11 Reasons Why Skipping This Meal May Cause You to Gain Weight

Rise and shine! Today is your day, so make sure you get off to a smart and healthy start. You've heard it once, you'll hear it again: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and here are 11 quick reasons why.

1. Important start to your day: Eating a well-balanced and healthy breakfast provides you with the energy you need to carry on with your day, stay focused at work and to avoid that mid-morning slump. Begin each morning with a meal that is packed with rich vitamins, minerals and protein. (via Bloomberg School of Public Health)

2. Kickstarts your metabolism: Many assume that if you skip breakfast, you are sparing yourself extra calories in the morning. In reality, when you sleep, your metabolic rate slows down, so eating a nutritious breakfast in the morning helps to get your metabolism up and running and ready for the day ahead. Don't have enough time to cook in the morning? Check out these 10 quick and easy weight loss smoothie recipes that will help you start your day off right. 

3. Gives you energy: A study in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition found that eating breakfast that's high in fiber and carbohydrates could help you feel less tired throughout the day. Researchers also found that a high-fiber, low-carb breakfast gave them more energy than a high-fat breakfast. Click here to read about energy-boosting foods to keep you focused. 

4. Helps you maintain your weight: A study in the American Journal of Epidemiology showed that people who skip breakfast are four and a half times more likely to be obese than those who eat a morning meal. Another study showed that breakfast eaters consume about 100 fewer calories than people who skip.

5. Regulates cholesterol: Breakfast skippers are more likely to have worse cholesterol levels and insulin sensitivity than breakfast eaters, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Click here to read about 7 foods that naturally lower your cholesterol!

6. It may protect your heart: A study that focused on 27,100 men showed that those who didn't eat a morning meal were 27 percent more likely to develop heart disease than those who did. Click here to read about 33 heart healthy foods that you can incorporate into a morning meal!

7. Lower your risk of Type 2 diabetes: One study that focused on 30,000 men found that not eating breakfast increased the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by 21 percent! Need some inspiration for breakfast meals? Click here to check out 18 delicious recipes under 300 calories.

8. Helps improve memory: A report that reviewed 47 breakfast-related studies in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association claims that eating breakfast is likely to improve cognitive function related to memory and test grades. (via Live Science)

9. Helps improve attitude: People who skip breakfast are more likely to feel tired, irritable and restless throughout the morning. Eating breakfast helps improve your attitude towards work by giving you more strength and endurance (via Everyday Health)

10. Increases concentration: According to research, those who eat a low-glycemic breakfast may have better concentration and more positive reaction to difficult tasks than those who eat carbohydrate-laden breakfasts. Click here see why you should be paying closer attention to the glycemic index. 

11. Encourages a healthier lifestyle: Research shows that people who eat breakfast are more likely to incorporate their recommended amount of vitamins and minerals each day. Not only are breakfast eaters less likely to be obese, they're also more likely to have good blood sugar levels and are less likely to be hungry later on in the day, according to a study from the American Heart Association.

>> Want more? Click here to see 50 fast and easy breakfast ideas.