We have heard over and over that we need to eat
breakfast but haven’t been told the WHY behind it. After sitting with many
nutrition clients we realized this topic needed to be covered for our members
to really understand the importance of a good breakfast to start off our day.
We absolutely understand all the barriers of not being able
to get in a good breakfast; already having to get up so early, have to get
children ready too, don’t like typical breakfast foods, or just don’t
have time in your busy mornings. We get it, we have all been there with hectic
mornings trying to get ourselves ready and out the door in time and simply forget, or just don’t have time to feed ourselves before we go! There are MANY
on-the-go options that you can prep ahead of time so you can grab on your way
out the door and will still be packed full of nutrients.
Breakfast has many benefits for our overall health and wellbeing;
such as cognitive function, energy needs, and weight loss. Studies have shown
that eating breakfast can improve both memory and concentration while lowering
stress levels. By eating right away in the morning it kicks starts your
metabolism and gives you the energy you need to make it to lunch without
cravings for sugary foods. If you don’t eat breakfast you are more likely to
overeat later in the day. If weight loss is your goal, skipping a whole meal
WON’T get you there. One more time for the people in the back, SKIPPING A MEAL
WON’T HELP YOU WITH WEIGHT LOSS. Doing this will actually have the opposite
effect. Your body will think that it is starving and will hold onto fat for
energy, burning muscles instead. Rather than skipping full meals, be conscious
of what you are putting into your body, and how much (This leads into talk
about Macros and that needs a whole blog within itself, so if you have
questions on this and how much YOU should be eating, please reach out to Meg or
Tyler for a nutrition consultation!)
It is so important we start our days with a good nutritious
breakfast, and it is even more important for children! Similarly, for the cognitive
functions, it will help them focus in school but their growing bodies need all
the nutrients and fuel as they grow physically and mentally.
Some simple breakfast examples would be; whole grain cereal,
hard boiled eggs, whole grain toast/bagel with peanut butter, overnight oats, and
even select granola bars that are nutrient filled.
Some of NorthFit's Coaches favorite breakfasts include;
1. Kodiak Cakes! Topped with Almond Butter or Peanut Butter (This
is by far the favorite.)
2. Jones Dairy Farm Chicken or Turkey Sausage with Sautéed
Kale.
3. Egg Whites, with a whole egg and toast.
