Several of my clients have mentioned to me that they either skip breakfast, skimp on it, or eat something that more closely resembles dessert (fyi, you put icing on a muffin and it becomes a cupcake). In each case, it seems that they are not eating enough food to supply adequate energy to the body until lunch time. If you are starving at your desk by 10AM, it's a good sign that you need to reconsider the morning oatmeal packet as a wholesome meal. Here are the main problems I see with what people are eating for breakfast:- Not eating enough food. A single packet of flavored Quaker Oatmeal has about 140 calories. If you are someone who should be eating 1800 or so calories per day, you're not even eating 10% of the calories you need.
- Lack of Fruits and Vegetables. It is actually possible to diversify your breakfast fruit menu beyond bananas. I promise.
- Not enough fat/protein. Fat and protein take longer to digest than carbohydrates (especially simple carbohydrates) so they keep you feeling full longer.
To address these problems, here are three simple breakfast ideas. Bear in mind here, I am not a nutritionist. I'd be ok with swallowing any of this advice should a more qualified professional challenge any of it. But most of what I'm offering is pretty practical and widely available information.
- As pictured, half a bagel (or a slice of toast) with peanut butter and a handful of strawberries. You could substitute any piece of fruit but berries are coming into season:) If you are a more active person, the whole bagel might be more appropriate.
- A 2-egg omelette with spinach and a sprinkle of cheddar, and a piece of toast. Again, you could substitute a different vegetable in the omelette like peppers.
- A smoothie with vanilla yogurt, orange juice and berries/banana. Toss all the ingredients in a blender and pour this in your own to-go cup. I would recommend using a yogurt that is NOT fat-free because this breakfast has no other fat source. Many will contest this I'm sure, but again, you want something that will keep you feeling full until lunch.
1 comment:
Thanks for the reminder to include fat in your breakfast, and diet in general!! In addition to keeping you full-feeling, I just read a study that showed that when many key antioxidants and vitamins are eaten without any fat, they are not absorbed by the body. These ingredients are called "fat-soluble". So I have stopped getting fat free salad dressing and use a little oil and vinegar instead. I want to hold on to my Lycopene ;-) It seems that once again, as with most things, too much or too little fat is bad for you, but the middle ground is really healthy.
Thanks Lindsey!
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