You don’t eat breakfast?
Eating breakfast is extremely important. Breakfast is fuel for your tank. Breakfast starts your engine and gives you energy to start your day. Whether you eat a little or alot, make sure you start your day with something wholesome and filling. The name “break-fast” means “breaking your (overnight) fast.” Breakfast replenishes your supply of glucose to boost your energy and level of alertness, while also providing essential nutrients.
Get your motor running
I like to start my day with 250 ml water and 1 teaspoon psyllium husk or powder. This is a great way to get the digestive system started, and it’s the best way carry water to the bowel.
I don’t have time!
The biggest excuse! I used that one too. Early starts, long commutes and busy morning schedules (sound familiar?) Regardless, there are still ways to fit in breakfast even in the car. Here are some ideas for you.
- Prepare quick and healthy breakfast foods the night before or on the weekend. Preparing ahead means breakfast is now grab and go! And check out how much $$ you will save!
- Keep some breakfast foods at work (if allowed) and eat it when you get there.
- Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier so you have time for breakfast at home.
- Swap out morning time-wasting habits (like checking emails or scrolling social media) and use this time for breakfast instead. A much better way to start the day, then stressing about what is waiting for you at the office.
Preparing ahead
We are more likely to eat breakfast if easy-to-prepare breakfast foods are available at home. Some quick suggestions include:
- Porridge made from rolled oats – When choosing quick oats, go for the plain variety and add your own fruit afterwards as the flavoured varieties have added sugar.
- Chia puddings – Easy to make ahead of time with 2-4 ingredients. This is one of my faves because I can make 6 of them on the weekend and refrigerate for easy takeaway during the week. Added bonus… The soluble fiber in chia seeds can help with weight loss by keeping you feeling full and it can also help with constipation. Here’s an easy recipe: https://www.eatingbirdfood.com/basic-chia-seed-pudding/
- Wholegrain cereals (such as untoasted muesli, bran cereals or whole-wheat biscuits) with nut milk, natural yoghurt and fresh fruits.
- Fresh fruits and raw nuts
- Toast – wholemeal, wholegrain or sourdough toast, with baked beans, poached or boiled eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms, spinach, salmon, cheese, avocado or a couple of teaspoons of spreads like hummus or 100% nut butters / paste (like peanut or almond butter.)
- Smoothies made from fresh fruit or vegetables, natural yoghurt, kefir or nut milk.
- Natural yoghurt or kefir with some fresh fruit added for extra sweetness and some raw nuts for oil and crunch.
Meal timing and circadian rhythm
Circadian rhythm is essentially the cycle that governs calorie-burning, digestion, metabolization of nutrients and other bodily processes. Circadian rhythm is the natural sequence of physical, mental, and behavioral changes that the body goes through in a 24-hour rotation.
Circadian rhythm tailors itself to your metabolism, so eat properly and maintain and regular eating schedule. Eating well and at the right hours is essential to attaining a regular circadian rhythm. It’s debatable whether eating just before bed is actually bad for you, but if you fluctuate your dinner schedule, and don’t eat breakfast it can mess with your rhythm big time! There is more to this story, but it is for another time.
Breakfast and weight loss
Late day eating is tied to increased obesity risk and impairs weight-loss efforts. You are more likely to make better food choices during the day if you start with a healthy breakfast. Late eating contributes to cravings, increased fat storage and decreased fat burning. A craving is never a good thing. It’s like a little voice that makes you reach for the bad things.
3 Reasons you should not skip breakfast
You are less likely to meet your recommended daily intake of fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
Can’t face food in the morning?
Some people find they just can’t tolerate food first thing in the morning – perhaps because they have their last meal of the day quite late at night or they don’t find typical breakfast foods appealing, or because food first thing in the morning turns their stomach.
If it’s hard for you to eat food first thing in the morning, you might like to try:
- reducing the size of your meals in the evening and eating them earlier so you’re hungry in the morning
- investigating some new recipes and stocking your cupboards with some different types of foods to increase your breakfast appetite
- switching your breakfast to morning tea or mid-morning snack time instead – perhaps try some of the portable breakfast ideas listed above so you’ve got healthy options ready to go when you feel ready for your mid-morning breakfast.
While skipping breakfast is not recommended, good nutrition is not just about the number of meals you have each day. If you don’t have breakfast, try to make up for the nutritional content you missed at breakfast with your lunch and dinner. The more regular you are with your meals, the better your body will function.
