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

My Breakfast Experiment

Yesterday I decided to do a little experiment. I hadn't been shopping and the cupboards were pretty empty, so breakfast options were limited.

Now I don't really have a particular problem with wheat or dairy, although many people do, but instead of my usual breakfast of eggs or bacon or a super-smoothie, I decided to have Weetabix. A power breakfast, no?

So, 8am, breakfast: 4 weetabix with milk and a small sprinkling of sugar (what most people seem to think of as a healthy breakfast!)

The Result: Well, not only was I hungry again in about half an hour, but by the time I was set to have my workout at about 11.30, I had NO energy. I felt weak, lethargic and had no motivation whatsoever to drag my arse into the gym.

Is this how people feel day in, day out?!

No wonder everyone doses up on sugar-filled junk and caffeine!

If you "don't have the energy to train" or are "too tired" after your day's work, then maybe, just maybe, it's NOT that you've worked hard (let's face it, unless you're a labourer, you don't work hard - sat at a desk all day), but that you've been feeding your body crap and it's telling you it just 'aint good enough!

If you're feeding your body the fuel it needs, you'll have better energy levels throughout the day and have plenty left over for a workout at the end of the day.

All without having to dose up of coffee and sugar at regular intervals.

You may not have made the connection between the s**t you're eating and your apparent lack of energy, but trust me, this is EXACTLY what the problem is.

So tomorrow, instead of having your cereal with milk, and cup of tea or coffee, try having something different; scrambled eggs and a couple of rashers of grilled bacon, maybe with some grilled tomatoes. And at least a pint of water.

Give it a try and see if you feel any different.

Then later on, when (or if) you get hungry, have another glass of water first, then a handful of nuts with a cup of berries.

Try this for a couple of days and if you don't notice the difference...
(then you're probably still pretending you "can't go without your cup of tea in the morning")

Give it a try and let me know how it goes.