Relationship: Breakfast and Weight

Breakfast: Middle English, "breaking the fast"  (consumed within 1-2 hours of waking)

What is the relationship between breakfast and weight maintenance or weight loss?

Should I skip breakfast so that I can cut calories?

Breakfast is one of the most important meals of the day in relation to weight.  Not only can a healthy breakfast choices "set the stage" for healthy dietary choices the rest of the day, but it can also reduce hunger throughout the day and give you more energy.  Read on...

Balanced future.  Studies have shown that skipping breakfast often leads to unhealthier dietary choices the rest of the day, in particular choosing less fruits and vegetables.  Make a healthy breakfast choice to put yourself on track for healthy choices all day long.

More energy.  A healthy breakfast within 1-2 hours of waking has been shown to give you more energy and increase likelihood of physical activity throughout the day.  (Skipping breakfast has also been associated with decreased physical activity.)

Reduced calorie intake.  When you skip breakfast, you may feel insatiable and ravenous by lunchtime, leading to quick fixes at the vending machine or overeating at lunch.  The prolonged fast beyond sleeping hours can lead to a a reduced insulin response, which can increase fat storage and lead to weight gain.  Skipping breakfast is a leading risk factor for obesity!

(3.5 minute breakfast video)

Vegetables for breakfast? Hmpf, you say.

When it comes to fitting in 8 - 9 servings of fruits and vegetables each day, it can be downright difficult.

Dinner is usually a sure fire bet to get a serving or three.  Lunch frequently, too.  Maybe your mid-afternoon snack includes a bag of baby carrots, broccoli with hummus, or an apple with almonds.  All great choices!  But frequently we still come up short in the F & V category...  So, what about breakfast?  Carbohydrate and protein choices tend to dominate this "break the (overnight) fast" mealtime, but is that the limit?

Let's talk about how we can pack in more fruits and vegetables to our first meal of the day, setting us up for success for the rest of the day!

1. Stir fresh or frozen berries, dried fruit, banana slices, fresh chopped any fruit, into yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal.

Recipe: 1-minute blueberry-oatmeal muffin
Recipe: Banana,Wheat Germ, and Oats.

2. Get your morning started with a smoothie that can be enjoyed at home or on-the-go!  Make it with fruits AND vegetables!  Besides color, you'll never know that greens are hiding in your fruit.

Combine low fat milk or yogurt, fresh or frozen fruit (frozen bananas are great) and a handful of any fresh vegetable (spinach, carrots, beets, etc)

Tip: Use frozen fruits to eliminate thinning/dilution with ice cubes.

Recipe:  Pineapple, Orange, Granola, and Carrot Smoothie

Recipe: Mixed Berry and Beet Smoothie

Recipes: Green Monster Smoothies All with spinach, some with fruit additions!

3. Scramble eggs with peppers, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, and/or tomatoes!  Pour scrambled eggs over chopped broccoli for a quick steam.  Want some cheese?  Make it a vegetable omelet with 1/4 cup shredded cheese!

4. Skip the high-sugar mocha frappuccino and and opt for a basic cup of coffee and low-sodium tomato juice. 

5. Make an egg sandwich for on the go with an english muffin (or sprouted grain bread, whole-wheat bread), 1 scrambled egg, avocado (in place of butter or mayonnaise), spinach leaves (wilted by the hot egg), thin slice of tomato, and a sprinkle of cheese.

Need more ideas? Google "vegetables for breakfast" for more inspiration!

Welcome to Thinking, Loving, Sleeping, and Dining Well!

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” 

--Virginia Woolf--

The theme of this blog is to focus on healthy living, facilitated through thinking, loving, and sleeping well with a foundation on dining well.  The authors will focus on healthy eating choices, tips, tricks, and preparing delicious foods in your home, and how this can impact other facets of your life.