People say it is the most important meal of the day, and I agree with that statement. What I like to call “meal one” and what most call “breakfast” sets you up for the rest of the day. The food choices you make in meal one will determine whether you have a day of health or a day of laziness. Today I am going to give you my top four breakfast tips for weight loss.
I want to start off by saying that it does not matter what time of day you eat your breakfast. Some people need to eat breakfast as soon as they wake up, but not everyone. I personally eat “meal one” between 12 and 2pm. That may sound really late to some of you. I eat that late because I practice intermittent fasting. I have written several blogs about the topic of intermittent fasting, so if you do not know what it is – check out this post.
Every body is different, so you need to listen to yours. Eat “meal one” when it fits best into your schedule. You can always change your meal timing if you aren’t seeing the results that you want.
Now let’s go over my breakfast tips for weight loss.
Choose savory over sweet
Breakfast foods certainly fall into two categories: sweet, carbohydrate based foods and savory foods with lots of fats and protein. Carbohydrate-heavy meals like waffles and pancakes are obviously not great for weight loss. However, even oatmeal with fruit and honey in it is not the best choice. Although the oatmeal dish is healthy, having something sweet at the beginning of the day typically leads to sugar cravings later in the day. You want to avoid cravings like this if you are trying to drop some weight. An egg-based dish or a savory vegetable and protein heavy meal is a much better way to go.
Prioritize protein
Eating enough protein is not only good for the muscles; it will make you feel fuller for longer. Starting your day with protein will ensure that you don’t get hungry two hours later. You want meal one to keep you satisfied and last as long as possible!
Skip the extra calories
If you like to start your day with coffee, remember, coffee is not dessert. Find a roast you like the taste of and avoid adding sugars and creamers. Extra taste means extra calories.
Use a plate
Look, I know you’re busy. However, you should sit down and eat every meal on a plate. You are much more likely to overeat when you are distracted and eating from a bag or a box. Seeing your food on a plate is also much more satisfying. When you plate your meal, sit at a table, and eat with utensils, you will likely eat slower and overall consume less food.