We’ve all heard before that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and yet most of us still barely are able to scarf down a few hundred calories of empty carbs in the morning, citing excuses like time and I’m not hungry in the morning. Studies have shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as regular breakfast eaters are less likely to be overweight than those who skip breakfast and those who lose weight successfully are also more likely to be eaters of breakfast.
Also, eating breakfast may actually reduce your risk of illnesses like heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer, and it also keeps your immune system strong so you're more resistant to stuff like colds and the flu. And we all need a bit more resistance to the elements, don’t we? People who eat a good breakfast also often have better memory and concentration –one study on kids found that breakfast-eaters scored higher on tests and are less likely to suffer fromanxiety, depression and hyperactivity. That also goes for those of us who are not longer students in school.
So what’s a good breakfast? An ideal breakfast needs to be between 500 and 600 calories should be filled with vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, with at least 20 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber to give your body a high-quality, steady energy supply to get you through the morning. Here are some of my favorites: almond butter oatmeal, protein powder smoothies and spinach omelets. For almond butter oatmeal, cook up a cup or two of fresh whole oatmeal in water or skim milk and drop in a tbsp of roasted almond butter. The smoothies are great with banana and strawberries and yogurt and the omelets are awesome with some shredded low-fat cheddar cheese too. Here’s another great high protein snack that I love—a few of these also makes a great breakfast:
Protein Peanut Butter Balls:
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
1/2 cup oats
Mix all together and form into small 1" balls.
Place in the refrigerator for a few hours and enjoy.