Growing up we were always told that breakfast was the most important meal of the day….
but is this really true?
We are also told that if we skip breakfast our metabolism will slow down causing weight gain…
but is this really true?
Consider that most of the research showing that breakfast is important has been sponsored by Kellogg’s and other food manufacturers. That fact casts considerable doubt on the validity of breakfast being important.
Although you may be conscious about your health and opting for granola or a similar cereal because it is deemed as ‘healthy’ may actually be doing you more harm then good! Those type of ‘health foods’ are filled with refined sugars and are basically like eating a bowl of fruit loops!
Have you ever had a filling breakfast only to get to work and feel like you are about to fall asleep and you are hanging for that 10:30am morning tea break to get some more food into you because you are already hungry again – if this is you chances are you aren’t eating the right breakfast.
So let’s go through some big breaky questions shall we….
There is no ONE SIZE FITS all approach here when it comes to what to eat and if you have any specific dietary needs please see your Dr before changing up your diet – this is based on what over the 100’s of women (and men) I have helped over the years have found to be pretty darn accurate….
1) SHOULD YOU EAT BREAKFAST?
I wish I was fancy enough to do one of those cool graphs that asks you questions and you end up on yes OR no – but I am not that tech savvy so you gotta read my bad English to get you through it!
This question is very person and day dependant – each individual is different – some people find having break sets them up for the day and some people find it puts them into a slump and makes them super hungry all day.
WHY?
If you have a BIG breakfast high in refined carbohydrates (say bread by itself, cereal or a muffins) it spikes your insulin levels and we all know what happens then – it crashes not long after, this can be the cause of your out of control hunger for the rest of the day – studies have shown that those that eat a breakfast high in refined carbs will eat up to 200 calories a day MORE then those whom have a low/no carb option.
The question should not be ‘should we eat breakfast’ but more so ‘WHAT should you be eating for breakfast’ – so read on 😉
2) WILL SKIPPING BREAKFAST MAKE MY METABOLISM SLOW DOWN?
NO!!! I want to scream this all day everyday – NO,no, no, no, NO!!! You will not ruin your metabolism by skipping breakfast.
Three things usually happen here…
a) If you SKIP breakfast but find you get hungrier later in the day, or you wake up super hungry – skipping breakfast probably isn’t the right thing for you.
b) If you SKIP breakfast and find you eat your first meal at 10:30am (morning tea) or even lunch BUT you are fine the rest of the day skipping breakfast MAY be okay for you.
c) If you SKIP breakfast and find you are dizzy, have no energy and cannot concentrate – skipping breakfast probably isn’t the right thing for you.
Either way your metabolism WILL NOT SLOW DOWN!
2) IS FASTING SAFE? AND IS IT FOR ME?
When you skip breakfast this is known as ‘fasting’ simply meaning your body hasn’t been given food for a prolonged period of time.
WHEN TO FAST –
If you wake up and are NOT hungry – give it a shot – ensure your first meal of the day is a nutritious one of proteins and greens.
Fasting can be really great for people who start work super early in the morning – one less thing you have to worry about.
Fasting is also great for those who prefer to have bigger meals later on in the day.
Fasting is also great for those who wish to drop fat due to the cut in calories.
Fasting has MANY benefits but DOES NOT suit everyone.
WHEN NOT TO FAST –
Like mentioned above some people try it and it pushes them to over eat later in the day causing them to crave not so great foods, I wouldn’t recommend fasting for this person.
Another reason NOT to fast would be if you workout first thing in the morning – if you train in the AM you should 110% have post training breakfast that contains protein AND carbs (more on this below). You have just exerted all this energy it now needs to be replaced to help you recover from training and to give you energy throughout the day. If you fail to do this you will not get the fitness results you are after and you’ll more then likely feel like shit!
If you are a guy trying to put ON size loosing a whole meals worth of calories may hurt them gains so just ensure you eat enough later in the day.
3) WHAT SHOULD I HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?
The only time I honestly believe you should have carbs for breakfast is if you trained first thing in the morning.
AFTER training your breakfast SHOULD contain carbs
Not the crappy type tho – if you consume refined carbs for breakfast like talked about above that is when you’ll experience that insulin spike and crash!
Here are some great examples of carb breakfast:
-Protein shake with banana and berries blended with ice and water
-Eggs on grainy toast with avo
-English muffins with egg and lean turkey or even a good cut of bacon
-Oats (plain rolled – no fancy brands) with berries
A NO carb breakfast filled with protein, greens and fats will keep you alert, energised and focused. It will not spike your insulin levels which is what a heavy carb meal can do first thing in the morning leaving you in a slump by 10am. This is a great option for every other morning.
NO carb breakfast?!?! I know weird!!
Here are some great example no carb breakfast:
-Low carb protein shake mixed with water (no banana)
-Omelettes (eggs, spinach, spring onion, tomato, avo)
-Lean turkey with eggs, avo and spinach
-Coffffeeeeeeee – black like my soul of course no double shot, mocha, lattes with skinny almond milk, extra hot, half strength, topped with whipped cream and sprinkles (sorry!)
Basically eggs are your bestie – and can surprisingly be done in many different ways!
4) CONCLUSION
Ditch the refined carbs, sugars, cereals and granola bars.
Opts for real foods and listen to your body – just because you are in routine doesn’t mean it is right! If you are feeling hungry eat, if you aren’t hungry don’t eat, if you just trained, eat, if you know you’ll binge it later in the day, eat – is all about how YOUR body reacts to different foods and how your body uses them.
You can change up days depending on what you have on – make it suit your lifestyle, goals and activity levels – don’t just eat the next superfood because the media tells us its magic!
What are some changes that you can make starting tomorrow to give you more energy, focus and drive?!?!
Stay Strong & Stretch,
Tel X
talkingwithtel 