Week 1.5 Breakfast is totally Rad

You wouldn’t make it far from your driveway on an empty tank of gas, so why would you leave the house without filling up your tank first? Eating a healthy breakfast is no different for our bodies. A good breakfast fuels you up and gets you ready for the day. Breakfast is important because it is what your metabolism is based on for the day. If you give your body fuel to burn early on, it will burn more calories throughout the entire day.

So, you are probably wondering what a nutrient-dense breakfast looks like. The main focus is eating a breakfast that is filling and has the proper nutrients to satisfy you until your next meal. If there is any meal where you want to load up on protein and complex carbohydrates, it is breakfast, not only because proteins and complex carbs are filling, but because you have the entire rest of the day to burn the provided calories. Eating a complete breakfast sets the pace for the day since you won’t be as inclined to over-eat at other meals. Often, breakfast foods are high in sugar and other simple carbohydrates which do not provide the necessary nutrients to get you through the day.   So here are some tips and helpful hints on what a nutrient-dense breakfast should look like:

·         Make sure your breakfast includes complex carbohydrates (such as whole grain cereal, whole grain bread, wheat bread or fruit, brown rice), protein (such as egg whites, peanut butter, lean meat, poultry or fish or nuts, quinoa,), and healthy fat (such as peanut butter, nuts, light cream cheese)

·         Include whole grain products instead of refined products

·         Choose low-fat dairy products (skim milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheeses, such as cottage cheese and natural cheeses).

·         Limit intake of fried foods, grease, and extra gravies/sauces

·         Aim to include fresh fruit at breakfast rather than fruit juice, which can be high in added sugars.

Menu ideas for healthy, dense breakfasts:

 300 Calorie Breakfasts at Home or On-the-Go

1 pack Nature Valley granola bars, handful of nuts, 8 oz skim milk

1 mini whole wheat bagel w/ 1 Tbsp light cream cheese, 1 small banana, 4 oz skim milk

1 wheat English muffin toasted w/2 slices lean ham, 1 slice of 2% cheese, ½ cup sliced fruit, 4 oz skim milk

Carnation Instant Breakfast/Protein Shake, 1 pack Nature Valley granola bars

400 Calorie Breakfasts at Home or On-the-Go

1 cup cereal w/ ½ cup skim milk, ½ cup sliced fruit, handful of nuts, 1 string cheese

1 slice wheat toast, 1 Tbsp peanut butter, 1 fruit, 8 oz skim milk

Yogurt cup w/ handful of nuts, ½ cup sliced fruit, 1 wheat English muffin w/2 slices of lean ham

Carnation Instant Breakfast /Protein Shake, 1 pack Nature Valley granola bars, 1 banana, 1 yogurt

500 Calorie Breakfasts at Home or On-the-Go

1 whole wheat bagel w/ 2 Tbsp light cream cheese, 1 small fruit, 8 oz 2% milk

2 whole wheat waffles w/ 2 Tbsp butter, drizzled with syrup, 1 string cheese, 8 oz skim milk

1 wheat English muffin w/ 2 cooked egg whites, 2-3 slices lean ham, 1 slice 2% cheese, 1 small fruit, 8 oz 2% milk

1 pack Nature Valley granola bars, 1 small fruit, 2 string cheese, 8 oz 2% milk