Breakfast: Eat It!
People skip breakfast either because of poor time management or a misguided attempt at weight loss, but what you eat (or don’t) at the top of the morning will determine how you’ll function throughout the day.
The word itself is an indication of what you need to be doing – breaking the fast – (abstaining from eating) of the past several hours you spent asleep plus the couple of hours after your last meal before bedtime (hopefully, you put space between your last meal and bedtime).
When you skip breakfast, several things begin to happen. First, your body will begin to slow down your metabolism and hold on to the energy (calories) it should be using for everyday functions, like keeping you awake and breathing, walking and talking, and cognitive tasks. Next, you’ll be tempted to make poor food choices by the time you do finally get around to eating. You’ll be so hungry that you’ll just reach for the nearest and most convenient option to sate your hunger. You also risk overeating by eating more than you usually would if you’d had breakfast, because of that overwhelming hunger and as a way to compensate for missing that first meal.
But not all breakfasts are created equal, so even though any breakfast is better than no breakfast at all, think about how you relate to breakfast and what kinds of foods make you feel good and alive in the morning.
Which foods generally have you feeling your best and hold you over til midday? Is it enough for you to have a bowl of cereal or a bagel, or do you need to have some kind of protein and veggies? Will a fruit smoothie satisfy you or would you prefer to start your day with a bowl of oatmeal? How about soup? Do you ever eat dinner leftovers for breakfast?
Maybe you’re a “two breakfast” kind of person who needs to start off with something light before heading off to work or school and having something more substantial when you’re at your destination.
There are food experts (and food fanatics) that can write for days about which foods are best for the first meal of the day, but it’s really up to you to experiment and see what kinds of foods in which combinations will get you through to lunchtime without cravings, snacking, and or food-related mood swings.
Just be mindful to watch the amount of sugar and/or caffeine you consume first thing, as the initial energy spike could have you crashing by lunchtime.
What do you eat for breakfast and how has that been working for you?
