Is Skipping Breakfast Making You Age Faster? (Small Habits, Big Difference #6)

Small Habits…Big Difference! Habit #6

When do you eat your first bite of food in the morning?

Right away? Mid-morning? Or do you make it all the way to lunch on nothing but coffee? 😂

I've been reading The Eternal Norse by Astrid and Erik Halvorsen, and I'm sharing some of the everyday habits that might be worth changing as we get older.

Last time, we talked about getting up and moving for two minutes every hour.

Well…here's Habit #6.

Skipping breakfast, or eating nothing until noon, may be working against you!

There are plenty of reasons.

We're not hungry yet. We're in a hurry. We figure we'll save the calories for later. Or we just got out of the habit years ago and never got back into it.

I understand. A cup of coffee and out the door is easy.

But here's what the book says is going on inside while we wait for lunch.

Your body has a stress hormone called cortisol.

Skipping breakfast keeps your cortisol high all morning.

This is mostly true for women over forty. So, ladies, this one is especially for you. (And fellows, you might want to pass it along to your wife, your sister, or your daughter!)

When cortisol stays too high for too long, collagen breaks down.

Collagen is what keeps our skin firm. Back in Habit #3, we talked about how late-night eating can damage it too.

High cortisol also disrupts sleep and increases aging.

And I don't know anybody my age who is looking for less sleep!

Here's the habit.

Eat something small within an hour of waking.

Notice I said small. You don't need a big spread.

Something with protein is a good choice. A few easy ideas:

• An egg
• A bowl of oats
• A piece of fruit
• A handful of nuts

Eating something early tells your body that you can get going.

A word of caution. If you have diabetes, take medication that has to be timed with food, or your doctor has you on a certain eating plan, follow their advice.

Nobody I knew on the farm would take a tractor out for a full morning's work on an empty fuel tank.

You filled it up first. Then you went to work.

It didn't take a whole tanker truck. Just enough to get the job started.

Our bodies aren't all that different. A little fuel in the morning lets them settle in and get to work, instead of running on stress until noon.

Small habits…big difference!

I'm not asking anybody to cook up bacon, biscuits and gravy every morning.

An egg and a few bites of fruit will do just fine.

At my age, I'm not chasing miracles. I just want to stay active, stay healthy, enjoy my family, spend time with my grandson, and keep learning new things for as long as the good Lord allows.

That's one reason I've become interested in health and wellness and why I'm involved with Zilara, a company offering wellness products in forms such as liquids, powders, tinctures, and teas.

I'm not looking for overnight transformations.

I'm interested in learning about practical ways to support our health as we get older…and sharing what I discover.

If you're curious about Zilara, you can explore it through a free 72-hour tour:

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No pressure. Just take a look and decide for yourself. (I earn a commission if you join through my link; your price doesn't change.)

Tomorrow morning, before the clock gets too far along, eat something small.

An egg. Some oats. A piece of fruit. A few nuts.

Within an hour of waking.

Then do it again the next morning.

One little change.

One little habit.

And who knows? Maybe you'll sleep a little better tonight!

Now, I have a question for you…

👉 Are you a BREAKFAST EATER or a BREAKFAST SKIPPER?

Leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, keep learning, keep taking care of yourself, and…

Just keep moving forward!

Bill Feaver

Small Habits…Big Difference! A series about simple changes that may help us live healthier, more active lives as we age.