Yes my dear readers I am still seeking someone to tell me that NOT eating breakfast is okay. Many of you know that not eating breakfast is my weakness. I dislike most breakfast foods and eating in the morning never really makes me feel that great anyway. After consulting with Healthy Olga, I found to my disappointment that breakfast is still important but to my delight it does not have to be typical or heavy.
Why is breakfast so important to a weight loss program?
The first “meal” at the beginning of the day jumpstarts your metabolism and seems to set the metabolic tone for the rest of the day. That’s why it’s important to a weight loss program. With no “spark” at the beginning of the day, you’re unknowingly setting yourself up for cravings, a sluggish metabolism, and very little fat burning the whole day. If you noticed, I wrote meal in quotation marks above. That’s because what you consume doesn’t actually have to be a solid meal. For many people, a solid meal of eggs or oatmeal actually makes them feel sluggish, not energized, because their digestive systems can’t deal with the heaviness of a solid meal. And for many others, breakfast usually ends up causing cravings soon after, and people end up eating a second breakfast.
What do you suggest eating with so many variations in how our bodies may react?
I suggest paying attention to how your body reacts to your typical breakfast. If you notice that you’re sluggish, or feel some GI discomfort, or get cravings soon after, start by tweaking your typical breakfast. Maybe choose eggs with veggies instead of cereal or oatmeal. Or if you like cereal or oatmeal, cut your typical portion in half and add some additional protein (like almond slivers) to try to keep blood sugar balanced. (Most of us usually eat WAY too much cereal and oatmeal because our bowls have become so big. Try a toddler-sized bowl instead, or eat an amount that’s equivalent to the size of your fist.)
What if you feel sluggish eating the proper portions of a solid breakfast or oatmeal?
If you already know that the typical solid breakfast or oatmeal makes you sluggish, try something totally different that’s very light. Sometimes I have cucumber and tomato slices with a little sea salt, or a ½ cup of sliced berries. Another great idea is a rice and pea protein powder shake blended with berries. Yet, some people’s system can’t even handle this in the morning. If that’s the case, start your day with lemon water: 8 oz warm water with about 2 Tbs fresh lemon juice, and a small drop of honey or agave. Then, once you’re up and going, have a little more to eat about an hour or two later. The key is to get something into your system soon after waking to jump-start your metabolism for the day.
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