When you’re trying to lose weight, it’s tempting to skip meals, especially breakfast, to save calories. There’s a reason breakfast is called the most important meal of the day, though, and it’s especially true if you’re looking to shed some pounds. Here are three reasons you should make time to eat every morning.

3 Reasons Breakfast Boosts Weight Loss

1. Prevent Mindless Snacking

When you skip breakfast, you’ll probably okay for a little while, but by mid-morning, you’re likely to be hungry and start snacking. In fact, research indicates that people who skip breakfast end up replacing those calories with snacks throughout the day, and are more likely to eat larger lunches and dinner. The end result is a higher calorie intake then you would have had if you’d eaten breakfast, which contributes to weight gain.

2. Boost Your Metabolism

Eating a meal early in the day can actually boost your metabolism, and help prevent cravings for foods high in carbohydrates. One study found that when you eat is just as important as what you eat when it comes to weight loss, and that by eating within 90 minutes of waking, you can jumpstart your metabolism to burn more calories throughout the day. Also, by eating when you wake up and not waiting until lunch, your blood sugar levels stay regulated. When your blood sugar is normal, you crave fewer carbohydrates, and fewer carbohydrates means more pounds lost.

3. Breakfast Foods Curb Hunger

Controlling hunger is key to weight loss, and two nutrients are powerhouses when it comes to hunger control: Fiber and protein. Fiber helps you feel full and controls blood sugar, preventing dips in energy and carb cravings. Protein also helps fill you up, and because it takes longer to break down, keeps you feeling full longer. When it comes to foods rich in these nutrients, breakfast foods including steel cut oatmeal, bran cereals, eggs, and lean, low sodium meats like turkey sausage or bacon, and Greek yogurt all offer high doses that can fill you up and prevent overeating.

If you’re looking for healthy, delicious breakfast options when eating out, The Diner at Sugar Hill has you covered. This family restaurant in Buford, GA, serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily from an extensive menu of American food favorites. Check out their menu online, or call (770) 831-0180 to reserve a table.