Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Starting Over - Breakfast

Every day starts a new beginning.  Every morning a new chance and a new challenge.  Every year, new resolutions and goals.  Let this year be the one when change happens, let this day be the day you get started, let each moment be a gift.

Breakfast!  You may be wondering if you really need to eat breakfast and why?  Or what is a good choice for breakfast?

The reason breakfast is so important, well one of the reasons is that it literally breaks the fast from dinner the previous night.  After so many hours of sleep, you need to recharge your batteries with some healthy fuel.  This also helps rev up your metabolism, which is important especially if you are trying to lose weight.  A nice thing about breakfast is that there are so many options that are easy to prepare and eat on the run, and can also really fill you up until your next meal.  Studies show that people who eat a nutritious breakfast are less likely to overeat at their next meal and also perform better throughout the day.

Let’s look at some good options:
Egg white omelet with veggies and a sprinkle of cheese (add 1 egg yolk if desired)
High fiber cereal with non-fat, 1% or almond milk
2 slices whole grain bread with 1 T. peanut or almond butter
Slow cooking oatmeal with ¼ c. blueberries and 1 T. maple syrup
2 slices turkey bacon with 1 slices whole grain toast
½ c. cottage cheese with 1 c. cut up cantaloupe

And enjoy that cup of coffee or tea if you like, but not all dressed up with sugar and fat!  Make it or order it plain with non-fat or 1% milk and no added sugar.  Some of the drinks you can order can have more calories than you would normally take in before dinner on a balanced meal plan!

Carena Lowenthal, MS, RD, CDN

Have a wonderful, fresh and exciting week!