Do you want to know the best kept secret to weighing less, having more energy and staying focused at work? You’re not alone. Countless people attempt fad diets and weird supplements in an effort to drop weight and boost energy. Trendy fixes may work at first, but they fail to produce long-term results. But have no fear; I am about to disclose the missing link.
Don’t leave home without biting into breakfast!
Chances are you have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. However, after decades of motherly encouragement for the morning meal, it is still the most skipped meal of the day. Mother was right—breakfast is the best bite of the day. Studies show breakfast eaters eat less overall and gain less weight than those who avoid it. Skipping breakfast can cause low energy, the inability to focus and even irritability. Not to mention, research suggests children who eat breakfast have better attendance in school, improved test scores and are less likely to be overweight.
The best breakfast bites consists of the right combination of quality carbohydrates and powerful proteins that give our bodies energy to sustain the day and keep us full until lunch. Breakfast doesn’t have to be complicated, just nutritious.
Start the day with a warm bowl of oatmeal, topped with slivered nuts and a banana. Give breakfast a nutritious boost and make oatmeal with real dairy milk instead of water. You’ll be adding a boost of three of the four nutrients most Americans are lacking in their diet—calcium, vitamin D and potassium—to every bite. When pressed for time, try my go-to morning mixer and take breakfast with you.
If you are not in the habit of eating breakfast regularly, start today or tomorrow. Forget gimmicks to keep you energized and avoid weight-loss schemes that don’t work. Listen to your dietitian and your momma; don’t leave home until you’ve taken a bite out of healthy breakfast.
Rebecca Turner, MS, RD, CSSD, LD