Scientist says revolutionary breakfast meal is key to losing weight in weeks

Dr Giles Yeo, a leading expert in calories and genetics, has shared a revolutionary breakfast plan which fat-burners can follow to help them lose weight in just four weeks

A top diet expert has dished out a game-changing morning routine to weight-watchers, that could keep hunger pangs at bay.

Dr Giles Yeo, an expert from Cambridge, revealed on the 'Diary Of A CEO' podcast with host Steven Bartlett that a big breakfast could be your ticket to losing weight. He suggested flipping your main meal to the morning and opting for a modest dinner might just be the trick for burning fat more effectively.

During their chat, Dr Yeo imparted this wisdom: "Eat like a king at breakfast, a prince at lunch and a pauper at dinner". Knocking the idea that evening feasts aid weight loss, he professed that pigging out when the sun's up is the actual secret to slimming down, based on scientific evidence.

Dr Yeo underscored research showing those who indulge in ample morning meals and scanty night-time dinners could be nearly ten per cent leaner than night-time eaters.

He emphasised the higher metabolic rate by day due to our built-in survival instincts; we’re wired to forage and fend off predators when it’s light, causing us to burn calories more efficiently than in the wee hours when our metabolism tanks. Dr Yeo added: "Our metabolism is highest during the day, because we have to 'avoid becoming food' and we have to 'look for food'. Whereas at night when we're asleep, our metabolism drops.

"So if you eat your biggest meal at night and a couple of hours later you go to sleep, you are loading your calories then going to sleep - which is in storage mode. Whereas if you eat your biggest meal during the day, you have the whole day left in order to burn it," he explained. He referenced a study by Professor Alexandra Johnstone, a renowned "leading innovative UK researcher within the field of human appetite control" at the University of Aberdeen, reports the Express.

The nutrition guru detailed how the research assigned a set number of daily calories to participants over a four-week period. "And they did this either by front-loading all the calories at breakfast, or back-loading all the calories at dinner. Everyone ate the same thing - and then everybody swapped," he continued.

"Professor Alexandra Johnstone found that... the difference was if you ate more at breakfast, you felt less hungry during the day, than if you ate more at dinner. So while if you eat exactly the same foods, at breakfast and dinner or at dinner and lunch, it doesn't actually matter."

"But for some people, it may very well be easier to have a big breakfast. It means they get less hungry throughout the day." The study's statement clarified: "In a randomised crossover trial, 30 subjects with obesity/overweight underwent two 4-week calorie-restricted but isoenergetic weight loss diets, with morning loaded or evening loaded calories."

"Participants consuming the morning loaded diet reported significantly lower hunger. Thus, morning loaded intake (big breakfast) may assist with compliance to weight loss regime through a greater suppression of appetite."

Dr Yeo continued his advice, saying: "So if you were trying to lose weight... then you might begin to think about when you want to eat more. I would probably cut the calories from your dinner rather than cutting the calories from your breakfast."

The professor recognised that for individuals with demanding jobs and irregular shift patterns, such as nursing, adhering to a fixed meal schedule might be challenging. His suggestion was straightforward: "Eat when you're hungry".

In conclusion, Steve Bartlett asked: "So as general advice for the general person who isn't constrained by night shifts or anything like that, eating late, closer to when you fall asleep, is not going to help you lose weight? " Dr Yeo confirmed with a simple: "Correct."

Dr Yeo's research focuses on the genetic factors influencing obesity. He is the author of two books on the topic: 'Gene Eating: The Story of Human Appetite' and 'Why Calories Don't Count: How We Got the Science of Weight Loss Wrong'. A nutritious breakfast is a vital component of your day, no matter the calorie count.

Consider incorporating options like oatmeal, omelettes, or pancakes into your morning routine for a healthy start. Eating foods with protein and fibre in the morning can help keep your appetite in check.