It’s 6 am, your alarm goes off letting you know that a new day has begun. You may hit the snooze button a few times to enjoy a not so restful 10 minutes more of sleep. You finally roll out of bed and scramble to prepare yourself for the world. If you have kids, 90% of your morning is spent making sure they have the right socks, outfits, food… and with what little time remains (if any), you spend on yourself.

Somewhere in the chaos of preparation and drowsiness, your stomach starts reminding you that it needs some attention as well. But who has time for that?!

The lack of a good and consistent breakfast is hurting many Americans. Many studies show that both adults and adolescents who eat breakfast tend to weigh less than breakfast skippers. The theory behind why breakfast skippers tend to weigh more revolves around the fact that metabolism slows as we start our day and by the time we reach lunchtime we feel as though we are starving and in response, we tend to overeat (sound familiar?) (WebMd).

So as painful as it may be, breakfast is important! Here are some diet and nutrition tips to consider as you plan out a healthy start to your day-

1.) Eat protein: this will help make you feel full for longer and also help maintain muscle mass. A good protein source early in the morning will help you to avoid the binges on snacks that are no bueno. A few great protein sources to consider are eggs, protein shakes, greek yogurt, and cottage cheese.

2.) Eat Fiber: Avoid feeling hungry by eating a good source of fiber, this will not only make you feel full for longer but also set you up for good digestion. Try beans, whole grains, nuts, berries…

3.) Eat Fat: A little fat goes a long way. The best place to get these fats early in the morning is from nuts but you can also get fat (pun intended) by using coconut oils for cooking or even adding this into your coffee.

Here are a healthy breakfast nutrition tips from the American Heart Association:

1. Start your meal with a glass of fruit juice (good fruit juice without all of the added sugar).
2. Order whole-grain instead of white toast.
3. Instead of butter, spread your toast with low-fat cottage cheese and a little jam.
4. Ask for low-fat cream cheese with your bagel.
5. Look for whole-grain cereals with fat-free milk (but watch out for high-fat granolas).
6. Enjoy fat-free or low-fat yogurt with fruit — either in a bowl or as a smoothie!
7. Hot cereals such as oatmeal, grits, cream of wheat or cream of rice with a little honey can warm you up on a cool morning.

 

Here are some great healthy breakfast recipes to try!

AdvoCare Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

3 egg whites

1 scoop chocolate muscle gain protein

1 tablespoon Stevia

Sugar-Free Syrup

Directions: Mix first 3 ingredients in a bowl. The consistency should be similar to regular pancakes. Then pour ¼ cup mix onto a nonstick pan. Cook until golden brown and flip.Once they are done drizzle some of your favorite sugar-free syrup and enjoy!!

Blueberry Yogurt Crunch

Prep time: less than 5 minutes

8 ounces of nonfat greek yogurt

½ cup blueberries

¼ cup bran cereal

Directions: combine all ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately

Calories: 190 fat 1g, saturated fat 0g, cholesterol 5mg, sodium, 250 mg, carbohydrates 44g, fiber 11g, protein 8g

Egg White Omelet with Vegetable-Cheddar Filling

Ingredients

3 large egg white plus 1 yolk

1 teaspoon of water

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

⅛ teaspoon of salt

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

½ cup loosely packed chopped fresh spinach

1 plum tomatoes chopped

2 tablespoons shredded nonfat cheddar cheese

Vegetable cooking spray

Directions

1. Whisk egg whites, water, dill, salt, and pepper together.
2. Lightly coach an omelet pan or small skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium for 1 minute. Pour egg mixture into a pan and cook until eggs begin to set on bottom.
3. Spread spinach tomato and cheese over half of the omelet, leaving a ½ inch border. Lift up the side of the omelet with the spatula and fold over filling. Cook 2 minutes. Slide the omelet onto a serving plate.

Calories:110, fat .05g, saturated fat 0g, cholesterol 3 mg, sodium 906 mg, carbohydrates 8g, fiber 1g, protein 18g

Quick French Toast

1 Egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons honey

1 tablespoon skim milk

1 slice whole grain bread

Directions:

1. Place all ingredients except bread into a shallow bowl and whisk  well until combined
2. Pour Egg mixture into a shallow bowl. Place bread into egg mixture and soak turning once.
3. Coat a nonstick cooking skillet and coat with nonstick spray and heat over medium heat.  Place the soaked bread into the skillet and pour any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Cook until golden brown on the bottom and then flip.

Calories 160, fat 6g, saturated fat 2g, cholesterol 200 mg, carbohydrates 14g, fiber 0g, protein 9g

***Recipes were found in the Encyclopedia of bodybuilding by Robert Kennedy

Until Next Time,

Megan

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