Skipping Breakfast Reduces Performance
Over the last few decades, obesity in America has skyrocketed and many health researchers have examined what can be done to slow down the obesity epidemic. Some researchers have advocated skipping breakfast to reduce calories. Skipping breakfast have been advocated for weight loss and slowing down the aging process. Skipping breakfast may be good for weight loss by new research suggests that skipping breakfast will impair your workout performance later in the evening.
Ten male, habitual breakfast eaters completed two trials, in randomised, counterbalanced order. Subjects arrived at the laboratory overnight fasted, and either consumed or omitted a 733 kcal breakfast. Subjects were allowed to eat whatever they wanted at lunch and at dinner. In the evening, subjects completed 30 min cycling exercise at ∼60% VO2peak, followed by a 30 min maximal cycling performance test. At the end of the study, Energy intake was on average 200 kcal greater at lunch after breakfast omission compared to breakfast consumption and tended to be greater at dinner after consuming breakfast. 24 hour energy intake 19% greater after consuming breakfast compared to skipping breakfast. Total work completed during the exercise performance test was 4.5 % greater after breakfast. Breakfast omission might be an effective means of reducing daily energy intake, but may impair performance later that day, even after consuming lunch.
Clayton DJ, Barutcu A, Machin C, Stensel DJ, James LJ. Effect of Breakfast
Omission on Energy Intake and Evening Exercise Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
2015 May 12.
