Breakfast? DO IT!

First of all I am not a nutritionist and no I did not sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.  But, I read a lot.  Ok not in the traditional sense but I read lots of articles and subscribe to a few magazines so thankfully that all counts.  So, if you haven't done all that then I'm an expert to you :)



How often do you eat breakfast?  I know a lot of people that don't or didn't until I kept asking them about it.  I'm sure we've all heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, well its true.  People that skip breakfast typically snack more throughout the day and try to make up for it at lunch and dinner.  What most people don't know is that our bodies go into a kind of "fasting" state when we go to sleep.  After a few hours our bodies think to themselves, "I'm going to conserve as much as I can because I don't know when I'm going to get more food (fuel)."  It doesn't matter if you wake-up, take a shower, read the newspaper or go to work.  Your body is like "Nope, I'm going to do as little as possible."  It actually stops producing the enzymes necessary to metabolize fat and therefore burn it (i.e. you lose weight).  Eating breakfast starts the metabolism process in your body and you start burning fat and calories.  It doesn't matter what you eat.  If you workout in the morning or are active then you have to eat.  Your body needs food to recharge and repair itself after a workout - typically within 15-30 minutes after a workout.

Here is my breakfast rotation that I go through weekly:

• Cereal - Cinnamon Life, Honey Bunches of Oats, Grape Nuts, Total
• Oatmeal - Quaker Brown Sugar Instant
• Frozen Waffles - Nutrigrain Blueberry
• *Bagel - Cinnamon Raisin with peanut butter or cream cheese on occasion.
• McDonald's - Egg McMuffin meal 

*I have switched to deli flats type bread.  All due to me (finally) reading the nutritional information on the package.  Bagel - 260 calories and the flat bread about 100 calories.

Now before you jump all over me.  I probably have McDonald's for breakfast once every two weeks and get the Egg McMuffin, sometimes by itself.  It's the healthiest thing they serve and when I'm in a rush and can't eat at home it works.  As you can see my choices aren't too boring or strict.  Sure I could do a lot better but I could do a lot worse too.  I try to avoid high sugar breakfast food items like kids cereals, bagels, donuts, etc.  I love sweets but try to consume them in moderation for the most part.  High sugar foods are great for instant gratification and energy.  Where as you felt great when you eat them but the high and feeling of satisfaction are short lived. 

Anyway, there you have it, even if you're not hungry - a half a banana, a piece of toast, Nutrigrain bar, just eat something!