You’ve no doubt heard the maxim, that ‘Breakfast is the most important meal of the day’. After taking a 14-day test which I created, I have to agree… But my reasoning and methodology are probably not what the dieticians and doctors and nutritionists had in mind when they coined the maxim…
Not me, but fairly representative of where I am in my current – and currently successful –
weight loss program. I have a whole closet full of skinny clothes
I really want to get back into for summer!
Here’s what happened, to spur the challenge…
I was sick over the year-end holidays. From The day after Christmas to the Wednesday after New Year’s. The worst part was, I was unable to eat normally because one of my ailments during that period was a mouth full of sores – chemical burns from a misguided practical joke foisted upon me by a person of my former acquaintance who shall remain unnamed. I passed the Holidays taking only liquids through a specially-modified straw. No Turkey or Ham, no Pumpkin Pie or Plum Pudding. Not a single culinary hallmark of the season. Bummer. But, more to the point, even though I was sucking down meal replacement drinks and a limited number runny smoothies, I lost 12 pounds in that week and a half!
When I finally was able to mouth real food again, I decided it would be prudent to eat big at Breakfast and skip lunch. If I injured my mouth again, I would have all day to heal up again before supper. But a funny thing happened on the way to the dining table…
I gained back only two pounds…
…Even though I was stuffing myself at Breakfast! I’ve been on this regimen since the Holidays and I am happy to report, I have kept the wright off. No discomfort, no upset in my bodily inputs or outputs. No signs of anything bad, In fact, I was quite weak after my enforced fast and, now, I feel stronger. Could that two pounds I gained back have been all muscle?
The net result of my adventure was that I lost 12 pounds, gained two back and went down a whole dress size. Now, I’m trying to work more activity into my days, and I’m losing again – slowly – even though I still eat til I’m full at Breakfast.
The reasoning behind the maxim…
The old saying about Breakfast being so important makes sense, of course, even without the ‘new data’ from my personal odyssey. You’ve fasted all night and your body has used a lot of fuel and resources fixing all the damage you did to it yesterday, while you were awake. You need fuel. Period. But there’s also the counter-notion that a heavy lunch will not only make you sleepy and inefficient through the afternoon, but will also be more likely to be processed and absorbed and stored as fat than a big Breakfast – especially if you have a sedentary lifestyle.
What about Supper? I propose that Supper be more like Lunch should be: Light, but hearty and not over-filling. This is a good venue for small portions of rich dishes. Allow yourself a sweet treat for dessert but, again, don’t pig out. You’ll sleep better and your body will thank you for not overloading it.
So there you have it…
I tripped over a secret – it works for me, anyway – to losing and keeping off weight. I still have a dress size and a half to go, but I’m getting there… And I’m feeling the least bit deprived. I don’t get the munchies in the late morning, anymore. And I don’t crave high-fat, high-sugar foods on those rare occasions when I do get the munchies (usually late at night).
This story is mine and mine alone. For all I know, my ‘accidental diet’ won’t work for any of the other seven-plus-billion people on Earth. But is working for me and I thought I should share. Who knows? Try eating a big breakfast and skipping that heavy lunch if you wish – at your sole discretion and on your own responsibility…
~ Maggie J.