Whether it’s because you had homework to do, forgot, or just didn’t want to, I am sure we have all skipped lunch at some point. Or maybe you are always running out the door at 7:15 a.m. and don’t have breakfast. It can seem harmless. But that rumbling stomach isn’t the only thing that happens.
Many students skip lunch to cram in some homework or get ahead on that project. Even though you are working ahead your brain is working back. Food provides your brain with glucose. Which enhances concentrating and thinking ability. Without food, you will have a harder time concentrating. That test you studied for at lunch is going to be just as hard if you don’t give your brain the food it needs. Don’t starve your brain!
When you skip breakfast your body runs through a long time without food. For the average teen who goes to bed at 10 p.m. and eats at 11 a.m. then that is 13 hours without food! If you skip lunch then that is eight hours without food. If your body doesn’t have a steady supply of nutrients then that is going to make you “hangry.” This hungry-angry symptom is due to the drop in blood sugar which happens without food. Low blood sugar causes fatigue, tiredness, and mood swings.
Maybe you’re skipping lunch to fit into your prom dress. Well, guess what? Skipping lunch actually makes more fat. When you mess with your food schedule then your metabolism notices it. In response, your metabolism slows down in order to store any food you eat as fat. It does this because, according to Kimberli McCallum, a psychiatrist located in St. Louis, “our bodies are programmed to survive at all costs. The more efficient way to lose fat is by eating smaller yet consistent meals.
But what if you’re just too lazy to pack or have to work on homework? Food is important and it’s good. Try packing the night before to save time or prep your lunch a week ahead by freezing leftovers. If you want to work on your homework, then have a banana and some chips while working on it.
For those of us who love to sleep in then making an overnight breakfast is very helpful. Overnight oats or a pre-made breakfast burrito are great. Don’t risk becoming a tired, hangry, brainless zombie. Eat your lunch and be the healthy person we should all strive to be.