When I was little I never ate breakfast. Who had time to waste when I wanted to get to school to hang out with my friends before classes started. My parents use to tell me that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. I felt fine throughout the day and so I kept my routine of skipping breakfast.
And then something happened. I changed. I went to college and muffins were the thing. Remember the early 90’’s when bran muffins were healthy? Well, we all ran to the local health food cafe (yes, my Badgers, Sunprint had the best muffins!) and I couldn’t think of life without breakfast! And so I started to eat breakfast and as I got wiser and food trends changed so did what I ate. The muffins disappeared and oat bran cereal took its place alongside the breakfast table. I was hooked- eating breakfast changed my life. It wasn’t the coffee that I needed to wake up- it was the food. Eating breakfast fueled me and gave me energy to start the day off right.
Here are some reasons to start your day with eating breakfast:
- You are likely to consume less fat throughout the day
- You are likely to eat fruits and veggies in the morning
- You are likely to have a higher daily calcium intake
- You are likely to have a higher daily fiber intake
- You are likely to have better performance (memory and attention) throughout the day
If you start with a healthy, satisfying meal in the morning you're less apt to nibble on less nutritious things during the day, which we often do out of hunger.
Ok, so my college days of muffins were more a result of food trends in the 90’s. And actually as I look back on my freshman 15, it wasn’t too healthy. So, being mindful about what you choose to start your day is important!
Here are some suggestions for those on the go:
- High-fiber cereal with fresh fruit and low-fat milk or soy or almond or coconut milk
- Low-fat protein shake with fresh/frozen fruit
- High-fiber toast with tablespoon of peanut butter
- Eggs or egg whites with fresh veggies and fruit
For more suggestions on how to start your day email me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com