How to heal your relationship with breakfast and build healthy habits.
Remember when your mom used to tell you that breakfast was the most important meal of the day? Well, it turns out she’s not wrong. Unfortunately, this important meal is probably the one that you’re most likely to skip. Maybe you’re just too busy or simply not hungry in the morning. Maybe you think that skipping breakfast is an easy way to cut some calories from your diet. Well, it may be time to rethink that.
Is breakfast really worth the calories and the effort? And if so, how can you build a healthy breakfast into your busy schedule?
Here’s how to rethink breakfast as a healthy habit.
Why Breakfast Matters
Breakfast signals your body’s metabolism that it’s time to start burning calories. By eating a healthy breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up, you kick your metabolism into high gear so it can start burning calories as energy instead of storing them as fat.
In addition, numerous studies have shown that eating a good breakfast improves mood and boosts concentration.
We also know that people with a long-term habit of eating breakfast every day are at lower risk for problems like diabetes, weight gain and heart disease.
Tips For a Better Breakfast
So how can you reap the benefits of a healthy breakfast?
Here are a few tips.
Make Sure It’s Well-Rounded
A good, well-rounded breakfast includes at least three of the five food groups. Aim for a healthy fat, a protein and a complex carbohydrate.
Try mixing and matching some of the following items:
● Whole-grain toast or bread
● Whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk
● Oatmeal
● Cheese
● Black beans
● An apple
● Whole-wheat tortillas
● Scrambled eggs
● A slice of avocado
Preparing a balanced breakfast every morning doesn’t have to be hard. It can be as simple as scrambling two eggs and eating it with some shredded cheese, with a slice of whole-grain bread on the side.
Skip the Sugar
Let’s face it; everyone deserves to indulge their love of pancakes or pastry occasionally, but just don’t overdo it. Limit yourself to one pancake instead of a stack of them. And be sure to balance out any sweets on your breakfast plate with other, more nutritious items.
It’s true that sugary cereals, muffins and other sweets give you a quick burst of energy. However, this energy won’t last. Instead, you’ll just end up crashing.
Even worse, the spike in blood sugar resulting from these foods can leave you with unpleasant hunger pangs just a short time after you eat them, making it more likely that you’ll overeat.
Other Tips
When choosing the right breakfast foods, we have one word for you: color! The bright colors of foods like bananas, spinach, blueberries and pumpkin show that you’re getting plenty of vitamins and nutrients.
Finally, don’t feel you have to stick to traditional breakfast foods. Expand your menu to include other healthy foods you like.
With these tips, you’ll be well on your way to rediscovering the healthy habit of breakfast.
If you need help with breakfast or any healthy eating habits, reach out to your Independent Optavia coach. If you’re a hardened breakfast-skipper, we can help you get back on track.
