For weight loss, the particulars of what you eat and when is endlessly debated. Luckily, Michael Mosley has weighed in to share his take on the best breakfast for shedding pounds.
You've heard breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but a new study found that the time you eat your biggest meal of the day doesn't matter. Declaring his "surprise", the creator of the 5:2 Diet challenged the findings in a recent column.
Standing firm by the importance of a big breakfast, the diet guru shared the recipe to his favourite dish - and advised dieters of the time they should skip eating.
A University of Aberdeen study set out to tackle myths about how timing influences body weight or health.
In a key finding, researchers reported that the time you eat the largest meal of the day doesn't affect metabolism - the rate your body burns calories - so eating a hearty breakfast doesn't burn more calories in and of itself.
However, scientists noted that participants who ate bigger breakfasts felt more in control of their appetites, which could lead to weight loss.
Stunned by the study, Michael made reference to a "slew" of previous research that reached the opposite conclusion. He directly compared the findings to a 2013 study by Tel Aviv University where women who ate a bigger breakfast lost almost 2.5 more weight than those who ate a bigger dinner.
"What I conclude from all this is that the adage 'breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper' still stands and that paying attention to when you eat, as well as what you eat, can play an important role in improving your health," wrote Michael in the Daily Mail.
"But don't expect miracles and be aware that there is no single diet that will suit everyone."
Michael took the opportunity to share his favourite diet-conscious breakfast. He also added in a warning for people losing weight to avoid late night snacking.
He said: "I personally find the best way to keep the weight off is to have a protein-rich breakfast (my favourites include scrambled eggs and smoked salmon or kippers) and avoid evening snacking, particularly the sort that is done mindlessly, late at night, in front of the television."
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