Why don't I want to eat breakfast in the morning?

When I wake up in the morning. I’m thirsty... but not hungry. What’s up with that? Does this happen to you, too? 

There’s a good chance it does, since nearly a quarter of Americans skip breakfast!

I almost always follow the “listen to your body” rule. But, not being hungry and therefore not eating breakfast is a little different. 

After some experimenting, I know that, even though my body isn’t telling me to eat, I feel better throughout the day when I eat breakfast. 

When I eat breakfast, even something very small, I have increased energy and focus and am less agitated throughout the whole day (and, by the way, beyond my first-hand experience, this is scientifically verified, too). It’s amazing how much a small change can affect your well-being!

I did a little digging, and there are many medical reasons to not be hungry in the morning - eating too much at night, hormones, pregnancy, anxiety or depression, sickness, medications, or other diseases. But, none of those are my situation right now.

So I dug deeper. And, the most promising reason why is that, when I sleep, my glucose levels drop. 

This sends a signal to my brain to make food. And part of my body’s response to that is making adrenaline. This puts my body in a “fight or flight” response. Your body’s natural response is to not eat, conserving all energy available to defend itself. 

So, I am listening to my body. It’s sending me a signal for survival but not one that’s best for my health. Are you with me still?

It’s as if my biological rhythm is out of whack. And, perhaps the way to correct it is to simply eat something in the morning.

I know this will be better long term (at least for me). I’ll feel better, and over time, I will be hungry in the morning again. So far, it seems to be working.

I am committing to eating something very small each morning. I created an easy breakfast menu: 

• Milk kefir
• Yogurt (with maple syrup)
• Muffins made with einkorn flour
• Cottage cheese
• A piece of toast with butter
• A banana (or other piece of fresh fruit)
• Oatmeal made with pre-soaked oats
• Smoothie (so many options here!)

Do you eat breakfast? What are your go-to morning snacks or meals?