Start the Day Off Right!

Eating a healthy breakfast every day can help jump-start your metabolism, help you feel energized and give your body the nutrition it needs to start a busy day. The best way to lose weight is to keep your body burning calories instead of storing fat, so make sure you begin your day by eating something nutritious to fire up your metabolism for the whole day. If you skip breakfast, you miss out on a prime opportunity to boost your body’s calorie burning engine. If you are not eating breakfast, you may not be getting  all the nutrients your body needs to remain healthy. 

Remember, you have not eaten anything while you were sleeping. After 7 or 8 hours of sleep, your body needs food. Breakfast is essential to replenish your nutrient stores and stave off hunger, which can cause you to over-eat at lunch. Fasting by skipping breakfast can also increase your body’s insulin, which results in fat storage. Hunger can also tempt you to eat donuts or candy, which may temporarily stave off hunger pangs because they are loaded with sugar, but contain practically no vitamins and minerals. Avoid fast food breakfast sandwiches. Most are loaded with sodium, sugars, chemical preservatives and fat. 

You will feel more energetic during the whole day if you eat a healthy breakfast of high fiber, high protein and low-fat foods. Oatmeal, whole wheat cereals, fruits like bananas, blueberries and strawberries and yogurt are high fiber foods that contain fewer calories than a bagel or a muffin. Multi-grain and whole grain cereals with low-fat milk, some fresh fruit such as bananas or strawberries and a cup of orange juice is low in calories, but packed with nutrients and fiber. Whole-grain waffles with fruit and low-fat sweeteners, such as natural corn syrup, provide energy and taste great.

For more information, see:

WebMD, Lose Weight: Eat Breakfast, by Jeanie Lerche Davis, reviewed by Louise Chang, MD, 2010