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Eating the first meal of the day is probably the most important decision you make in your efforts to shed weight. Researchers have proved that filling up before you step out of the house can give you lower waist to hip ratios and help you avoid putting on additional pounds. Yes, breakfast is a miracle worker in helping you lose those excess pounds, and if you’re wondering about the incongruity in how eating can help you actually reduce your weight, read on for a list of the benefits of breakfast.

1.      A healthy breakfast of whole grain cereal and fruits high in fiber and good carbohydrates gives you enough energy to start your day and keep you feeling fresh as you go on. With your stomach full, you don’t feel the need or craving to snack on doughnuts or guzzle cups of coffee during the day.

2.      Once your hunger is taken care of with a large and healthy breakfast, you don’t feel the need to choose fatty, unhealthy foods that are low in nutrition for lunch and dinner. You automatically consume fewer calories during the rest of the day.

3.      Breakfast kick starts your metabolism and helps you burn the maximum number of calories.

4.      It increases your leptin levels, the hormone that’s responsible for suppressing appetite.

5.      Research has shown that those who eat breakfast on a regular basis tend to have lower cholesterol levels than those who give the meal a miss.

Besides the obvious advantage of helping you lose weight, eating breakfast also improves your concentration and productivity by replenishing your source of glucose which produces energy and provides you with more strength and endurance. So kick off that laziness as you get up each morning, and fix your family a nutritious breakfast to keep them going the whole day – it’s probably the best gift you can give your children.

The best breakfasts are those that are uncooked – unsweetened and whole wheat cereal, skimmed milk, fruits, toast, poached or boiled eggs and sugar free juice are your best bet for both health and weight loss. Avoid frying your bacon or eggs if you’re the kind who goes for a more substantial breakfast. If you are in the habit of grabbing energy bars on the go, make sure you read the labels for the number of calories each contains.

To wrap up, here’s a juicy tidbit about breakfast - Even if your breakfast is not healthy and includes fatty foods like bacon and rashers, it’s still better than no food at all when you’re trying to lose weight. How’s that for a weight loss anomaly? Go figure!

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This article is contributed by Heather Johnson, who regularly writes on lpn to rn . She invites your questions and writing job opportunities at her personal email address: heatherjohnson2323 at gmail dot com.