depends on each person, their activity level, and their day. And sometimes that changes in your own life. On days when I had classes, I could eat a smaller breakfast and a mid morning snack between or during my second class. When I went to work however I needed to eat something that would sustain me until my lunch. If you plan your meals, perhaps you could use a food tracking app to see if when your calories are evenly spaced between meals you feel energy all day or if you find that doesn’t work you could eat more in the morning or whenever you hit a slump?
There is no rule; nutrition is a highly individual thing. It depends on your body composition, fitness goals, and dietary restrictions.
Depends on your weight and health goals. For an average height and size woman like me, 300 calories as part of a maintenance diet is fine if you like snacks - more if you don’t need them.
During breakfast, I usually eat eggs since they are a good source of protein, and as a dancer I need all the protein I can get. And or eat toast, sometimes avacado toast. I know that calories are important but too many is bad. So I think the good amount for your breakfast is about 400-1,400 calories I think. It really depends on a persons diet.
It depends on the person and calorie intake varies based on weight, gender, body type etc. But do calculate your own calories and leave a sizable chunk for breakfast!
It’s not really possible to give a one size fits all answer for this question because it really depends on your body. It will be different for everyone. I suggest putting “TDEE calculator” into google to find out how many calories you need. It will estimate a number based upon your body stats and activity level and tell you how many calories you need to maintain your weight. If you are wanting to lose weight, start by eating 500 calories fewer than your maintenance number and you should start seeing results. From there you can determine how many calories to eat for breakfast depending on how you prefer to break your meals and snacks up during the day.
Answers reflect the personal experiences of Fabulous community members. They are not medical or professional advice — for guidance about your health, talk to a qualified professional.
