Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day for a good reason! Many of us do not eat breakfast because we may not be feeling hungry, have limited time or may be trying to cut calories. Skipping breakfast can lead to a number of problems when it comes to weight management.
Breakfast is literally “breaking the fast.” Our bodies are fasting long overnight while sleeping and in turn so are our metabolisms. Think of a computer in sleep mode. The computer’s power is on however it is not up and fully functioning at the speed and capacity as it is able to. Breakfast can help prevent over eating later in the day. Many studies have shown that eating breakfast daily is strongly associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes, hypertension and abdominal obesity.
Just as your car works better when it has oil and gas in the tank, your body works in the same exact way! Many of us push our bodies through a busy day with an empty tank which only leads to over eating and a slower metabolism. Breakfast helps increase energy throughout the day as well as obtaining better control over food cravings. A healthy breakfast jump-starts your metabolism, enhances mood, stimulates intelligence, improves immune system, and maintains or promotes weight loss. Need I say more?!
The benefits of breakfast are so great as you can see! It is imperative to begin if you are not already: Here are a few quick balanced and nutritious breakfast ideas:
- Low Fat Cottage cheese with fruit
- Whole wheat waffle with peanut butter and honey
- High fiber cereal with fruit and low fat milk and hardboiled egg
- Toasted English muffin with natural almond butter topped with sliced bananas
- Parfait – Greek yogurt with fruit and low fat granola
- Scrambled eggs with fruit and/or whole grain toast
- Steel cut oatmeal made with milk and topped with a small handful of walnuts and cinnamon
- Smoothie on the go made with 1 cup mixed fruits almond milk and a scoop of protein (try Orgain Protein power)
If you’d like to read more on the benefits of breakfast check out this quick read : Breakfast Fans Gain Less Weight Over Time –
Guess what?! Mom was right! She knows best when it comes to appreciating the fact that breakfast is too important to miss.
My favorite Breakfast:
“Steel Cut Oatmeal made with half milk and half water, topped with cinnamon, walnuts and a dash of maple syrup!”
– Nutrition Coach Brenda
