By Will Hedberg | Contributor
Waking up for school is tough, especially for the dreaded 8 a.m. classes. Whether class is held over Zoom or in person, people want to look presentable. On a typical morning, people are so worried about getting ready for the day they may forget about one of the most important elements of their morning: breakfast.
People say breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I am inclined to agree. According to a study in the role of breakfast in energy balance and health, breakfast is a meal eaten in the morning that contains at least 50 calories to provide the nutrients and energy one needs to keep their body going and energized throughout the day. There are many reasons why people eat breakfast, but all breakfast eaters have one thing in common: breakfast powers their day. I interviewed two Baylor students on the reasons why they eat breakfast.
“We [the football team] ate breakfast mainly to make our weight requirements and keep our calorie count up,” former Baylor kicker Josh Grant said.
Similarly, “I have a protein smoothie and fruit for breakfast as a post-workout meal. It gives me the energy I need to conquer the morning until lunchtime,” Baylor graduate Marissa Holguin said.
If you do not enjoy working out in the morning, nor are you on the football team, then you are just like me. I enjoy eating breakfast solely because it is a great way to start the day. I feel more energized, awake and focused in classes and when playing in golf tournaments. Breakfast is really important for mornings when I have a golf tournament. It gives my body energy to walk many miles, swing a golf club and win tournament titles.
Our bodies crave carbohydrates when we wake up from sleeping because we have not eaten for a long time. Sleep experts recommend an average of 9 hours of sleep, meaning at least 9 hours between meals. Our brains require carbohydrates, such as glucose, to send signals throughout the body. When we have breakfast, our brain is supplied with the proper carbohydrate amount to execute and maintain body function and processes.
Inversely, when I do not have breakfast, I feel less motivated to carry out the duties of the day and more inclined to procrastinate on important tasks and duties. There definitely are some good reasons for setting aside breakfast. One reason why someone would not eat breakfast would be intermittent fasting. This dieting method is aimed to limit calorie intake for as many as 16 hours. This type of diet is used for many trying to lose weight or those trying to cut fat. Other cons include a crabby mood, extra hunger throughout a day and an extreme willingness to see all my upcoming assignments done much after they were due. Plus people always despise someone who is “hangry.”
“Aside from a few pre-noon snacks, I do not really eat breakfast. I do not have a lot of time in the morning to eat a meal larger than a protein bar,” Pinellas Park, Fla., senior Dalton Shettle said.
This behavior is quite normal for a lot of Baylor students, especially when time gets a little too crunched.
All in all, breakfast is a meal that provides the brain and body with the important carbs and nutrients to conquer the day. It can range from a cold bowl of milk and cereal to a fancy platter of Belgian waffles. Breakfast takers are more apt to study harder, concentrate better and decrease procrastination as the opposite is consistent with those who pass up on breakfast.
Breakfast is truly the most important meal of the day, so grab a bowl of cereal or omelet and carpe diem.
Will is a junior communication specialist major from Maple Plain, Minn.
