Eat Breakfast! Quite literally, the first meal of the day is breaking the fast from overnight; hence the name breakfast. You have not eaten a meal in 12 plus hours, and you need something that will sustain your energy for the day to come. Interestingly, most breakfast options are a combination of sugar, sugar, and more sugar; not exactly the power breakfast needed to start the day. Simple carbohydrates (such as sugar) will only spike your blood sugar temporarily, and leave you desiring a snack mid-morning. An even worse option than sugar is only a cup of coffee. Yes, coffee gives you an energy burst, but it offers nothing beyond that. Studies have shown numerous benefits from eating a balanced breakfast.
Eating a balanced breakfast…
• Stops the mid-morning binge caused by the grumbling stomach. When at a ravenous state, you look for the most convenient choice, which is most typically the vending machine.
• Encourages you to make healthy choices all day long. People who eat breakfast are the people who tend to enjoy a variety of healthy options throughout the day.
• Jump starts your metabolism. In the morning you need to restore your glucose levels that plummeted while you slept.
A breakfast should contain 300-500 calories and include: protein, whole grains, and fruit. Aim for a breakfast with a serving from 2-3 of these categories. Protein and whole grains will keep you feeling full and not cause a sugar spike. Pairing this with fruit is a great way to add nutrients without many calories. Or add a glass of fat-free or 1% milk or a serving of Greek yogurt for bone strengthening calcium to build yourself a power breakfast!
Here are some of my favorite breakfast combinations:
1.) Oatmeal with fruit and 4- 6 oz Greek yogurt
2.) 2 eggs, scrambled with spinach + a whole wheat pancake
3.) A yummy smoothie: my newest fav is Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie (1 cup local 1% milk, 1/2 cup frozen tart cherries, 3/4 scoop of chocolate protein powder) in my FAVORITE high powered blender.
What are some of your favorite healthy breakfast combinations?
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Thanks for this post, Mitzi. I’m always trying to convince my friends and family members how important breakfast is. I’ll forward them this post, hopefully they try out some of your combinations!