Livin' Lean Topic Tuesday: Jump-Start Your Day With Food

We have been told for years that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It jump starts our body and minds; making us alert and energized. Studies have even shown that eating breakfast can help us to stay at a healthier weight. Does that mean that starting your morning with a donut or scone and a latte will get you on the right track toward swimsuit season? We could only wish. Unfortunately, for most of us, that is not the case.

All breakfasts are not created equal. There is a great commercial out now where it takes you through 2 possible eating days for a young, professional woman. On one side, she chooses the donut. On the other side, she chooses a Nutri-Grain bar. As the day goes on, the scenario where she chooses the donut just leads to day of continuous poor choices. The Nutri-Grain day motivates the woman to make healthy choices for lunch, snacks and dinner. In the end, she is feeling energized and happy, unlike the run-down donut-choosing version of herself. Is there any truth to this?

I believe that there is. When I start our day with a healthy, balanced breakfast, I’m more likely to continue to make smart food choices throughout the rest of the day. I like the way I feel when eating well. Over-processed foods loaded with fat and sugar only bring me down. I can really feel the difference a “not-so-good” breakfast can make. Sure, that Southern Style Chicken Biscuit sure does sound good on my way to work, but by 10am, I am ready for a nap or looking for something (sugary sweets) to bring me back up. It isn’t worth it to me to eat this way on a regular basis. We are busy people. Who has time to feel tired and run-down? I need all of the extra boost I can get!

If breakfast has been more of an after-thought for you, challenge yourself to starting the day off right with a low-fat breakfast including whole-grains, protein and fruits or vegetables. Try it for a week and see how you feel. I would love to hear if focusing on your first meal helped all the others fall into healthy place. Welcome a great breakfast back into your morning!

For more information on healthy breakfasts, visit this article from http://www.mayoclinic.com/. It discusses the benefits to eating a healthy breakfast and offers ideas for fast-easy food choices. Check it out!