“I can’t eat breakfast, I’m trying to lose weight!” Have you said or heard anyone say this? Well, not eating breakfast is the worst thing you could do if you are trying to lose weight. It has been proven that a good healthy breakfast not only primes the metabolism to burn fat throughout the day, but also gives you energy to meet the demands of your day.
I recommend eating breakfast within an hour of waking up, followed by an intense cardiovascular-based workout.
Below are the top five breakfast foods to help fuel your mind and body. Each of the foods chosen below are found in the food guide pyramid and offer the body either protein to repair and build the muscles, carbohydrates to energize the body, or vitamins, minerals, and fiber to keep the body regular. Learn more about the food pyramid, now known as MyPyramid.
Top 5 Breakfast Foods
- Egg Whites: I recommend eating 3-5 egg whites; each egg white provides four grams of protein and no fat.
- Fresh Fruit: I recommend eating one medium sized apple, banana, or orange.
- Raw Vegetables: I recommend eating a half-cup of either carrots, broccoli, green beans, or spinach. These provide a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber, and carbohydrates to energize the body. (Quick fix: Mix with your egg whites for an omelet!)
- Whole Grain Foods/Oatmeal: I recommend eating one cup of oatmeal. This will fuel the body with plenty of carbohydrates.
- Soy/Whey Protein Shake: Great way to get a healthy serving of protein, vitamins, and minerals, start off the day. (Quick fix: Toss your banana in the blender with the shake!)