When it comes to nutrition, there are only a few things I am certain of, and one of them is eat breakfast. I do believe it is the most important meal of the day and an absolute game changer when it comes to managing physical and emotional hunger.
I saw on the Today Show a segment on how breakfast should be skipped to lose weight…my heart skipped a beat, worried about how this was going to play out on TV…and thank goodness afellow dietitian, Keri Glassman, RD spoke beautifully about the importance of nutrition and breakfast. Phew! Watch the segment here.
Reasons to eat breakfast:
- Decreases stress hormones, allowing your body to burn fat and metabolize efficiently
- Helps manage cravings throughout the day, overall daily caloric intake will likely be lower
- Manage emotional hunger and mood – start your day with fuel to prevent getting “hangry” or making less healthy food choices later
- Fuels morning workouts and allows for proper recovery
***I will provide the disclaimer, there are a handful of clients who have tried to eat breakfast at my suggestion, and after trying it for a few weeks they notice they feel worse and have gained weight. My answer is – make it work for you! If you try breakfast consistently for a month and it is not working for you, then find a strategy that works. Ultimately that is what is most important.
Need some breakfast ideas?
- Quick plain oats, cinnamon and fresh or frozen fruit – topped with yogurt or milk
- Eggs, toss some veggies, olives and hot sauce on top – toast on the side
- Sweet potato, eggs
- Lean sausage, veggie, starch
- Yogurt or cottage cheese, nuts and fruit
- Smoothie with yogurt or milk, 1 serving of fruit and some greens
Try breakfast consistently for a month and let me know how it goes. Keep me posted. Start your day off right!