No Breakfast? Big Problem

   

  There are a few “must do” items every Clean Eater ( or anyone who is trying to stabilize or lose weight ) must do – and one of them at the top of the list is making sure to eat a nutritious, balanced breakfast each morning. It’s called breakfast on purpose – you are “breaking the fast” from the night before.

Are you never hungry for breakfast? Have a hard time eating early in the day? 

I once read a wise statement I try to keep in mind as I go about my afternoons and evenings: “If you aren’t hungry for breakfast, you’ve eaten too much the night before.”

A well balanced breakfast consists of a lean protein, a fruit source, a vegetable source, and a dairy source. What could this look like for a Clean Eater?

1 Medium omelet stuffed with spinach and cheese with a glass of orange juice or a side bowl of fresh fruit

Or

1 bowl steel cut oatmeal with raisins and walnuts,  a side of fruit / OJ, and a stick of cheese

Or

1 cup Greek yogurt with a sprinkle of Grape Nuts / whole grain cereal, banana or apple slices, and a handful of almonds or walnuts 

Or

Toasted slices of whole grain bread with peanut or almond butter,  scrambled eggs, and a bowl of blueberries and strawberries

Do you see a pattern here? You’re combining a source of protein ( egg, Greek yogurt, walnuts ) with a source of fresh fruit ( a fruit bowl, or added fruit to your yogurt / oatmeal, or a glass of orange juice ), and in some cases adding a source of whole grain. Giving yourself the protein your body needs to fuel it for the morning, and adding vital vitamins and minerals.  Eating a protein in the morning ( instead of a heavy carb - bagel, donut – or worse yet, nothing ) provides your body’s machinery something to work on in the morning – thus raising your metabolism early in the day, and giving mind and your muscles the energy they need. 

Skipping breakfast is a big problem. If eating in the morning is an issue for you, start slow, and build up your "food tolerance." Eat a cheese stick, a Grape Nuts baked breakfast bar,  or a small bowl of clean breakfast ceral from Kashi.

If you've always skipped breakfast before but realize you need to incorporate breakfast into your Clean routine, start the night before. eat a lighter supper than usual, and try hard not to snack after dinner. The next morning, prepare a tasty breakfast for yourself with  a balance of protein, dairy, fruit, and vegetable. It doesn't have to be a big breakfast. Eat something small, and then a few hours later supplement that with another similar small meal. Keep doing this, and in no time at all, you'll wake up with a growling stomach and a mind thinking about starting your day off Clean. No breakfast? Big problem.