Everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Not only does a well-rounded breakfast give you the fuel you need to start the day, it'll also help you keep your daily calorie load down. But breakfast, especially if it's fast food, can be especially sinful.

The authors of Eat This, Not That recently lined up the worst of the worst when it comes to breakfast food. There aren't too many surprises; did anyone actually think that McDonald's deluxe breakfast was a healthy choice for any meal of the day? But looking over the fat, salt, and calorie content is a good reminder that one meal can equal nearly all the calories you should take in in an entire day if you aren't careful.



So what should you be eating for breakfast? According to a recent study, there's no reason to skimp. Obese women who ate a hearty, well-rounded breakfast of high-quality protein and whole grains lost significantly more weight than women who ate a smaller breakfast. Whatever you choose, avoid refined grains and added sugars.

What's your favorite healthy breakfast?

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You know that breakfast is the most important meal of your child's day. It provides fuel to get their day started, stabilizes blood sugar and prevents overeating, and improves academic performance. But what about kids who are too busy to eat breakfast, aren't hungry in the morning, or just don't like typical breakfast foods? Ediets has some excellent suggestions for getting breakfast into your young breakfast hater. Some of my favorite tips include:

• Give them a straw. Put all the components of a great breakfast -- protein, healthy cabs, and a little fat -- into a blender and mix it up. Even kids who don't want to eat will often drink a sweet smoothie.
• Try to wean your kids off sweet cereals, but in the mean time, pair that high-sugar treat with a protein (like eggs) to slow the sugar down.
• Prepare foods ahead (hard boiled eggs, for example) that your kids can easily grab when they're on the go.
• Don't worry if they eat last nights leftovers for breakfast. As long as they're eating nutritiously, it just doesn't matter if they don't like "breakfast foods."

Read more tips here, including an interesting recipe for breakfast ice cream!

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If I skip breakfast and launch myself headfirst into my day, I often don't get hungry until 2 or 3 in the afternoon. Though it's tempting to think that I'm doing myself a favor by avoiding all those calories, the truth is that when I do skip breakfast, I usually end up making up for it...and then some. I make poor food choices because I'm so hungry in the afternoon, and find myself snacking late into the evening.

Breakfast really is important, especially if you're trying to lose weight. "But I feel hungrier at lunch if I eat breakfast than if I don't," you might be thinking. That's probably true, but the reason you are is because that breakfast you ate revved up your metabolism and told your body to start burning calories.

Here's a list of ten reasons why breakfast really is the most important of the day. Eating a healthy breakfast (skip the donuts and high sugar cereals) will not only help you lose weight, it will also help you feel better and perform better at work or school. And remember, though oatmeal and whole grain cereals certainly are great choices for your morning meal, you can always make things more interesting. What's your favorite breakfast?

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