The secret weapon for victory in what seems to be a never-ending battle of weight management is as simple as eating breakfast. Consider the age-old saying, “breakfast is the most important meal of the day.” Maybe our parents actually knew what they were talking about.

As a child, my parents stressed the importance of always having a healthy breakfast, but they could never explain why. Breakfast as the most important meal of the day was nothing more than something they were taught and are now passing down to the next generation. I am sure many of you have also heard this primitive expression but never quite understood why people believe it to be true. So I am going to take it a step further and explain why this statement is, in fact, correct.

I have come to notice that as we grow older, breakfast is more often neglected. Sure, breakfast may be skipped due to lack of time, but the more prominent reason always reverts back to the misguided impression that skipping breakfast means skipping a few extra inches on one’s waistline. This theory may seem like it makes sense, but if you know the facts, you will realize how wrong this concept actually is.

Studies show that skipping meals, specifically breakfast, may be associated with obesity. When you skip breakfast, you can enter a period of what is called pre-starvation. This can actually cause you to overeat at your next meal and lead to the consumption of more high-calorie snacks in an effort to counteract the hunger. In turn, managing weight will become much more challenging.

Enough of the negative; let’s talk about the benefits of eating breakfast. A healthy breakfast jump starts your metabolism and provides energy. With the hectic days we college students sometimes experience, this boost of energy may be just the trick to keep us going. If that is not enough incentive, you should know that an individual who eats breakfast will make healthier food choices throughout the day, do better in school and are also less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Breakfast does not have to be time consuming. Yogurt and cereal are two quick and easy meal options. If you need an option that provides more satiety, make oatmeal in bulk at the beginning of the week, and you can quickly reheat it in the morning. Fruit, eggs, toast with peanut butter and breakfast sandwiches are also good choices.

Do not fall prey to the misguided illusion that skipping the most important meal of the day will shed a few extra pounds. Those of you who boycott breakfast due to the idea that you will lose weight are actually setting yourself up for disappointment. The benefits of breakfast far outweigh the “believed benefits” of no breakfast, so grab your forks and spoons and begin your day off right.