Breakfast can be a tough one.
Breakfast or a little more sleep? We usually choose a few more minutes of sleep over a well-planned, balanced breakfast, and who can argue with that? But a little bit of planning ahead can make breakfast easy, healthy, and tasty. And a great breakfast sets us up for our best performance each day.
How so, you ask?
Our bodies have been coasting on the macronutrients (Calorie sources — carbs, protein, and fat) that we took in late yesterday. Our primary energy source (short term carb storage – we call it glycogen), is waning, and our bodies have transitioned to constructing carbs from snippets of other macronutrients (we call that glyconeogenesis).
When their availability starts to diminish, our liver will kick into ketosis. We call this fasting. Eating a balanced meal early in the day replenishes our energy stores and gives us the micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and other phytochemicals) that we need for all systems to function their best.
What is balanced?
A balanced diet contains a wide variety of foods from different food groups with variation from day to day within those groups.
For breakfast, I recommend choosing foods from at least 3 food groups (grains/carbs, fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy), and mixing it up from day to day.
This can be as easy as:
- a smoothie with yogurt, fruit and granola
- oatmeal with fruit and milk
- whole grain toast with nut butter and banana
- grits with cheese, diced tomato or salsa
- fresh fruit with cottage cheese and a cereal bar
- boiled egg with a muffin and fruit juice
- greek yogurt with berries and and toast
Consider making a batch of whole grain pancakes or waffles on the weekend, laying them out on a baking sheet (separated so they won’t stick together) and freezing them. Once they’re frozen, you can batch them into a gallon zippered bag. They won’t stick together because they’re already frozen. They’ll keep them in your freezer compartment for a quick breakfast with a handful of berries, an egg or a smear of peanut butter, and a glass of milk.
Keep in mind, it doesn’t have to be traditional breakfast food. I had a college roommate who often ate leftover soup and a tortilla with cheese for breakfast. Not my preference, but, hey, it meets the criteria!
Having a well-planned, tasty breakfast makes a great start to the day. It’s a great way to provide self-care. You deserve it!
