“Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”
We have heard this slogan our entire lives.
Do you know who invented it? Kellogg’s.
It wasn’t a doctor. It was a cereal company trying to sell you sugary cornflakes.
For 99% of human history, we did not wake up and immediately eat a bagel. We woke up, hunted, worked, and then ate.
We are biologically designed to function in a fasted state. In fact, we function better when we are a little hungry.
The “Food Coma” Mechanic
Have you ever noticed that after a big lunch, you feel like doing absolutely nothing? You get the “2:00 PM Slump.” You need coffee just to keep your eyes open.
This is simple biology. Digestion is expensive.
When you eat a meal, your body has to divert a massive amount of blood and energy to your stomach to break down the food.
That means less blood for your brain.
- Fed State: “Rest and Digest.” (Parasympathetic Nervous System). You are calm, sleepy, and slow.
- Fasted State: “Hunt and Gather.” (Sympathetic Nervous System). You are alert, focused, and sharp.
When you are constantly grazing on snacks all day, you are keeping your body in “digest” mode. You are sedating yourself with food.
Hunger = Focus
Evolutionarily, hunger is a signal to Wake Up.
If a caveman was hungry, his brain didn’t shut down. His senses sharpened. His focus narrowed. He became a dangerous predator so he could find food.
When you fast, your body produces Orexin-A, a neurotransmitter that increases alertness.
You also stabilize your blood sugar. Instead of the roller coaster of “Sugar High -> Crash -> Sugar High,” you ride a flat, steady line of energy.
Autophagy: The Cellular “Cleanup”
Beyond focus, fasting triggers a process called Autophagy (literally “self-eating”).
When you don’t have food coming in, your cells look around for other fuel sources. They start eating the “junk” inside your body—dead cells, damaged proteins, and waste products.
It is a deep cleaning for your biology.
If you never fast, you never give your body the chance to take out the trash.
How to Start (The 16:8 Method)
You don’t need to starve for days. The easiest protocol is Intermittent Fasting (16:8).
- 16 Hours Fasted: (e.g., 8:00 PM to 12:00 PM next day).
- 8 Hours Eating Window: (e.g., 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM).
Basically: Skip Breakfast.
Stick to black coffee or water in the morning.
You will find that your morning productivity skyrockets. You aren’t distracted by food. You are in “Hunter Mode.”
The Verdict
We treat hunger like an emergency.
“Oh no, my stomach growled. I must eat immediately.”
It’s not an emergency. It’s a wave. Let it pass.
Stop using food as entertainment. Stop using food to cure boredom.
Stay hungry. Stay sharp.