Just eat breakfast! If nothing else, start your day off right with a balanced, whole meal to get your metabolism going and decrease stress hormones. A client recently showed me a new diet book that suggests purposefully avoiding breakfast and only drinking 2 large cups of black coffee. Don’t get me wrong, I love my morning cup of coffee but please…pretty please…I beg of you, eat breakfast!
Why?
As discussed before, when all of us wake up in the morning, our body does not know if it needs to jump into survival mode or it can relax. We have all gone several hours without food and even though you may be nice and cozy in your bed, your body isn’t sure if you are in a cave, starving in a desert. The only…only..way to let your body know it is safe is to eat a balanced breakfast within an hour of waking.
If I am starving in a desert, wont I lose weight?
As sick and twisted as that may sound, I can see how some of you may rationalize that as a justified diet approach. The answer is NO. If the body thinks it is stressed, your metabolism will slow down and you will hold on to weight, rather than lose it. Food is fuel – use it to let your body know it can metabolize and burn efficiently and effectively for you.
Some breakfast ideas…
Always try to make things balanced with a protein and carbohydrate present. When you give your body all the nutrients it needs it will do what you want. Otherwise you are just fighting a losing battle…and what is the fun in that?
– Greek yogurt or cottage cheese, topped with fruit and ¼ cup of seeds or nuts
– Dinner for breakfast – grab your leftover protein and vegetables from the night before
– Two eggs and a slice of whole grain toast
– Oatmeal or quinoa mixed with yogurt and cinnamon topped with ¼ cup of nuts or seeds
– Egg white scramble with vegetables and salsa on top
– Beans or lentils mixed with quinoa, topped with some hot sauce and olives
– Blend some greens, Greek yogurt, frozen fruit and milk for a smoothie
– Chicken noodle soup or chili
– PB&J on the go
– Frittata filled with vegetables and salsa or olive tapenade on top
– Chicken or turkey sausages, greens from the night before and half a baked potato or yam
– Hi Fiber Cereal mixed with yogurt and topped with ¼ cup of nuts or seeds
So…do we have a deal?