Discussion Board

In your ***Star*** McDougaller Story, you said this:

"I had to add breakfast to my daily routine, which was a big adjustment for me."

When you have time, will you please write more about that here?

Only rarely do I feel hungry before about 11-11:30 in the morning, yet from time to time I read about the importance of eating breakfast, and then eat breakfasts in spruts, never sticking to the breakfast routine regulary; and I do want to incorporate the optimum practices and advantages of Dr. McDougall's program. "Eating breakfast" for me seems to be somewhere in that process you mentioned of "...just keep putting one foot in front of the other" that I haven't mastered yet.

Will you explain more about what you personally learned about the importance of eating breakfast and why it was one of the changes you chose to make?

Thanks, Donna. --and thanks again for sharing your encouraging and uplifting story and photos.

Donna, --giving this a bump up, in case you missed it.

I'd like to hear from others, too, with ideas about eating breakfast/not eating breakfast/reasons to eat breakfast/what you eat for breakfast/changing from not eating B to eating B, etc.

Thanks.

One thing I noticed for me, is when I eat breakfast I seem to experience a desire to eat more food and more often throughout the entire day. It makes no sense to me, but it does seem to be a regular result

That's so interesting, Clary. I use to say that eating breakfast seemed to "jump start" my appetite for the whole day, and it made me want to eat more. But, I've noticed that since eating a big bowl of brown rice for breakfast and fruit, I'm set until lunch and don't have any cravings. So, do you still feel this way even when eating a heavy-starch breakfast, too?

I think how much you want to eat after breakfast depends a lot on what kind of breakfast you eat. Some foods make me want to eat sooner than other foods. Processed foods make me want to eat more than whole foods like rice and potatoes, even though they have more calories. I'm sure part of it has to do with the fiber content and such.

Thanks for the replies.

I've tried mostly the old-fashioned oatmeal breakfast, sometimes with berries or other fruit.
Other times I've tried lightly cracking some of my stored whole wheat, and having hot cracked wheat cereal breakfast, again sometimes with added fruit.
Brown rice, alone or with fruit or even with veges.
The shredded potatoes, usually with salsa.
Baked potatoes.

Things like that. I follow Dr. McDougall's program. Regardless of what I choose for breakfast from approved foods, I'm wanting to eat again soon afterwards.

My normal "appetite clock" seems to not click in until about 11-11:30 am, and if I eat then I feel satisfied til late afternoon/ early evening, around 6 pm or so.

I drink about 4 quarts of water per day.

I've always required very little food, and I seem to metabolize it very well, and have never had any kind of digestive problems! For about 35 years now, I fast for 24 hours on the first Sunday of the month, and sometimes for a bit longer time at the change of seasons, and have always found that easy for me to do.

Somewhere in the fairly recent past something was written here on this board, or in something Dr. McDougall wrote, about the importance of eating breakfast and some of the reasons why, but I have not been able to relocate the information. It seems like one of the items mentioned concerned hormones?

Anyone remember that??

I tried searching here, but just don't have the time or patience to search through all the threads that come up!

I don't think Jeff has any problem with people decreasing meal frequency, based on the "limited variety" thread recently. He mentions that some people do better with eating only two meals per day and that there is no advantage to grazing even for people with diabetes.

What I do recall, however, was in the weight loss registry of people who have lost substantial weight and then kept it off for years, that most of those people ate breakfast.

Personally, I find that if I don't eat my three squares I am set up more to eat off plan. But that's just me.

Thank you for the replies and information.

Additionally, if anyone recalls where the information was posted concerning "eating breakfast" that included something about how eating breakfast effects body metabolism, or bodily processes, or hormones (???) (or something like that ) please post the link.

I keep thinking it was in one of Dr. McDougall's newsletters, or something Jeff Novick wrote.

Clary -

Here I am! Took me a while to get down to this section of the board.

For me breakfast is important for two reasons. I find that I more satisfied through out the day and I have more energy all day long.

Dr. McDougall does encourage breakfast for weight lose as evident in this quote:

Eating breakfast
At our live-in program we serve a hearty breakfast, as well as unrestricted portions of delicious foods for lunch and dinner, and encourage frequent eating with snacks provided all day long. People who eat frequently (graze) lose weight more effectively than those who eat less often (gorge).

If you want to read the whole thing it can be found here:

http://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2005nl/july/050700fav5.htm

Not letting myself get to the point where I am very hungry has been key to me. When I do, then all logic goes out the window and I'm going to eat. Even if my choices are good (McD legal) I still will eat until I drop. I don't seem to have that full button that I've hear people talk about . So I do my best to keep away from the two extremes. Eating meals spaced through out the days does that for me.

When I was transitioning, I would have a smoothie for breakfast. My typical lunch would be a large salad. Then I would have starches in the late afternoon/evening. (I eat 4 times a day). I found that it was not enough to keep my energy levels up. I had to take a nap in the afternoon even after getting a good nights sleep. I added a starch to both meals and now I'm doing great.

I also do notice that I am more balanced emotionally now. Don't know if that has something to do with when I eat or just what I am eating.

But that's me. We are all different. What is good in general is not always the right thing for absolutely everyone. If you are doing fine with your schedule, I would stick with it. As they say -- don't fix what ain't broken .

Donna

Thank you, Donna, for your information and the link. I did use the link and read the entire article. Good stuff.

I guess I don't quite fit in to either of the described choices, because even tho' I am more comfortable when I eat less frequently, I also do not "gorge" at meals. My health and energy are good, and my weight stays at a healthful place for me.

So..., I think I will quit focusing on this for now, and stay with my schedule that works and is comfortable for me, as you mentioned.

Thanks, again.