Today's Tip: Eat Breakfast!
May. 3rd, 2011 11:42 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
phynckeI try to eat breakfast each day and it is an energy boost. Here is some info from the Active for Life people about it...
Breakfast is for Champions!
When I was a kid, my ultimate goal in life was to make it on the cover of a Wheaties box. So, following their marketing mantra - Wheaties... the Breakfast of Champions - I ate it every morning, believing that if I did, I'd be ready when the "people who make people famous" would come knocking on my door.
"Hey, are you the girl who eats Wheaties for breakfast??" "Why YES... yes, I am." "GREAT! We need you for the next batch of Wheaties boxes! Can you come with us now?" "Why YES... yes, I can."
Little did I know then that breakfast really IS for champions! Or, at least for people who want to feel like champions throughout the day. You may have heard or read somewhere that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, that is no myth. It's absolutely true... and here's why:
Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day. By eating breakfast, you are literally breaking a fast - the "fast" being the 6-8 hours your body has gone without food because you've been sleeping. Thus, when you skip breakfast, you are more likely to be tired as your brain and body run out of fuel. By mid-morning, you might grab a cup of coffee to wake up again or wolf down a sugary candy bar because you suddenly realize you're hungry. This might seem to work for a few minutes, but by lunch time you are even more hungry, possibly irritable, and perhaps your mood might make you a little more prone to make unhealthy choices at lunch.
Despite this, many people tend to skip eating breakfast, whether it's out of habit, or because you're crunched for time during the morning rush, or because of "bad dieting" (skipping meals, cutting out calories, etc). Skipping breakfast is a common strategy many employ when trying to losing weight, but it's definitely not a smart one. Many believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, but that just isn't true; the body expects to be refueled a few times each day -- starting with breakfast. And eating breakfast is actually good for weight loss. In fact, people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
It's also good to keep in mind that what you eat for breakfast is important as well. The belgian waffles, donuts, and sky-high pancake stacks are fine for
"Egg"celent breakfast choice!
once-in-a-while special occasions, but these are generally not the best choices in that they tend to be high in sugar, fat, and calories, and they don't keep you satiated for very long. A healthier breakfast to jump start your day and keep you energized and satiated throughout is a combination of lean protein (like eggs), complex carbohydrates made of whole grains, fruits or vegetables, and healthy fats.
Here are some examples of quick and healthy meals that will never have you skipping out on breakfast again:
Cooked oatmeal topped with almonds or dried cranberries
A whole-wheat pita stuffed with hard-boiled eggs
Leftover vegetable pizza
A corn or whole grain tortilla filled with vegetables, salsa and low-fat shredded cheese
A smoothie blended from exotic fruits, some low-fat yogurt and a spoonful of wheat germ
Whole-wheat crackers with low-fat cheese or peanut butter
A microwaved potato topped with broccoli and grated Parmesan cheese
A whole-wheat sandwich with lean meat and low-fat cheese and as much lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and sweet peppers as you like
Multigrain pancakes with fruit and yogurt
A whole-grain waffle with peanut butter
Egg omelet with vegetables (use more egg whites than yolk)
Breakfast is for Champions!
When I was a kid, my ultimate goal in life was to make it on the cover of a Wheaties box. So, following their marketing mantra - Wheaties... the Breakfast of Champions - I ate it every morning, believing that if I did, I'd be ready when the "people who make people famous" would come knocking on my door.
"Hey, are you the girl who eats Wheaties for breakfast??" "Why YES... yes, I am." "GREAT! We need you for the next batch of Wheaties boxes! Can you come with us now?" "Why YES... yes, I can."
Little did I know then that breakfast really IS for champions! Or, at least for people who want to feel like champions throughout the day. You may have heard or read somewhere that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Well, that is no myth. It's absolutely true... and here's why:
Eating a good breakfast sets the tone for the rest of your day. By eating breakfast, you are literally breaking a fast - the "fast" being the 6-8 hours your body has gone without food because you've been sleeping. Thus, when you skip breakfast, you are more likely to be tired as your brain and body run out of fuel. By mid-morning, you might grab a cup of coffee to wake up again or wolf down a sugary candy bar because you suddenly realize you're hungry. This might seem to work for a few minutes, but by lunch time you are even more hungry, possibly irritable, and perhaps your mood might make you a little more prone to make unhealthy choices at lunch.
Despite this, many people tend to skip eating breakfast, whether it's out of habit, or because you're crunched for time during the morning rush, or because of "bad dieting" (skipping meals, cutting out calories, etc). Skipping breakfast is a common strategy many employ when trying to losing weight, but it's definitely not a smart one. Many believe that they will lose weight if they skip meals, but that just isn't true; the body expects to be refueled a few times each day -- starting with breakfast. And eating breakfast is actually good for weight loss. In fact, people who eat breakfast are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
It's also good to keep in mind that what you eat for breakfast is important as well. The belgian waffles, donuts, and sky-high pancake stacks are fine for
"Egg"celent breakfast choice!
once-in-a-while special occasions, but these are generally not the best choices in that they tend to be high in sugar, fat, and calories, and they don't keep you satiated for very long. A healthier breakfast to jump start your day and keep you energized and satiated throughout is a combination of lean protein (like eggs), complex carbohydrates made of whole grains, fruits or vegetables, and healthy fats.
Here are some examples of quick and healthy meals that will never have you skipping out on breakfast again:
Cooked oatmeal topped with almonds or dried cranberries
A whole-wheat pita stuffed with hard-boiled eggs
Leftover vegetable pizza
A corn or whole grain tortilla filled with vegetables, salsa and low-fat shredded cheese
A smoothie blended from exotic fruits, some low-fat yogurt and a spoonful of wheat germ
Whole-wheat crackers with low-fat cheese or peanut butter
A microwaved potato topped with broccoli and grated Parmesan cheese
A whole-wheat sandwich with lean meat and low-fat cheese and as much lettuce, tomato, cucumber, and sweet peppers as you like
Multigrain pancakes with fruit and yogurt
A whole-grain waffle with peanut butter
Egg omelet with vegetables (use more egg whites than yolk)
