Breaking the Fast is Non-Negotiable
1:00 AM |
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"I don't have time to eat in the morning."
"I
can't eat so early."
"I don't want to waste my calories at the
beginning of the day."
Sound familiar? If these are some of the mantras you use each
morning, it's time to change your tune. Ditching breakfast can affect your
mood, weight and well-being. Sadly, most people don't realize the important
role breakfast plays in their day until after physical and emotional upheavals
have occurred.
According to the National Weight Control Registry, a research
study that includes participants who have lost at least 30 pounds and kept the
weight off for at a year or more, breakfast is a major key to weight control.
The overwhelming majority of their participants -- 90 percent -- reported
eating breakfast at least five days a week, and an outstanding number, 78
percent, eat breakfast every day. Other common strategies practiced by
registrants include weighing themselves regularly and exercising consistently.
Breaking your fast in the morning should not be negotiable, and
here are just a few reasons why:
• The breakfast meal is necessary to fill our minds and bodies
after going without food during the hours we were asleep. Countless studies
have shown that adults who race out the door without a morsel in their mouths
don't perform as well at work as when they're fueled. The same goes for kids
who go to school hungry.
• Without food, your blood sugars levels could resemble a roller
coaster, leading to fatigue and irritability. It will also be harder to make
decisions and stay level-headed ... not a pretty picture in the workplace or at
home.
• Skipping breakfast often leads to a high-calorie, mid-morning
snack or sends an invitation to indulge in a heavier lunch. And that can
quickly cause your pants to get tighter.
• Breakfast can help keep disease at bay. A recent study
suggests that starting your day with a solid breakfast helps keep diabetes in
check, and certain choices, like a bowl of oatmeal, could curtail cholesterol
levels.
• Good habits are contagious. A sensible morning meal sets the
tone for the choices you'll make the remainder of the day.
Don't give yourself the option of making excuses that lead to
skipping the meal that could dictate your day. Squash cravings and satisfy
hunger by combining foods rich in protein -- such as egg whites, eggs, almond
butter, reduced-fat cheese, low-fat or skim dairy products) -- with whole-grain
carbs (high-fiber ceral and whole-grain bread) and healthy fats (nuts, avocado
and olive oil). Those three nutrients -- protein, whole-grain carbs and healthy
fats -- are like the three legs of a stool. They support and enhance each other
while providing a strong foundation for your body.
View the slideshow on what Nutritionists
Eat For Breakfast
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