Ever heard "breakfast is the most important meal of the day"... well this is actually very true and if you use this meal right towards your fitness goals you will be surprised at how good this works.
Our parents have been feeding us with orders about not leaving the house on an empty stomach and eating a healthy meal in the morning since we can remember. So what is the big deal with eating in the morning?
The obvious place to begin is that you’ve literally been starving your body of food and liquids the entire time you’ve been asleep. So that’s, on average, eight hours of consuming nothing. Imagine going 12-8pm every day without a single bite. You couldn’t do it. You’d have little energy, probably start shaking and be hallucinating about everything chocolate-orientated.
So when you’ve had an overnight fast, your body needs refuelling and shaking to wake up. Quite often when you awake feeling lethargic, even after a long sleep, it’s because you’re running on low or little energy, not because you didn’t sleep well. Breakfast figuratively powers us back to the world.
A more recent study, published in the journal Circulation by the American Heart Association last January, looked at the effects of different eating styles on obesity, lipid profile, insulin resistance, and blood pressure and confirmed consistency is king. The data suggests “irregular eating patterns appear less favourable for achieving a healthy cardiometabolic profile.”
In other words, research supports that people who eat breakfast tend to be healthier and more fit than people who don’t. The first meal of the day appears to have a role in everything from maintaining general health to losing those pesky five pounds once and for all.
Advantages of eating in the a.m.
Various studies have found different benefits of starting your day with breakfast, including:
Having a lower BMI
Consuming less fat through the day
Meeting recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption
Having higher daily calcium intake
Having higher daily fiber intake
Having better performance (memory and attention) (for school-aged children)
Much of the research just makes good common sense. If you start with a healthy, satisfying meal in the morning you're less apt to nibble on less nutritious things during the day, which we often do out of hunger — you grab the first or easiest thing in front of you.
Making good breakfast choices You might think that a muffin and a cup of coffee ought to do the trick, but experts advise being more careful about what you choose to start your day. Here are some suggestions for those on the go:
Low-fat protein shake with fresh/frozen fruit
High-fiber toast or bagel with tablespoon of peanut butter
Select protein bar and yogurt or a glass of milk
You can also have one serving of fresh fruit later as a mid-morning snack Read labels on any processed breakfast selections to see if they’re healthy choices. Especially with protein bars and some yogurts; some of them can have a lot of added sugar, says It’s a good idea to try to keep sugars under 20 grams and look for bars with about 6-10 grams of protein, and 3 or more grams of fiber.
You may want to consult with a dietitian if you need to get yourself back on track or are looking for menu ideas. You can share your food preferences and your limitations with a dietitian and he or she can help you with a good plan of action. Breakfast is like exercising. If you make room for it in the morning, you'll look and feel great throughout the day.
Gym Cat
For the strong