Make or Break Breakfast
Here are the most common breakfast mistakes I've seen:Not Enough Protein
Many of my clients have a bowl of cereal with milk for their breakfasts. Seems like a good choice, right? Yes, one cup of milk provides eight grams of protein, but think about it: How often do slurp down all the milk that accompanies our cereal? Not often, I would guess. Protein digests more slowly than carbohydrates, so without ample amounts, you'll be hungry sooner rather than later. If you don't want to drink the milk from the bowl, add a hard-boiled egg to your meal for extra protein. Cereal and milk are also loaded with sugar. Sugar causes inflammation, feeds cancer cells, weakens the immune system, and causes weight gain among other things. 4 grams of sugar listed on a food label= 1 teaspoon of sugar!
Too Little Fiber
The more sugar in your breakfast cereal, the faster it digests, and the hungrier you'll be. Conversely, more fiber will keep you fuller longer. So, here's my rule of thumb if you do decide to eat cereal: There should always be at least five grams of fiber, and there should always be more fiber than sugar. For extra fiber, add chia or flax seeds. If you choose the latter, make sure to grind the seeds first, or else you won't absorb their nutritional benefits.
No Fat
A meal with no fat can make you hungry again within an hour. Let's look at the supposed healthy breakfast of nonfat Greek yogurt, high-fiber cereal and berries. Where's the fat? I tell my clients to either switch to whole milk yogurt or to add some nuts to prevent feeling hungry.
Not Enough Food
While a piece of fruit is rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, it's not enough for breakfast. Many of my clients have found that a grab-and-go breakfast -- like an apple on the drive to work -- simply doesn't cut it. However, if they sit down and mindfully consume about 300 to 400 calories, they feel way more satisfied. By the time lunch approaches, eating breakfast has likely kept them from a day of overeating. Also- a cup of coffee and a donut is one of the worst things you could consume. Caffeine and sugar=afternoon crash!!
Too Late In the Day
I usually recommend eating within an hour of waking, if possible. The longer a person waits to eat breakfast, the hungrier they usually become, making it harder to be satisfied once they eat. Remember: One of a breakfast's main purposes is to provide you with fuel after a long break from eating. Once your breakfast blurs with the lines of lunchtime, it no longer does its job efficiently!
Breakfast: (Ideas: eggs with veggies, protein smoothie with almond milk, etc.)
3 oz. protein
1-2 Carbs (Vegetables)
1 – Fruit (low sugar choices only)
1-Healthy fat
1-2 Carbs (Vegetables)
1 – Fruit (low sugar choices only)
1-Healthy fat
Total Calories: 300-350
Ingredients:
1 cup Raw Organic Pecans, chopped
1 cup Dried Organic Apples, chopped
1 cup Organic Raisins
1 cup Raw Organic Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Raw Organic Almonds, chopped
Pinch of organic ground cloves, cinnamon and nutmeg
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
Flour-less Pancakes Ingredients: (Organic if possible)
2 Ripe bananas, mashed
3 Eggs
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
Sea salt to taste
Ghee or Coconut Oil
Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl
2. Pour batter into a pan with melted ghee or coconut oil over medium heat. Cook until small bubbles form and then flip.
Copyright, 2015, Jackie Mart. For further information about this blog, or Optimum Wellness LLC, contact Jackie Mart at 712.790.5883 or Jackie@OptimumWellnessMN.com. As a holistic nutritionist and lifestyle coach, I will support you in taking steps to a healthier and happier you. My goal is to help you create an art of balance in your life. You will also learn how important balance between primary foods (relationships, physical activity, sleep, career and spirituality) and secondary foods (organic food and whole food) is.
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