what you eat series: breakfast
I often write about how you eat. But today’s post is a bit different – it’s going to focus on what you eat.
It’s the start of the What You Eat Series; a collection of posts to show you healthy eating can be practical, simple, and delicious.
Today, we’ll kick off the series with breakfast – the most important meal of the day.
Studies show eating breakfast may help maintain a healthy weight. It may also provide some benefit toward cognitive function (Rampersaud, 2008). In evaluating the association of breakfast consumption with BMI on over 4,000 adults, Song, Chun, Obayashi, Cho & Chung (2005) found a lower prevalence of overweight and obesity in those who consumed breakfast. Additionally, Keski-Rahkonen, Kaprio, Rissanen, Virkkunen & Rose (2003) reported breakfast skipping is associated with health-compromising behaviors, such as infrequent exercise, smoking, and more frequent alcohol use.
It’s clear – we should all be eating breakfast.
But we know this, don’t we?
Just like we know we should go to bed earlier, practice yoga and meditate. Knowing generally isn’t the problem. It’s the implementation that gets us.
Rushed mornings, busy schedules, and high-stress levels often result in poor choices. Those choices become habits. And those habits eventually make up our lives.
So what can we do?
We can make small changes and build upon them. We can start by setting ourselves up for success.
A way to do that is by having three breakfast ideas in your arsenal that take 5-10 minutes to put together. They’ll serve as alternatives to having something less wholesome or skipping the meal entirely. You can also go for a kitchen makeover and replace your current food with high-nutrient food.
The time here is important. Today we’re talking weekday meals – meals you can prepare the night before or put together in 5 minutes or less. Try this and you’re sure to feel like no task is too large come Monday morning. Not even the 28 emails you return to or the 9 am conference call you have scheduled.
Give it a try for a week and see how you feel.
My three quick and filling staple weekday breakfasts are below. They’re balanced, delicious, and made with real food.
Apple cinnamon overnight oats
Grab and go – prepared the night before
Check out the full recipe + nutritional breakdown HERE
Yogurt, berry, and muesli parfait
Packable – 5 min
Check out the full recipe + nutritional breakdown HERE
Having an arsenal of easy, wholesome breakfasts isn’t only going to limit decision fatigue around what you eat; it’s also going to give you the nutrient-dense energy boost you need to start your day.
Want more?
The What You Eat Series – Lunch, Dinner, and Snacks will be on the blog soon!
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is breakfast really that important?
A. Yes. breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It activates your metabolism, gives you energy, and helps you remain in control of how you eat throughout the day.
Q: What are good healthy options for breakfast?
A. There are so many good options! Apple cinnamon overnight oats, tropical green smoothie & yogurt, berry, and muesli parfait are some of my favorites (all linked above).
Q: How many calories should I eat for breakfast to lose weight?
A. There is no single number that is suitable for everyone. 52 Weeks is designed to provide 450 calories from whole foods per meal. But the need for calories is different for every person. You should consult a Registered Dietitian to know what is the best diet plan for you.
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This post was written by Kelly Powers, MA, RDN. Kelly is a Registered Dietitian and Culinary Nutritionist who takes a holistic approach to nutrition and health. She is a recipe developer with a food blog highlighting whole foods, simple recipes, and her life in San Francisco. Kelly is the creator of Weeknight Dinners, a weekly meal plan program that helps users get back in the kitchen and feed themselves well. Kelly specializes in meal planning, the Mediterranean diet, and sustainable behavior change, helping her clients reach their health goals while improving their relationship with food.
References
Keski-Rahkonen, A., Kaprio, J., Rissanen, A., Virkkunen, M., & Rose, R. J. (2003). Breakfast skipping and health-compromising behaviors in adolescents and adults. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 57, 742-853.
Rampersaud, G. C. (2008). Benefits of breakfast for children and adolescents: update and recommendations for practitioners. American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine, 86-103.
Song, W. O., Chun, O. K., Obayashi, S., Cho, S. & Chung, C. E. (2005). Is consumption of breakfast associated with body mass index in US adults? Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105, 9, 1373-1382.