Folk wisdom suggests that to manage our weight, we should eat like a king for breakfast, a prince for lunch and a pauper for dinner.
One study by Tel Aviv University researchers seems to confirm this advice. Two groups of participants were given the same daily caloric allowance. Men were allowed 1,600 calories, and women were allowed 1,400 calories. One group ate a large breakfast (600 calories), while the second group ate calories spread evenly among meals. When the participants were weighed at the end of 32 weeks, how much more did the big-breakfast eaters lose on average when compared to their peers?
- 10 pounds
- 20 pounds
- 30 pounds
- 40 pounds
The answer is number 4. The scale told the tale. The big-breakfast group lost a whopping 40 pounds more on average than those who spread their calories evenly throughout the day. Participants who ate the big breakfasts reported feeling more satisfied and more in control of their eating than those who ate smaller breakfasts. In explaining the remarkable results, researchers concluded that starting the day with a hearty meal reduces cravings and overeating later in the day.
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