The big breakfast diet

What is the ‘big breakfast diet'?

While breakfast is one of the most common meals people skip, it is actually crucial in determining your energy and body fat levels.

The big breakfast diet evolved from a widely reported study that demonstrating some impressive weight-loss results after subjects ate more food earlier in the day.

The BB study: sustained weight loss with early eating

The researchers compared a high-carb and protein ‘big breakfast' diet that contained a total of 2728 kilojoules (1240 calories) against a strict low-carb diet with a total of 2387 kilojoules (1085 calories).

Both diets were low in fat, however the big breakfast eaters ate more food in total, and had more food earlier in the day. The big breakfast eaters ate 50 per cent of their total food intake for breakfast, whereas the low-carb group ate only 25 per cent. Both groups then had identical lunches and dinners.

After four months, their weight loss was virtually the same – around 11 kilograms. But after eight months, the low-carb dieters regained most of the weight they'd lost, while the big breakfast dieters continued to lose weight.

Those on the big breakfast diet lost more than 21 per cent of their body weight, compared with just 4.5 per cent for the low-carb group. They actually ate more kilojoules in total, and lost more weight.

How does the big breakfast diet work?

The big breakfast eaters reported feeling less hungry, especially before lunch, and had fewer cravings for carbohydrates than those on the low-carb diet.

A ‘big breakfast' diet allows people to eat more fibre and vitamin-rich foods. Essentially, it works because it controls appetite and helps to satisfy cravings for sweets and starches. This study also demonstrates that low-carb diets work in the short term, but results don't last – it takes time for healthy, sensible eating strategies to be effective.

Tips for following the big breakfast diet

• Keep your portions sizes down at night, especially of high GI, starchy and man-made carbohydrates. Eat just enough so that you are not starving when you try to sleep.
• Try not to eat at least two hours before going to sleep, which gives your body time for digestion.
• Minimise liquid kilojoule intake at night, especially alcohol. Pay particular attention to this if you have been inactive that day.
• Always eat breakfast, preferably a big breakfast that is low in fat and loaded with quality carbohydrates and protein. This includes foods such as wholegrain toast, skim milk smoothies, fruit, low-fat yoghurt, poached eggs and natural muesli.
• If you don't feel like eating larger portions for breakfast, have something light, and have a second meal of healthy breakfast type foods mid-morning.
• Limit your carbohydrate intake to fairly small portions of low GI foods for the rest of the day.

References available on request