The Snowden revelations have made it clear that online privacy is certainly not a given.

Just a few days ago we learned that the Canadian Government tracked visitors of dozens of popular file-sharing sites.

As these stories make headlines around the world interest in anonymity services such as VPNs has increased, as even regular Internet users don’t like the idea of being spied on.

Unfortunately, even the best VPN services can’t guarantee to be 100% secure. This week a very concerning security flaw revealed that it’s easy to see the real IP-addresses of many VPN users through a WebRTC feature.

With a few lines of code websites can make requests to STUN servers and log users’ VPN IP-address and the “hidden” home IP-address, as well as local network addresses.

The vulnerability affects WebRTC-supporting browsers including Firefox and Chrome and appears to be limited to Windows machines.

A demo published on GitHub by developer Daniel Roesler allows people to check if they are affected by the security flaw.

IP-address leak

The demo claims that browser plugins can’t block the vulnerability, but luckily this isn’t entirely true. There are several easy fixes available to patch the security hole.

Chrome users can install the WebRTC block extension or ScriptSafe, which both reportedly block the vulnerability.

Firefox users should be able to block the request with the NoScript addon. Alternatively, they can type “about:config” in the address bar and set the “media.peerconnection.enabled” setting to false.

TF asked various VPN providers to share their thoughts and tips on the vulnerability. Private Internet Access told us that the are currently investigating the issue to see what they can do on their end to address it. (Update: PIA published an article on the issue today)

TorGuard informed us that they issued a warning in a blog post along with instructions on how to stop the browser leak. Ben Van Der Pelt, TorGuard’s CEO, further informed us that tunneling the VPN through a router is another fix.

“Perhaps the best way to be protected from WebRTC and similar vulnerabilities is to run the VPN tunnel directly on the router. This allows the user to be connected to a VPN directly via Wi-Fi, leaving no possibility of a rogue script bypassing a software VPN tunnel and finding one’s real IP,” Van der Pelt says.

“During our testing Windows users who were connected by way of a VPN router were not vulnerable to WebRTC IP leaks even without any browser fixes,” he adds.

While the fixes above are all reported to work, the leak is a reminder that anonymity should never be taken for granted.

As is often the case with these type of vulnerabilities, VPN and proxy users should regularly check if their connection is secure. This also includes testing against DNS leaks and proxy vulnerabilities.

Update: Freebsd also appears to be affected by the vulnerability.

Source: TorrentFreak, for the latest info on copyright, file-sharing, torrent sites and anonymous VPN services.

Landscape photographers use a technique involving long exposures to create those milky smooth waterfalls, and misty images of coastlines. But what other ways are long exposures used?

Here are a few long exposure photographs that seem almost otherworldly or supernatural in their appearance for you to ponder and enjoy:

Note: long exposures of busy places full of people can help make all the people disappear magically!

The post 37 Ethereal Almost Supernatural Long Exposure Photographs by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.

You have a ton of options for password managers, but when it comes to your security, you want the best possible tool for the job. Let's take a look at some of the most popular password managers and compare them side-by-side so you can pick the one that's right for you.

Considering the security required for a password manager, you have a surprising amount of choices here. We spent some time with all of them, then picked the following five because they hit the sweet spot between reliability, features, security, and support (and not surprisingly, the best five were the the ones you all voted for in our last poll). That said, we'll talk about some of the other options at the end too. With that, let's start by taking a look at the the basic feature set of our top five:

Click the expand button above for a closer look.

Features aren't everything, though. It's also about usability, support, and security. To keep things short, let's start by talking about the basics that each of these password managers have:

• Password generation: The only secure password is one you can't remember, and you need a different one for every account you use—which means a password generator comes in really handy. So, all of the password managers on this list will do that for you when you sign up for a new account on a web site.
• Form filling: Every password manager here will also fill out your name, address, and other information automatically on other sites. It isn't specifically related to passwords, but hey, it's super handy.
• Secure password sharing: Each of the password managers here support sharing passwords securely with other people. They each do things a little differently, but if you need to share a password with a co-worker or family member, this feature is one of the easiest (and most secure) ways to do so.
• Secure Notes: If you want to store extra passwords for Wi-Fi networks or any personally identifiable information, all of these password managers include a secure notes section.

With that, let's take a look at how each of these password managers differs to help you pick the one that's right for you.

LastPass

LastPass has long been a household favorite here at Lifehacker, but that doesn't necessarily mean it's the best manager for you. Let's take a quick run through its feature set:

• Browser extensions and a dedicated Mac app: With browser extensions, you can use LastPass with just about any browser out there, without the need for an extra app on your computer. Once you get it set up, your login and password information are saved securely on LastPass's servers, and you can access them from any computer on which you have the extension installed. The Mac app adds a few more features to the extensions, including a faster search and a better way to browse your passwords outside your browser.
• Mobile apps: If you do a lot of browsing on your phone or tablet, you can take your LastPass passwords with you. The apps themselves are free, but they require a LastPass Premium account ($12/year) to actually use. LastPass is available on Android and iOS like everything else on this list, but you can also get it on Windows Phone and Blackberry.
• Password audits: LastPass will scan your vault to check for weak passwords and help you create more secure ones. It'll also show you a nice score on the screen so you can quickly see how strong the bulk of your passwords are.
• Automatic password changes: After a site gets hacked, it's generally advisable to change your password to that service (and any other service on which you used the same password). LastPass keeps a database of hacks around the web and will alert you when you have an account that's been compromised. From there, you can change your password with just a click.
• Two-factor authentication: LastPass supports two-factor authentication through services like Google Authenticator, Grid, YubiKey, and more.

Where LastPass fails: LastPass is free if you're only using it on your computers, but the extra features and mobile apps do cost $12/year. That might sound like a lot over the course of your life, but with a subscription system you're more likely to get more features and better support over the years. That said, even after a much needed update, the interface is still a bit clunky, and it takes a while to get the hang of. Likewise, since LastPass stores your (encrypted) passwords it the cloud, which some might not be comfortable with, but they've done so in a way that's quite secure and keeps them safe from hackers. However, LastPass has been very good about notifying users immediately if something happens, and if you have two-factor authentication on you should be safe in the case of any password breaches.

Who LastPass is for: LastPass is a great all-around solution for people who just want to keep their passwords safe. It has enough advanced features, even in the free version, to make it worthwhile for most power users. LastPass' real appeal, though iis the fact that anyone can get started using it really quickly (provided they can navigate the clunky UI). With the exception of mobile access, most of LastPass' best features are available for free, so if you don't need to get your passwords on the go, it's easily your best option. LastPass also has the widest mobile support of all the password managers, with apps on Android, iOS, Windows Phone, and Blackberry, so if you're not an Android or iOS user, it's your best bet.

Dashlane

Where LastPass fails a bit in basic interface, Dashlane truly excels. It's packed with a ton of features and is incredibly easy to use, even if you're not the most computer savvy person out there. Here's what you'll get with Dashlane:

• Browser extensions, Windows and Mac apps: Dashlane works primarily from its desktop apps, but browser extensions allow you to integrate that data into your browser too. This means that you can set up Dashlane to store your data and sync online if you want, or keep it locally if you don't want those passwords going anywhere. Unlike LastPass, you'll need the Windows or Mac apps installed to use the browser extensions.
• Mobile apps: If you want to use the free mobile apps, you'll have to shell out for a subscription. Dashlane's is a $40/year.
• Password audits: Dashlane has a handy security score screen where you can check for weak or duplicate passwords, then automatically change them in a click if a hack is reported. Likewise, Dashlane will alert you if a security breach is reported.
• Automatic password changes: One of Dashlane's more killer features is the Password Changer. Just log into your Dashlane account, click the checkboxes next to any passwords you want to change, and Dashlane will automatically change them on each individual site, all at once.
• Two-factor authentication: Dashlane supports two-factor authentication through Google Authenticator.
• Digital Wallet: Dashlane's digital wallet stores all your credit card information, then automatically saves receipts and screenshots of your online purchases. If you're using the mobile apps, that information goes with you too.

Where Dashlane fails: If you want features like syncing and web access to passwords, Dashlane very pricey at $39.99/year. However, you do get a lot of bang for your buck, and the app's constantly being updated with new features and security improvements.

Who Dashlane is for: If you're willing to pay the $39.99/year for Dashlane, it's definitely one of the simplest to use password managers out there. The breach notifications, consistent UI, and range of features makes it a better entry-level password manager than LastPass if you're willing to shell out the cash. The automated, bulk password changes also make it a great choice for anyone who doesn't want to spend the time changing passwords.

KeePass

KeePass is the only truly free option that's any good, and it's also open source, which is immediately appealing to a lot of people. That said, KeePass works a lot differently than some of the more modern options. KeePass stores all your passwords locally, and doesn't have a syncing service—though you can sync your passwords through Dropbox with a plug-in. Beyond that, it's feature set it drastically different than your other options.

• Official Windows, Mac, and Linux apps: KeePass is officially available on Windows, Mac, and Linux. It integrates with your system to fill out passwords not just online, but everywhere else on your computer as well. KeePassX is a clone that alters the look and feel of the original a bit, if you're looking for something different.
• Unofficial mobile apps: Officially, the KeePass team doesn't make any mobile apps, but since it's open source, other people have. You can find a massive list of various ports for iOS, Android, Blackberry, and more here. Just remember, you'll need to manually sync your passwords to your mobile device, since KeePass won't do it for you.
• Portability: KeePass doesn't require installation on your system, which means you can carry it around on a USB stick from computer to computer easily.
• Plug-ins add tons of features: Besides being free and open source, the truly unique thing about KeePass is the support for plug-ins. With them, you can completely alter how KeePass works. This includes adding syncing through service like Google Drive or Dropbox, adding enhanced search, creating password strength reports, and more.

Where KeePass fails: KeePass is a decidedly more hands-on password manager than the other options here, which means it's not as dead simple as something like Dashlane. Which is to say, it'd be hard to recommend KeePass to anyone who isn't computer literate, even though it is the only truly free option. KeePass also doesn't have the handy security alerts and automatic password changing features of some of the other paid options.

Who KeePass is for: If you're willing to put in the effort to set it up, KeePass is incredibly powerful and well supported. Since it offers offline access and gives you complete control of your encrypted passwords, it's perfect for anyone who doesn't want to keep their data stored on a third-party server, too. If you're the tinkering type who likes to really customize your software, KeePass is definitely worth trying.

1Password

Like LastPass and Dashlane, 1Password takes the "simple is better" approach to a password manager and sports the best looking software suite of the bunch. While it might look the same as everything else at a glance, it has its own special twist on the password manager that's going to appeal to some more than others. It includes:

• Windows and Mac apps, with integrated browser extensions: 1Password works similarly to Dashlane: you need the desktop app installed, but you can easily integrate it into your browser with extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera. The nice thing about 1Password is the fact you can use it locally only, or sync to the web if you want to use it across devices. You can sync through Dropbox, iCloud, Wi-Fi, or shared network folders. You'll need to download a single license of the desktop apps for a one-time fee of $50.
• Mobile apps: 1Password has free apps available on iOS and Android. Uniquely, you can download and use these apps without the desktop companion for free, but you won't get the syncing features.
• Password audits: 1Password will take a look at all your existing passwords, then audit them for duplicates, weak passwords, and old passwords. More importantly, the Watchtower service will monitor your passwords and alert you to any breaches that require you to change your password right away.
• Two-factor authentication: Instead of supporting a variety of two-factor authentication services, 1Password acts as it's own authenticator if you're a paid user of the apps. This allows you to generate one-time passwords for a variety of services. It does not support two-factor authentication to access your 1Password account, though, which is a pretty big downside.
• Digital wallet: 1Password includes a digital wallet that organizes and securely stores any personal information you want. You can set it up to store credit cards, IDs, social security numbers, and just about anything else.

Where 1Password fails: While it's the only password manager on here that offers a one-time payment option, the $50 entry fee to use 1Password is a bit high for some people. Thankfully, there is a demo available if you just want to check it out. While most people are only using Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android, the lack of support for other operating systems does limit its usage a little. The lack of a two-factor authentication method is also a pretty big security hole and a major downside over your other options.

Who 1Password is for: If you're a fan of good design, 1Password is easily the best looking password manager on this list. More importantly though, it's constantly getting updates and new features, so you know that your $50 is well spent. If the thought of paying an annual subscription for Dashlane or LastPass is a turn off, 1Password's the way to go.

Roboform

Roboform has been around for a long time, and while it's not the most innovative password manager out there, it does its primary job very well. It has:

• Windows, Mac, and Linux apps: Roboform is available on all the major platforms, including on a USB stick, which makes it easy to transfer from computer to computer. The apps themselves integrate right into Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari. Like 1Password, you can sync your password in the cloud or store your passwords locally only.
• Mobile apps: Roboform is available for Android, iOS, and Windows Phone for free.
• Start page: If you tend to log into the same sites every day, Roboform has a handy start page where you can easily log into a bunch of different sites at once.

Where Roboform fails: Roboform is easily the least feature-packed on this list, and at $9.95/the first year and $19.95/every year after, it's hard to justify why you'd pick Roboform over something like LastPass. If you're only interested in the desktop version and not the syncing features, you can grab the Windows or Mac apps for a one-time fee of $29.95. However, Roboform has been around a long time and has a incredibly good history of solid security. For a password manager, that's a very important thing.

Who Roboform is for: Roboform's lack of advanced features have one very specific advantage: it's incredibly easy to use. It generates passwords, logs you into sites, and that's it. There's no extra fluff, no wasting time checking password security (assuming you're already up to snuff), or anything else. If you've been using strong passwords for a while, Roboform is a nice, barebones option that does just what it's supposed to do and nothing else.

Other, Lesser-Known Options

As we mentioned at the start of this post, there are a ton of different password managers in existence. Most don't stray too far from the feature set of the above five though, and often get held back by pricing models or platform availability. That said, if none of the above work for you, these may be worth checking out:

• Password Safe: Password Safe was created with the help of security technologist Bruce Schneier, so you know it's one of the most secure password managers out there. As these things tend to go, that comes at the cost of convenience. The free version of Password Safe is only available on Windows (The Mac clone is $14.99), and it doesn't integrate with browsers. Heck, it doesn't even create passwords for you, it's simply a vault. But it's a very secure vault.
• Keeper: Keeper does the basics of a password manager and adds in a handy file vault as well. The pricing is a bit on the higher side though, with a single device costing $10/year and multiple devices running you $30/year.
• PasswordBox: PasswordBox is a free password manager that has all the features you'd expect, but it's hard to recommend at the moment as they're in a transitional period after being bought out by Intel Security. On paper, that sounds like a good thing, but it's difficult to gauge what software support will be like from here on out.

Whichever one you pick, just remember, it doesn't really matter which you chose, but pick one. If you aren't using a password manager, you're more vulnerable than you think.

Photo by Sergay Nivens.

 While Google continues to work through implementing Right To Be Forgotten legislation in Europe, there are some more developments around how Google handles consumer data and privacy. The search giant has reached an agreement with the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office over how it collects personal data in the country, signing and publishing a lengthy document outlining its… Read More

 As the U.K.’s political parties sweat their policy wonks to come up with voter-friendly manifestos ahead of the General Election in May, incumbent telco BT has dropped a reminder that broadband upgrades will never be big enough nor fast enough for digital’s cutting edge unless politicians find the willpower and public money to chuck at future-proofing the problem. Read More

Best dramatic films

Tangerine

Casey Newton: Sean Baker’s buzzy comedy is notable for having been filmed almost entirely on an iPhone 5S. But the film itself sticks in your mind: a shaggy, draggy story about Sin-Dee and Alexandra, two trans women of color working as prostitutes on Christmas Eve and hell-bent on "finding the fish" — the biological female who slept with Sin-Dee’s man. The caper’s resolution is somewhat unsatisfying, but the journey is one to remember: dialogue comes fast and furious, and we expect to hear it quoted on Ru-Paul’s Drag Race for years to come.

The Witch

Bryan Bishop: Writer/director Robert Eggers and his team painstakingly recreate 1600s-era New England in this drama about a family that is slowly...

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Tris is The One

If you saw the latest poster for The Divergent Series: Insurgent that arrived online yesterday (if not, it’s sitting lower down the page), you might have been forgiven for thinking that director Robert Schwentke and his team were going for a full-on Matrix tribute. The new advert for the film, ready to be aired before the Super Bowl in the States this weekend, will definitely give you that feeling.

The latest, brief teaser goes heavy on Matrix-style gravity-defying imagery, slow-mo and things shattering as Shailene Woodley’s Tris takes on an apparently virtual Jeanine (Kate Winslet). And as she falls from an imploding building, the title pages make it clear: Tris is the one. 

Adapting Veronica Roth’s second book, Insurgent finds her on the run in future Chicago as she and Four (Theo James) evade the power-hungry Erudite leadership. They’ll have to track down what Tris’s family gave their lives to protect, and Tris must face up to her choices as she unlocks the truth about the past and the future of their world. {Main Insurgent Poster}  With Octavia Spencer, Jai Courtney, Ray Stevenson, Zoë Kravitz, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Maggie Q, Mekhi Phifer and Naomi Watts among the cast, The Divergent Series: Insurgent will be out here on March 20.

Mercury is a two-legged kitten who lost his front legs in a weed whacker accident. Thanks to The Community Cat Coalition of Edmond, Mercury has a home, but not before they made some very cute videos. Read the rest

Posted by Gill Ward, Senior Quantitative UX Researcher

A little over three months ago, we introduced something new called Inbox, and it’s been exhilarating to see how people have embraced the experience. In fact, we’ve received over 100,000 pieces of feedback already. Thank you!

As we keep working to evolve Inbox based on your feedback, we thought it’d be fun to share how people are currently using the product to get things done, and focus on what really matters. Enjoy!
And one more thing. We're opening up invites to Inbox for a 24 hour #InboxHappyHour! If you're interested in trying Inbox, send an email to inbox@google.com from an @gmail.com address before 9am Friday PST and you'll get an invite shortly.

 Google is serving up its longest ever period of guaranteed invites for Inbox, its alternative mobile email app built by the Gmail team. The official Gmail account tweeted the announcement today (which was then retweeted by the official Inbox profile), noting that anyone who emails inbox@google.com from a personal Gmail account between 12 PM ET today and 12 PM ET tomorrow will receive an… Read More

You need this right now.

(more…)

It's a great feeling to get rid of things you no longer need or use. But it can be hard to decide what to lose and what to keep. For more effective decluttering, don't take stuff out—add it back in.

Apartment Therapy offers this simple tip:

Don't start by taking things away; instead, clear the decks and add them back in. It is incredibly difficult to create the emotional space needed to honestly assess our stuff (but, I really like that mug!) and the process can be taxing. By focusing instead on the items that we use the most and adding only those back in it becomes easier to see the bigger picture and let go of what not longer fits in.

It makes sense. We declutter to pare down our stuff and only own what we "need." So why not start from scratch, and actually pick what we need, instead of trying to find a reason for keeping it?

Check out the rest of the post at the link below.

Letting Go & Living Better: One Quick Tip to Reevaluate Clutter | Apartment Therapy

Photo by Emily Hildebrand.

Harry's spy game?

Following on from the picture exclusive we smuggled out in April last year, the first teaser trailer for the cinematic version of BBC spy series Spooks, The Greater Good, has now hit the Interwebs. Take a look here. 

Spooks: The Greater Good broadens the canvas for the show, and investigates what happens when terrorist Adam Qasim (Elyes Gabel) slips through the fingers of MI5 and vanishes. Embattled espionage boss Harry Pearce (Peter Firth) takes the fall for the foul up and soon goes missing himself. Enter Game Of Thrones’ Kit Harington as Will Crombie, a former member of Harry’s team, who must investigate what really happened to Harry, last seen jumping from a bridge into the Thames.

With MI5 and its agents plunged into one of the thorniest missions they’ve ever had to face, the clock is ticking as events spiral out of control. With several juicy current headlines to pick from, the film appears to opt for even more of the intensity that was the show’s stock in trade. {Spooks: The Greater Good Posters}

With Bharat Nalluri on directing duty and Tuppence Middleton, Jennifer Ehle and show veteran Tim McInnerny in front of the camera, Spooks: The Greater Good is out on May 8. 

Every Time Travel Movie Ever, Ranked

 Google Wallet — the search giant’s payments business that competes against PayPal and Apple Pay, among others — is today taking its first step outside of the U.S., in the form of money transfers. Users in the UK will now be able to send money to each other by way of an “attachment” in Gmail. Google tells us that the feature should be live today for 10-20% of… Read More

Microsoft's Android tablet versions of Word, Excel, and Powerpoint are no longer in preview mode; you'll be able to download them today. As with the iOS apps launched last year, Office is essentially free to use on Android for most consumers, though certain premium features and business functionality require an Office 365 subscription. The preview program covered more than 3,000 variants of 500 separate Android devices, and native support for Intel processors is coming later in the year.

Microsoft says the iPhone and iPad versions of Office have been downloaded more than 80 million times worldwide. Although the free release on competing platforms represents a major change in strategy, it's all part of CEO Satya Nadella's plan to put the...

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Microsoft is bringing a fully featured version of Outlook to iOS and Android today. The launch comes less than two months after Microsoft acquired email app Acompli in early December, and the software maker is turning Acompli into Outlook mobile. Available for free in the App Store or Google Play, the new Outlook apps are identical to Acompli. This is simply a rebrand for now, but that won’t be the case for long. Microsoft is planning to update its new Outlook apps regularly.

"We have been and we’ll continue to update the app weekly," says Julia White, Microsoft’s general manager of Office. "So in a very short period time you’ll start to see variance from the Acompli app that will not be updated after that point." While some might have...

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Google has always been at least somewhat mindful of moviegoers using its primary search tool to get information about recent and upcoming movies. The current Knowledge Graph that you see when searching for movies, actors, directors and so on is pretty good. But if you search using the official Google Search app for Android or search in Chrome for Android starting today, you might see something altogether more interesting. Check out the animation below, straight from the official Google+ account for Search:

Neat, huh?

Google Search For Mobile Adds A Sweet New UI For Movie-Related Searches was written by the awesome team at Android Police.

Rolling Stone is opening up its archives, making select stories from its nearly 50 years of publication free for anyone to read. The stories will all be available through Google Play Newsstand, making this a big grab for Google that should help to promote the app's sales of digital magazines and use as a news reader. Fast Company reports that three to four big stories from each issue will show up in the open archives, which Rolling Stone reportedly plans to augment with sound and video content next year. Every issue will have a presence in the archives, and all cover stories will be available.

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 Mobile analytics provider App Annie, the market leader in the app measurement business today, is out this morning with its annual report that takes a look back at the app trends that defined the past year. The report includes a look at app category growth, like the expansion of mobile messaging services, mobile video streaming, “sharing economy” apps and more, as well as growth of… Read More

These red pandas at a Japanese zoo are very, very interested in the apples and grapes their caretaker has brought them.

(more…)

Sony is betting its music streaming future on Spotify. Today the company quietly announced that it will be shutting down its unsuccessful Music Unlimited service on March 29th, 2015. In its place, Sony plans to launch a new service called PlayStation Music that uses none other than Spotify as its backbone. The app will debut on PlayStation 4, PS3, plus Xperia smartphones and tablets this spring. If web and desktop PC apps are also in the plans, those will be coming later. PlayStation Music will be available in 41 markets to start including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. Music Unlimited has only made it to 19 countries so far during its underwhelming run.

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 Some closure in the ongoing story of retail giant Tesco offloading its digital content effort blinkbox. Assets from blinkbox Books — specifically customer accounts and existing e-book libraries — are being picked up by Kobo, the e-book division of Rakuten. Blinkbox customers are getting emails informing them of the transition, and Tesco has confirmed the details to us directly. Read More

What Should I Read Next? suggests books, similar to the algorithm used on sites like Netflix and Amazon based on your use patterns and ratings. Read the rest

“When land meets sea and nature and beauty collide, the result is a varied and majestic coastline, unique to the West of Ireland.”

Read the rest

“Huge pods of bottlenose dolphins cruise the shoreline and surf the crystal clear turquoise waves.” (more…)

If you've read into health and fitness at all, you've probably been seen variations of "breakfast is the most important meal of the day," "eat breakfast to kickstart your metabolism," or perhaps "skip breakfast and die." As it turns out, all of that is probably wrong.

Breakfast and I have a long, fickle history. When I was a chubby kid, I couldn't be bothered to eat it. But come 2010, a breakfast of oats and whey became the hallmark of my mornings. It was like deity worship: each morning began with a tribute to the gods of "clean eating," not out of love, but of fear that their capricious nature would smite me with a slower metabolism, muscle loss, poor workouts and so on.

But then I began to read more about fitness and try different protocols and heard about a protocol on the Leangains blog called "Intermittent Fasting" (IF). On IF, practitioners only eat during a small window every day and fasted during the rest. Typically, this meant skipping breakfast. I was skeptical at first, but with research and experimentation, I've learned a lot about the relative (un)importance of breakfast in one's diet.

Why We Think Breakfast Is Necessary (And Why It's Not)

There's no shortage of studies that praise the health benefits of breakfast. They suggest that skipping it is bad for your cardiovascular health, children who eat breakfast do better in school, so on and so forth. But a deeper look at most of these studies show that they are mostly observational. This means instead of applying certain conditions to a controlled test group (i.e. an experimental study), they look at data and then try to draw inferences.

The issue is that any process in the body is incredibly multi-faceted and depends on a huge number of variables. Couldn't it be, for example, that children who ate breakfast came from higher income families, which means they performed better in school? Correlation does not equal causation.

In the absence of a controlled environment, it's hard to tell if just one thing is the cause of the reported results, or if the effects are conflated with those of another variable (granted, it is difficult to study the human body any way but observationally).

A relic from older, outdated studies is the pervasive myth that eating several small meals throughout the day will "boost your metabolism." Over time, this evolved into the belief that breakfast is the central pillar to any healthful diet. Logically, it follows: if you're asleep for eight hours a night, that's eight hours gone without stoking the proverbial furnace (unless you sleep eat), so you need breakfast straight away to start it back up. But in reality, there's no real evidence to support the preceding argument.

Over the short term, variations in meal frequencies can have an effect on Thermic Effect of Food (TEF, or the amount of energy you use in the digestion, absorption and distribution of nutrients). But over the course of 24 hours, there is no difference. The British Journal of Nutrition followed subjects eating either three or six meals a day, and found that if total caloric and nutrient intake remain the same, metabolism does as well.

What about meal timing? In a study published recently in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers divided volunteers into groups of breakfast-eaters and breakfast-skippers, and then instructed them to either always skip breakfast or always eat breakfast. This way, some continued with their current eating habits and others changed them. Sixteen weeks later, no one had lost any significant weight—around a pound or so among them on average. Throughout the group, weight was unaffected by neither skipping nor eating breakfast. A similar twelve-week study also found that there was no significant advantage to skipping or eating breakfast for weight loss. Rather, those who lost the most weight were in groups that were instructed to change their habits.

In short: there really isn't any special significance to breakfast. Other than the fact that pancakes are the best. (Waffle lovers, are you that greedy for syrup as to need extra pockets?)

What Skipping Breakfast Taught Me

There are many myths surrounding IF (cycling between fasting and non-fasting), of which skipping breakfast is a form. As it turns out, the ideas that missing breakfast will have a negative impact on cognition, metabolism, etc. are based on faulty observational studies. In fact, short-term fasting has no negative effect on cognition, and actually increases metabolism due to the release of catecholamines.

But I've found the real benefit is in the freedom it allows all dieters. Back to about 2010, when I started experimenting with IF I was surprised. My metabolism didn't slow down, I didn't get hungry and overeat later on, and I didn't lose my gains, wither up, and die like most of the Internet had led me to believe. (Thanks for nothing, Internet.)

Due to the hormone ghrelin, which makes you used to eating at the same time each day, it took me a week to adjust. After that, I found that my mornings are more productive. I had one less thing to worry about in the morning. I could train, read, or hit snooze instead of cracking open eggs or cooking oatmeal because I had to.

This holds true for most of my clients. I've encouraged many of my trainees to experiment with IF. Sure, it's not the universal answer to weight loss. But allows them to find an eating pattern based on their preference, rather than dogma. Most actually continue with the protocol, but some don't. The importance is the demonstration that your ability to achieve your goals doesn't come down to the minutiae of your daily routine. It comes down to being consistent.

So should you skip breakfast? Do what works for you. If you like breakfast, eat it. If you can't stomach it, skip it – nothing bad is going to happen (but do remember to give it a week to adjust). Your decision should be based on personal preference, and what you can stick to in the long term.

So what is the most important meal of the day? Any meal that you want it to be.

Images by Alvaro Tapia, Carmen Eisbar, and Polandeze.

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