Increasingly busy lives often means less time for healthful practices like eating breakfast or getting regular exercise. Taking the time for these habits may actually yield more time in the form of increased energy, productivity and focus. In other words, if you don’t have a breakfast routine developing one is a good idea for more reasons than one. For example, eating breakfast may help you maintain a healthy weight. Studies have shown that skipping breakfast increases the likelihood of overeating or making poor food choices later in the day. There are other benefits, too. Eating breakfast can help you do better by boosting brain power, mental energy and concentration. That sounds like the makings of a pretty good day.
What to Eat for Breakfast
Include lean protein in your breakfast routine. A whole wheat English muffin with egg and a few slices of tomato with spinach or avocado is a great choice. You can put eggs and salsa in a tortilla, too. If you are worried about time just microwave the egg and you have breakfast on the go in less than a minute. Other good choices on the go include bananas and hard boiled eggs. You can have low fat yogurt with berries or oatmeal with raisins and nuts if you have more time at home.
Is Breakfast the Most Important Meal of the Day?
Some studies dispute the value of breakfast as well as claims that it is as the most important meal of the day. My lived experience does not bear this out. Although I eat breakfast most days on the rare days that I skip it I am so uncomfortably hungry it is difficult to focus on anything other than my hunger by about 10am. If you aren’t sure about the value of a good breakfast, try a personal challenge. Keep a food diary for about one week. Note what you eat (including calorie count) and how you feel in terms of energy and focus on a scale of 1-10.
Benefits of Breakfast
According to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, eating breakfast gives you a head start on getting the vitamins and nutrients you need to meet daily requirements for optimal health. Breakfast also gives you enough fuel to get through the morning without the slump to slow you down.
Find Time to Fuel Up
Does the morning rush make you reach for a donut and head out the door? You can do better. If you can’t get up ten minutes earlier you can plan ahead. Prep your breakfast the night before or think easy morning convenience when shopping. Also make choices you will be excited about so getting breakfast together doesn’t feel like such a chore. You wouldn’t send your child out without a good breakfast. Be just as good to yourself and start your day off right with breakfast.
