It’s a fact; people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight. Many people believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, but that isn't a good idea.

Let's consider how breakfast relates to weight loss. You've just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours. Your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation. Skipping breakfast keeps your body in "starvation" mode, while eating a good meal will give your metabolism a boost. This is because being inactive (and not eating for this extended period of time) causes your metabolism to plummet. If you're trying to lose weight, the last thing you want to do is keep your metabolism at this lowered state. Partaking of a morning meal will rev up your fat burning ability.

Eating a good breakfast will sustain you until lunchtime. So when noon rolls around you won’t have the urge to binge on whatever you can get your hands on. By keeping your appetite sustained, it may in turn help you to control your impulse to eat when stress or emotions start to get the best of you. Studies have shown that people -- women in particular -- tend to eat less compulsively, less often, when they have eaten breakfast.

Still not convinced? Here's the bottom line: The fuel that keeps our motors running is glucose. Your brain and your nervous system need glucose to work: that means walking, speaking, stretching, typing -- any activity requires this fuel. If you don't supply it, your system resorts to finding stored carbohydrates or it tries to turn fat into glucose. Not good. So why put your body through all this? Instead, do what mom told you and eat that breakfast!

         * DVO welcomes your kitchen hints and cooking or nutrition questions! Email us and we'll post your hints and Q/A's in upcoming newsletters! *