You’ve heard it a million times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I can’t emphasize enough how true this is. After you’ve slept for seven to eight hours, taking in zero food or drink, your body needs the right fuel to get moving again.
Breakfast should be planned, just like any other meal. Grabbing something without putting thought into it usually means you’ll end up eating too much sugar and not enough nutrients. It’s always best to start the day with a high-quality meal that supplies healthy protein and carbohydrates.
My breakfast typically consists of scrambled egg whites (sometimes I’ll add a small amount of low-fat cheese) and oatmeal or cream of rice. Both are quick and easy to make. If eggs and oatmeal aren’t your thing, a plain Greek yogurt (which has twice the amount of protein as regular yogurt) with an apple is a great option.
And don’t forget to watch your portion sizes. Many people think that eating a big breakfast will help prevent overeating later in the day. But this isn’t true. While consistently eating breakfast can help with healthy weight maintenance, you don’t want to overdo it. It’s best to eat smaller meals evenly spaced throughout the day.
Here are two of my favorite healthy breakfast recipes:
Fruit, Nut & Flax Oatmeal
½ cup quick-cooking oatmeal
1 cup water
¼ cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1 Tbsp walnuts, chopped
¼ tsp bee pollen granules
1 to 2 tsp ground flax seeds
¼ tsp cinnamon
Bring water to a boil in small saucepan; add oats. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for a few minutes. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Greek Yogurt with Almond Butter and Walnuts
1 container Greek yogurt
1 tsp almond butter or other natural nut butter
1 Tbsp walnuts or granola clusters
4 drops vanilla stevia
Mix nut butter, nuts or granola and vanilla stevia into yogurt. Enjoy!
Southern States Championships top contender Melissa Transou, a figure competitor, wife and mother, blogs about the unique sports nutrition needs of female athletes exclusively for Vitacost.com.