I'm sure we've all heard it before: breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But is it really? Does skipping breakfast really make that much of a difference?

In short, yes, it does! Breakfast is so important, not only because it breaks the fast from between the time you eat dinner and when you get up (hence break-fast), working to jump start your metabolism, but because it also sets the tone for the day.

When you're creating the time and energy for breakfast, you're simultaneously honoring your body in that moment, sending yourself the message that it's important to you that you prioritize eating and being healthy - and this will carry through the rest of the day. Try it and let me know how it works for you!

Consider these other reasons for taking the time to honor your body with a healthy breakfast:

What you choose or choose not to eat for breakfast can really impact your moods, your energy, your thinking, and your concentration for the day. Food is more than just nutrients, vitamins and minerals. It is also energy. Feel scatterbrained some days and completely grounded on others? Hint: what you eat may have more to do with it than you think.

Eating breakfast stimulates our metabolism by breaking the overnight fasting period and replenishing our body's source of fuel. People who skip breakfast tend to snack and binge on less healthier items throughout the morning/early afternoon with whatever they can grab - be it a sugar-laden muffin at work, candy, or even soda. These foods are not only nutritionally deficient, they are often loaded with chemicals, empty calories, and wreak havoc on our thinking and performance throughout the day. It's not unusual for the bingeing to carry through to lunch or dinner, as your body continues to compensate for the skipped breakfast meal. Ultimately, skipping breakfast hampers weight loss efforts in the long run.

What do you do if you just don't feel hungry in the morning? Try having dinner earlier in the evening, and have a lighter meal. By morning, you should have an appetite. It may also take your body some getting used to at first. If you don't have an appetite in the morning immediately, there's no need to force yourself to have a big breakfast. Eating complex carbs with some protein, i.e. sprouted, whole grain toast with some almond butter, is perfectly fine.

Breakfast doesn't necessarily require much time - it just requires preparation in advance, and waking up 15 minutes or so earlier in the morning to make. Take a half hour during the weekend, and stock up on a few different options for breakfast. How about some walnuts and bananas for your oatmeal, frozen berries for smoothies, or sweet potatoes for nice variation in your breakfast routine?

Keeping all the above points in mind before you go to bed tonight - what will you eat for breakfast tomorrow morning?

And be sure to note the difference in your energy, mood, focus and concentration!