I’m so guilty on this one. I almost never eat a good breakfast. I generally have a few cups of coffee (something new since the twins were born) and something sweet. By 10am I am back to my normal fruit, granola, and low fat yogurt routine. But researchers are discovering that what you eat to break the fast. . .may influence how you eat the rest of the day. Not only that, but people who regularly eat breakfast are at a significantly lower risk for obesity and type II diabetes. So it goes without saying, eat your breakfast!
Eating sugary or fattening breakfasts sets you up to crave sugary and fattening things for the rest of the day. Your blood sugar gets a shock first thing in the morning (remember–you’re breaking a fast) and then you set course on a cycle of highs and crashes.
The perfect breakfast is about 300 calories and contains a serving of whole grain carbohydrate, one serving of a high calcium food, and one serving of fruit. An egg or other high protein food is just fine too–as long as it doesn’t add to many calories to your meal. So basically, a bowl of whole grain cereal, or an egg, and a piece of fruit will do the trick to get you started off right in the morning.
Another great idea for breakfast is a smoothie. A cup of strawberries, a cup of banana, some ice and yogurt and you’ve got yourself an on the go breakfast. You’ve also just crossed off two servings of fruit from your daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
Regardless of what healthful foods you pick to meet your daily breakfast requirements, it is important to eat breakfast to break the binging cycle. If you find yourself binging at lunch or craving too much sugar during the day, then this is the cure for you. Eat a good breakfast packed with good-for-you carbs and you’ll find that your energy levels will remain steady throughout the day and that translates into weight loss for you.
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Start the Day with a Healthy Breakfast