If you’re like most people then the morning is going to be rushed. No time for most things and breakfast will usually take a back seat in your list of priorities.
Quite often, people will reach for the most convenient and quickest options or, a lot of times, will skip breakfast altogether. This sets you up for a bad day in relation to energy (both physically and psychologically), hormonal stability and food cravings. This means that there really is a lot of truth in the statement that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
How a nutritional breakfast will help
Not only will a nutritious balanced breakfast help you to avoid the pitfalls described above, but when it comes to body fat control and athletic performance that first meal of the day is going to play a huge role in success or failure.
A bowl of chocolate coated cereal with milk or a bagel covered in strawberry jam is not going to cut it (and no, the jam won’t count as one of your five a day!).
What are the steps?
So, with all of that said what should you be reaching for to ensure optimal health, performance and results?
Upon waking your body’s level of growth hormone is naturally high due to both sleep and fasting. This means that when you arise your body is in a good fat burning zone.
So, if you at a load of carbs for breakfast usually doesn’t make sense, especially if you are over 12% (men) or 18% (women) in body fat. If you have a higher body fat level then your body already has sufficient energy reserves to be able to keep carbohydrates almost non-existent at breakfast.
Consuming sufficient protein will always be paramount at breakfast as this fuels the recovery of your muscles from past workouts, helps to keep your hormonal profile as optimal as possible, and aids in the stabilisation of blood glucose levels (helping to reduce carb cravings).
What does an optimal breakfast look like?
There are unlimited options when it comes to designing a great first meal of the day, but try these three options to get started.
The Omelette
3-4 free range egg omelette with tomatoes and green peppers, with a handful of blackberries/raspberries/strawberries on the side.
Beef
6 ounces of grass fed beef, served with broccoli & a handful of berries.
Chicken
1 grilled chicken breast, with a handful of nuts (cashews, brazil, hazelnuts, macadamia), and 1 plum or peach.
So, there you have it. If you’re looking to start your day off in the right way then it’s best to energise yourself through the food that you eat the first time in the morning.
