Breakfast. The most important meal of the day, or so your Mom always told you. Turns out she was right. So why then, do so many people not take Mom’s advice ?
Breakfast is the most skipped meal of the day.
Why? Two reasons are at the top of the list. People believe they are “to busy”, or they view skipping breakfast as a way to help “lose weight”.
Oh, I was there in the past. I, like many out there, had this ridiculous misguided notion that if I did, it would help me lose weight.
So it went like this:
Wake up from an all night fast. ( bet you never thought of it like that, did you? But think about the last time you ate…you’ve been fasting)
Think about how I needed to lose weight ( or if I was at a “thin zone” it was to help keep me there and I decided starvation mode was a much better plan than anything else.)
Start my day and then get progressively hungrier.
Finally, lunch time, with a small amount of food.
Then afternoon hit and the “small” snacking began to try and off set the hunger I’d been battling all day. “Just enough to hold me till dinner…..”
And then… the main event… the BIG thing I’d waited for. My first real, satisfying meal all day long.
Dinner. Let the feasting begin.
Are you shaking your head agreeing? Been there done that? Maybe you still do. I hope not.
I have been reformed from such thinking, a few years now.
Why?
I figured out I feel better ( go figure) I eat better in my day and I eat less, and hey I’m really not into starving for fun… not anymore… food is good.
Unfortunately, the thinking that breakfast leads to weight loss is just not true. In fact, it works against us. Feeding our bodies something in the morning kick starts our metabolism, stabilizes blood sugar, gives our bodies necessary vitamins and minerals and hey, our tummy stops making bad noises 😉 It also reduces our risk for over eating or cravings later in the day. It also stands to reason without properly fueling your body, you will be lacking energy and be less physically active.
I’ve learned by paying attention to my body if I eat a good, solid protein packed breakfast, I don’t think about food for a long time. I don’t crave anything and I feel level ( meaning my blood sugar level stays nice and steady which helps with cravings or getting hungry)
I ‘ve also had to learn from an athletic standpoint that I need a “mini meal” or snack before I take off on some physical activity that will keep my body going for an hour or hours. This has been a process for me because my old way of disordered thinking is ” I don’t need those extra calories”… but actually I do.
I’ve also had to learn how to fuel my body after my long workouts. Now days the danger for me is not eating enough sometimes to really replace what I’ve lost and keep me from getting hungry soon after again.
Breakfast is important. Breakfast is the kick start fuel for our day. If you’re athletic it plays an even stronger role in your day.
Do you know you should structure your meals in probably the exact opposite of the way you eat them ?
We tend to eat dinner as our biggest meal of the day. Ideally you should start with breakfast being your bigger meal, a smaller lunch, and dinner being your lightest meal.
If you think about it, it makes sense. You need more calories and energy to take on the demands of your day than when you are winding down for the evening and going to be more sedentary.
So if you aren’t a breakfast eater, or think you are just “to busy” to eat it what do you do ?
First, if you aren’t try be practicing with small things in the morning. Maybe a banana and milk or a glass of oj and a piece of toast… anything small to begin the shift of making it a new habit.
If you think you’re to busy.. trust me… I get it! Some mornings I come sailing in from a workout with my mind on what I need to get to and before I know it I’m cleaning up and I know I need food but I just don’t have time to cook.
One of my favorite easy protein packed go to “meals” is a bowl of non-fat plain Greek yogurt loaded with fresh berries and almonds. I can easily eat it while I’m getting ready. I also use cottage cheese sometimes instead of the yogurt.
Consider other things that are fast you can eat… fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs, cheese, a bagel, oatmeal with dried fruit and nuts.. Get creative with things you like that are easy and fast to eat.
The idea is to find foods you can eat that will give you energy, help kick start your morning, and give you the best start to your day you can get.
With a little practice you’ll be on the road to eating a good breakfast and having more energy for all you have to do in your busy day 🙂
sassyfitnesschick 