We all hear, and I’m sure it was drilled into many of you by your parents as you were growing up that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. As a personal trainer in Llanelli I have studied a lot into nutrition and when the right times to eat are etc. With the knowledge I gained I wonder why so many people skip breakfast.
It also just as important that the breakfast is healthy, an unhealthy breakfast can get your day off to just as bad a start as no breakfast.
Eating breakfast also has links to weight loss. a study at the University of Massachusetts looked into the relationship between breakfast and obesity. The study found that men who skip breakfast are nearly 5 times more likely to be obese than those that do.
When you sleep your body fasts for between 6-12 hours, it is called breakfast as it is a break in the fast, it gives your metabolism the boost that it needs to start the day.
A good example breakfast would include foods such as eggs, wholegrain toast (occasionally), fruit, organic muesli/granola and a glass of water or a smoothie. Eggs contain much needed protein which will help you to build muscle.
Breakfast is vital in giving you the energy needed to last you the morning. Cereals are a great way of getting an instant energy fix but it is short lived and they’re packed with sugar and have very minimal nutritional value. So you should try to avoid eating cereals for breakfast on most days, a high sugar breakfast like that will lead to a mid morning energy crash.
If you don’t manage to eat breakfast in the morning you can feel tired, moody and can really struggle to concentrate properly. This decreases your chances of a productive day of exercise and other things. Your hunger from not eating breakfast can often lead you craving bad unhealthy sweet foods which won’t help you.
From a personal point of view I can’t function without a good breakfast in me, if I miss breakfast because I am rushing around I know that my day is not going to get off to a good start. By taking a bit more time in the morning to have a sit down and eat before a big day of training I am raring to go, also by not rushing I go into the day in a good frame of mind as opposed to rushing around to get out of the door.
Many people who diet will become obsessed with counting calories and see breakfast as a great opportunity to reduce their calorie intake; this just gets your day off to the worst possible start and will probably result in you overindulging in food later on.
Complex carbs such as whole grain, oats and dried fruit, these are foods which slowly release glucose into your blood. These are the foods which will fill you up for longer and help you sustain your energy levels for much longer.
I’m aware that many people think they can’t function without a caffeine boost in the morning but it is important to try and limit your intake. Try swapping it for a fruit smoothie and see the difference. If you are having a full English try and grill the food rather than frying it and make sure that you do not have this breakfast too often. I can guarantee that exercising is extremely difficult with a stomach full of grease!
A good breakfast will really enhance your performance in training as your body has been fuelled with the right vitamins and nutrients to kick start your day.
So there you have a few quick tips to get your day off to a good start with a healthy breakfast, I know many people are in a rush in the morning but it is important to find the time for a great breakfast.
For more advice on what to eat for breakfast check out my 21 Days To Healthy Eating nutrition program or just drop me an email/comment.
Hope this helps,
Jamie