Small Changes For A Better Breakfast

It’s time for another SMALL CHANGE CHALLENGE for FAB-U-ARY!

This week I’m challenging you to *better your breakfast*! 

After all, breakfast is the best fest!  Even though Better Breakfast Month isn’t until September, working towards a better breakfast should be a year-round effort!!!

Here are the small breakfast changes I challenge you to make this week: 

• EAT something within 1 hour of waking. And I’m not just talking about coffee! Bite. Chew. Swallow. “No time” is no longer a viable excuse! Make a sammie the night before!

• Munch MORE in the mornin’! Is breakfast already your BFF??? Well, show it more love! Some studies have found that consuming a larger proportion of calories in your morning meal leads to greater weight loss when compared to eating the same amount of calories, but in the evening. To healthfully fill up without stuffing yourself, aim for 300-450 calories for your morning meal.

• Switch it up. I’m guilty of monotony in my diet and I’m not proud of it! When we consume a wider range of foods, our bodies absorb a wider range of nutrients, which fuel our bodies for the better! Even switching from Greek yogurt to low-fat cottage cheese can change the whole dynamic of breakfast! I begin most weekdays with either a berry bowl or a green smoothie…but I’m determined to switch it up! Here’s what I’m going to eat for breakfast this week:
  • Oatmeal with berries and seeds (Hey, I’ve got to start small!)
  • Eggs with spinach, onions, & mushrooms with avocado (a hefty dose of protein and healthy fats will keep me full until lunch)
  • Bowl of grains — farro, black rice, quinoa — they all provide their own unique nutrient profile and will fuel me through a tough mid-morning workout!
  • Leftovers! We rarely think to have dinner-like foods for breakfast, but why not (see bullet 2)??

• Sugar be gone! If you’ve learned to eat breakfast by noshing on a sugary breakfast bar, it’s time to give your AM meal a makeover! Opt for natural sugar sources (like fruit or dairy) if you prefer sweet over savory upon waking.

  

  • Beware of these hidden sugar sources: Yogurt (choose Greek varieties for lower sugar), cereal, energy bars, and coffee drinks are all guilty!
  • Aim for cereal that gets < 25% of its calories from added sugar…the less the better!!! (There are 4 calories per gram of sugar. So to calculate the percentage of calories from sugar, multiply the number of grams of sugar by 4, then divide this number by the total calories per serving — & watch serving sizes — then multiply by 100!)
  • An easier way to check the amount of sugar: read the ingredient list! The less ingredients the better, but sugar should NOT be in the first few ingredients. (Ingredients are listed from greatest quantity to least.)
  • Code names for SUGAR: honey, molasses, corn syrup, cane sugar (even if it’s organic!), words ending in “-ose”

• Fill up with FIBER. Did you know we should be eating 25-35g of fiber EVERY DAY??? Have you ever calculated your actual fiber intake? Adequate fiber consumption wards off constipation, colon cancer, and other GI tract disorders. Choose high fiber foods such as blackberries, oatmeal, or high fiber (low sugar) cereal.

Want a new egg-cellent idea courtesy of @TheChew??? Whip up some eggs in an avocado for protein + heart-healthy omega-3s to start your day with a filling meal! No time? Scramble some eggs with onions and mushrooms (two of the healthiest veggies!) and enjoy with hot sauce to give your metabolism an extra kick! (Also a great lunch idea if you’re not at the office!!)