We have a breakfast problem, and I am going to try to help solve it today. Â Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and so many of us are not treating it like that. Â What is going on and how can we fix it… let’s figure it out together.
Problem 1: Skipping It
The myth is that skipping breakfast will help you save calories. However, if you skip breakfast you are actually more likely to eat more throughout the day and more likely to crave and eat sugary foods. I’m sure if you take a look back at your food intake for the past week, you will find that days where you ate barely any breakfast resulted in a higher total amount of food consumed by the end of the day. Some people claim they don’t have time to eat breakfast, and I think that is a lame excuse. If you don’t have time, prepare food beforehand or wake up earlier. Others say that they aren’t hungry in the mornings. If you aren’t hungry when you wake up, that probably means you ate too much the night before. Your body should be hungry every few hours, so if it’s not after a full night of sleep… there is a problem.
Solution — Just make the time to eat it
Problem 2: Too many high-carb processed foods
Many Americans munch on sugary cereals, muffins, and donuts for breakfast. These meals are highly processed and do not have any healthy benefits. A typical bakery muffin contains more added sugar than you should have all day (roughly 44 grams)! Eating sugar or carbs for breakfast is fine, but they need to be the natural kind.
Solution — Opt for sugar in the form of fruit or by adding dark chocolate to your oatmeal and smoothies
Problem 3: Missing produce/vitamins
With an abundance of sugary cereals and pastries on the market for breakfast, many people forget about produce in the morning. Only 8% of Americans meet the recommended daily intake for fruit. And only 6% consume enough vegetables.
You should have vegetables with every single meal that you eat during the day. So many people focus on protein and the carbs they shouldn’t eat and forget that micronutrients are just as important. No matter how you do it, have some produce with your breakfast.
Solution — Add a vegetable (or piece of fruit) to the meal. Put greens or vegetable juice in your smoothie, mix in some spinach and peppers with your eggs, or eat a side of fruit
Problem 4: Skimpy breakfast
Just grabbing a piece of fruit or granola bar is not the kind of breakfast that will set you up for a healthy day. You need to eat food that fuels you and doesn’t leave you feeling hungry 30-minutes later. Eat meals with a significant amount of protein, good carbs, and healthy fats. The weight loss benefits of eating a hearty breakfast are also significant. Eating a majority of your calories early in the day when you can burn them off is better than consuming lots of calories late in the day when you will likely be sitting. If you don’t have time it the mornings, food prep! Prepare some hard-boiled eggs, overnight oats, and make these items in bulk so you don’t have to worry about it the rest of the week.
Solution — Aim for lean protein, good carbs, and healthy fat in your meal
2 thoughts on “Make Over Your Breakfast”
We make eggs with diced peppers, onions and cheddar. Or a yogurt + blueberries + granola + honey mixture. Many days I eat both – one around 7 and one around 10! Love breakfast!!
That sounds great! Good job