Something to those big Irish Breakfasts

The only time I ever lost weight on vacation was on a trip to Ireland, where we stayed at different B&B’s almost every night. The “big Irish breakfast” was wonderful, every day, and we ate it all - cereal or porridge, black bread with butter, yogurt with berries, eggs, sausage, bacon, potatoes and fried tomatoes and lots of coffee with cream. It would keep us quite filled and energetic until supper (I don’t believe we ever ate lunch, although we took a break each day for a Guinness and some days for gelato), and supper was fairly light - a bit of fresh fish and veggies or the like.

Seems that sort of breakfast helps in weight loss:

Researchers have found a possible way to overcome the common problem of dieters eventually abandoning their diet and regaining the weight they lost. Eat a big breakfast packed with carbohydrates (”carbs”) and protein, then follow a low-carb, low-calorie diet the rest of the day, the authors of a new study recommend.

Yes, that’s pretty much how it went in Ireland, and we noticed that it was rare to find chubby people over there.

Here in America it’s all so fast-paced. Hard to take the time to put together a big breakfast, so we snatch a bun or a roll with butter and a cup of coffee, or a nutri-bar and we run - and all day we’re trying to catch up with what we need. I have noticed that on days where I take the time to add an egg and a piece of rye toast to my usual yogurt/granola breakfast, the whole day feels better, and - on the rare occasion that I have all that plus oatmeal - I’m even more energetic.

It’s just the rousing oneself out of bed even earlier, “just for breakfast” that makes it difficult.

by TheAnchoress @ 11:15 am. Filed under America, Medical

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7 Responses to “Something to those big Irish Breakfasts”

AngloCathJoi Says:
June 23rd, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Hmmm…maybe I should get my SuperSonic Breakfast Burrito more often, then!

(Doubtful, as it’s completely full of fats and other junk. It’s wonderful though: eggs, sausage, tomatoes, onions, and tater tots, all wrapped up in a huge flour tortilla. YUM.)

P.S. You might be interested in this singer I discovered on Pandora radio. She’s a young Catholic living in LA, and she writes her own songs: I’ve found many of them to be quite moving, especially Fall To Fly, and Stronger for Life. Her name is Corrinne May, and you can hear some of the songs on her website: http://www.corrinnemay.com
maryd Says:
June 23rd, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I think this is probably right. I have been bedridden with a herniated disc and another mysterious back problem for seven weeks now. We accidentally discovered that my husband of 37 years can make drop dead perfect eggs-over-easy, toast and one sausage patty (from Edwards of Virginia — unlike any sausage I have ever experienced -probably the perfect go along with the Monks’ coffee, but I’m strictly a tea drinker). I’ve been having that breakfast, no lunch, and a modest dinner preceded by a plate full of raw veggies. Despite the lack of psychical activity, I have lost about eight pounds. I guess the Lord really does giveth and then take away.
newton Says:
June 23rd, 2008 at 8:03 pm
A king’s breakfast, a prince’s lunch, a pauper’s dinner. Sounds like a plan.
Laura H Says:
June 23rd, 2008 at 11:18 pm
i was always told it was rude to say, “duh” but…

duh.

haha. it makes perfect sense. if anyone were to sit down and think of it, they’d understand it. it doesn’t take a scientist to tell ya that. in fact, i was just having a conversation with julie d’s husband about this very thing — telling him that a big breakfast full of carbs, protein, and fiber is the best way to start your day and that the meals should get smaller and lighter as the day goes on. dinner is made to be this huge thing in america and it should be the other way around!

he didn’t really believe me, i dont think. at the very least, he was skeptical. hehe. of course, he did note that it was simply easier to have big meals at the end of the day when people were around and such. and while he has a point, its mostly because our culture has made it as such. we could start our days later and allow for big family meals at the start of the day.

anyhow…
Gayle Miller Says:
June 24th, 2008 at 8:15 am
The easiest way for me to lose weight, especially at my somewhat more elderly age, is to eat a big breakfast and lunch and then about 4 p.m. have a light snack and that’s it for the day! I sleep better, I feel better and I lose miniscule quantities of weight - but steadily!
Dante Explorer Says:
June 25th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
I love diets that involve eating, not deprivation!
March Hare Says:
June 26th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
I lost weight last year while on vacation in Japan. We had several small meals during the day, with lots of fish, veggies, and beer. It seemed like every time we sat down we were eating. And though we did a lot of walking while touring, I didn’t feel like I was doing a lot of exercise.

I usually have oatmeal for breakfast and yogurt for lunch. I may have to rethink that!