It’s often said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But when it comes to losing weight, many people skip the morning meal to jump-start weight loss. 

However, registered dietitians beg to differ. In fact, they tell us that the most important morning habit to break for weight loss is skipping breakfast. Why? “When people skip breakfast, they tend to make poorer food choices throughout the day, eating larger portions and choosing higher-sugar foods,” says Maj. Kelly Kaim, M.S., RD, LD, lead sports dietitian for the Army’s World Class Athlete Program.  

Read on to learn how skipping breakfast may backfire when it comes to weight loss and what you can do to make losing weight easier.

How Skipping Breakfast Can Prevent Weight Loss

Skipping breakfast can have a domino effect on the rest of the day’s food choices, which may make it more difficult to lose weight. 

You May Eat More Calories at Your Next Meal

You may not be thinking about lunch or dinner when you decide to skip breakfast. But that can set you up to eat more calories at your next meal, says Lainey Younkin, M.S., RDN, LDN, a Boston-based registered dietitian. “Ever find yourself raiding the kitchen in the late afternoon or after dinner?” she asks. “Nine times out of ten, it’s because you didn’t eat enough at breakfast.” 

Research agrees. One study found that adults who skipped breakfast ate more calories at subsequent meals. Another downside? The breakfast skippers in this study also had poorer-quality diets than those who ate breakfast. It should be noted that the breakfast skippers did consume fewer overall calories throughout the day. However, this study only analyzed two days of diet recalls, which is not an accurate representation of a person’s long-term eating habits. So, more research is needed.

You’re More Likely to Overeat at Night

Skipping breakfast may trigger overeating, especially in the evening. That means you’re likely to eat the majority of your calories during the less-active times of the day. “When you eat a balanced breakfast, you stay full and energized longer, and the nighttime cravings essentially disappear, making it easier to stay in a slight calorie deficit for weight loss,” says Younkin. 

“Switching to a larger breakfast allows you to use that fuel all day and not have extra unused calories versus eating a ton at night and not using it, which then can be stored as fat,” says Kaim. In other words, redistributing your daily calories may influence weight loss independent of a change in total calorie intake.

You May Experience Blood Sugar Spikes

Eating breakfast helps stabilize blood sugar after an overnight fast. “Skipping breakfast or not eating enough in the morning throws off blood sugar balance, which plays a huge role in weight loss,” says Younkin. A small study of men ages 19 to 24 found that on days when they skipped breakfast, they experienced spikes in blood sugar and abnormally high insulin levels after lunch compared to days when they ate breakfast. This may explain why they reported significantly more hunger when they missed breakfast versus days when they ate it. Other research has also found that skipping breakfast leads to poor blood sugar control in those with type 2 diabetes.  

Other Strategies to Lose Weight 

Eating a balanced breakfast is just the first step toward your weight-loss goals. These strategies may make it easier for you to lose weight, no meal-skipping required!

• Have a Plan. When you don’t plan what you’re going to eat ahead of time, you risk letting your day dictate what happens to you and your eating, says Christy Brissette, M.S., RDN, a registered dietitian and president of 80 Twenty Nutrition. “That’s setting yourself up for chaotic eating and disappointment,” she says. Instead, Brissette recommends taking a few minutes in the evening to plan what you’ll eat the next day. “This is called precommitment. You’re making a promise to yourself and setting goals,” she explains.
• Eat More Protein. Protein has taken center stage in the weight-loss conversation. And for good reason. It plays a role in satiety and helps to maintain calorie-burning muscle. When it comes to weight loss, Younkin recommends focusing on upping protein at breakfast first. “A balanced meal has high-fiber carbohydrates, protein and fat,” she says. “People often eat a somewhat balanced breakfast, like eggs and toast or Greek yogurt with berries, but it doesn’t have enough protein.” She suggests aiming for 20 to 30 grams of protein at breakfast and 5 to 10 grams of fiber plus some healthy fat like avocado. Some of our favorite high-protein breakfast recipes are also packed with veggies, making them a good source of fiber as well.
• Load Up on Veggies. Speaking of vegetables, they’re one of the best foods for weight loss. Yet, most of us don’t eat enough of them. “Try to make colorful vegetables half of your plate to get plenty of nutrients and for very few calories,” says Brissette. The visual of filling your plate with produce can also be beneficial for an abundance mindset. “Vegetables are full of fiber, water, vitamins and minerals but low in calories, so they fill you up while helping you stay in a calorie deficit,” adds Younkin. She recommends dedicating half your plate to vegetables and then dividing the remaining half between lean protein and fiber-rich whole grains.
• Remain Flexible. Research has shown that diets can be difficult to stick to, especially over the long term. That’s why many dietitians recommend a more flexible approach. “We all have different likes, dislikes, needs, behaviors and desires,” says Philadelphia-based registered dietitian Amy S. Margulies, RD, LDN, CDCES. “There is no cookie-cutter approach out there that is successful in the long term. If you feel you are on a “diet” versus a meal plan that you can sustain for the long haul, you will regain the weight you worked so hard to lose.” If weight loss is your goal, looking at success through the lens of long-term weight loss is essential.

The Bottom Line

If you regularly skip breakfast, now is the time to add it back to your day. You’ll not only improve the quality of your diet. You may also lose weight, thanks to fewer cravings and blood sugar spikes and less of a tendency to overeat in the evening. 

Keep in mind that no matter what change you make for weight loss, it must be sustainable to have a significant effect. “If you can’t keep doing something forever, you won’t maintain the results forever either,” says Younkin. “Aim for balanced meals about 80% of the time throughout the week and the rest of the time eat foods you enjoy without guilt or feeling like you need to make up for it.”