Eat More and Lose Weight!
Author: Shannon Miller
We have always heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, yet with the hustle and bustle of our busy lives, it is the meal we are most likely to skip.
Is coffee breakfast? Yes, that caffeine fix we grab on the way to the office is oh so delicious but don’t let be the only thing you fuel your body with.
This is a long way from how our grandparents used to experience breakfast – sitting at the kitchen table using actual utensils. Perhaps there is a happy medium – a way to incorporate a nutritious breakfast into our morning without adding 4 more things to our to-do list.
So the question is:
How can we eat a quick, but nutritious breakfast?
First, like with making any change, we have to recognize and acknowledge it as a priority.
Why should eating breakfast be a priority? Everyone’s answer to this question is sure to differ.
Try this simple experiment:
- Don’t change your routine for a full week.
- Write down how you feel at different times of the day.
- Then, for one full week take time to eat breakfast each day.
- Write down how you feel on those days.
How was your day different when you took the time to eat breakfast. Chances are you will feel more calm and collected. Did you avoid hitting that energy dip midday? What about skipping the office treats because you had a full belly? Studies show that making breakfast a daily habit can help you lose weight – and keep it off.
Second, what can we eat for breakfast that doesn’t require us to take the role of a short-order cook? Here are a couple of ideas:
- Granola and meal on the go bars: Choose bars that are high in fiber and protein but low on calories.
- Fruit: Throw an apple, pear, peach, banana, orange or a baggie of grapes in your bag.
- Cereal/oatmeal: Go for the cereals high in fiber. Fiber fills you up without filling you out.
- Make it the night before: You could prepare a special breakfast item like banana nut bread, so that it is ready in the morning (and maybe even for a couple of mornings after!). My Healthy & Balanced Pregnancy Cookbook has many breakfast recipes in it, including a banana nut bread recipe, that are quick and easy to prepare (and can be enjoyed whether you are expecting or not).