Breakfast

Well known as being the most important meal of the day, many people tend to skip breakfast or opt for something quick and convenient in their morning rush, but what is this doing to your body?

Eating breakfast not only helps you to make better food choices throughout the day, but studies have also shown that those who skip breakfast tend to overeat later in the day, contributing to higher body fat levels and BMI. So skipping that all important meal in a vain attempt to lose weight is actually doing the complete opposite and helping you to store excess body fat!

As important as actually eating breakfast (if not more so), is what you eat. This is the same for any meal, but even more so for breakfast, and needs highlighting since the typical “breakfast foods” are so out of sync with what we need to kick off our day.

Toast or cereal seems to be the popular choice for adults and kids alike, no doubt because it’s quick and easy; but this is possibly the worst breakfast you can have! Worse even than skipping it altogether!

Forget your “wholegrain goodness” and “keeping hunger locked up ‘til lunch”, or how “grrrreat!” they are, these processed, refined carbohydrates are majorly lacking in nutrition (they actually have to add synthetic vitamins/minerals to these cereals to be allowed to sell them as “food”). Not to mention the insulin response of eating a high-carb, low fat, low protein meal!

Add to that the fact that wheat and processed dairy are two of the biggest culprits for food intolerance, and sugar sends energy levels sky-rocketing, then crashing back down again, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster. Erratic energy levels, hunger well before lunch, poor concentration and weight gain follow.

So what should you eat for Breakfast?

It’s important to “break your fast” with nutritionally rich foods, providing the nutrients your body needs, and keeping you satisfied right through until lunch-time. Contrary to what the cereal producers tell you, that’s NOT carbohydrates! The foods that satiate us and keep us from feeling hungry again soon after are protein and fats. These have a low insulin response – meaning no energy spike then crash. They are digested more slowly and your brain actually registers that you’ve received some nutrition – so you won’t be hungry again for a while.

One of the best things you can do is remember that food is food; there are no “breakfast foods”, “lunch foods”, or “dinner foods”.

I highly recommend the “Meat and Nut” breakfast. Simply rotate daily between different meat (not processed) and nut combinations. Chicken breasts and a handful of Almonds; Steak and a handful of Cashews; Turkey and a handful of Brazil nuts… you get the idea.

Tea, coffee and herbal teas are acceptable, but avoid processed milk and fruit juices.

This will set you up for the day, prevent you from overeating and making poor food choices, and ensure more steady energy levels.

Give it a try