Breakfast is for champions

Consuming a nourishing breakfast has the power to:

   

    Reduce the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) and diabetes

    Maintain a healthy weight

    Improve alertness, concentration, mental performance and memory

    Provide energy

    Make you less likely to snack on unhealthy meals during the day

    Improve your mood

    Increase overall well-being

    Contribute to a healthier diet overall by providing important essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, dietary fibre and essential vitamins and minerals

What’s more, research from Harvard Medical School suggests that breakfast eaters are typically categorized as being leaner. One study in particular, reported that individuals who missed breakfast were associated with a fourfold increase in the risk of obesity.

And, in one of the first ever studies to examine intelligence and breakfast consumption, it has been found that Chinese children who did not eat breakfast had significantly lower IQ scores, particularly in verbal IQ, than those who regularly ate breakfast.

These benefits are clearly impressive, so why then are 23% of adults and 10% of children skipping breakfast?

The three most common reasons given are lack of time, poor motivation and limited availability of breakfast foods.

So, let’s simplify the process for you, with these six savvy steps towards breakfast success:

1. Think of breakfast in a positive light

Embrace flavours and textures you like. Choose foods, recipes and combinations that you are excited by and look forward to eating. A challenge I give to my clients is to take three of their favourite breakfast recipes and prepare them as healthily and nutrient dense as possible. I call this the ‘leaning out your recipes technique’.

2. Keep it simple

Use this formula: Breakfast = 1 carbohydrate + 1 protein/dairy + 1 fruit/vegetable. Add a healthy fat source if you feel you need it, especially if the other foods are higher in Glycemic Index.

3. Plan in advance

Make it super easy for yourself by creating a game plan of items to purchase and stock up on at home. Here are some suggestions:

Whole grains such as steel cuts oats, raw wheat germ, quinoa flakes, untoasted no sugar added muesli, fresh non-rancid breads (keep frozen for longevity), puffed grains.

Proteins/dairy, eggs, lean meats, protein powders and bars, chia bran or seeds, nut butters, yogurts, cottage cheese, milk.

Fruits/vegetables including vegetable juices and dried fruits

4. Aim to eat within the first hour of waking

Set an alarm on your mobile or watch to go off one hour after waking to remind you about your breakfast fuel. Remember, breakfast is literally breaking the fast. With most of us, it has been at least eight hours since the body last had anything to eat. Take this opportunity to add some clean energizing fuel into your system so you can successfully attack the day ahead with high energy levels.

5. Grab & go

Gather simple, healthy and fast things you like to eat and keep near your keys or somewhere you are most likely to look at if you’re running late. Protein bars and shakes, energy/raw bars, breakfast breads, fresh fruit, vegetable juices or even nut-seed-dried fruit mixes, come in handy when you are pressed for time. You can also keep emergency supplies at work or in your bag.

6. Super Foods = Super Power

Step it up a notch. When you gain confidence with your breakfast, trying adding some super-food varieties such as greens mixes, acai & goji berries, maca powder, LSA, chia seeds and bran, to up the antioxidants, nutrient value and micronutrient content.

Remember, if you prepare and think like a champion, with practice and consistency you will become one. Challenge yourself to become a winner at breakfast!

Source: Healthylife