Breakfast is the most important meal of my day

I love breakfast, it is my favorite meal. Actually brunch is my favorite but I don’t get a chance to partake in that meal much anymore with work and kids so now breakfast is where it’s at :).

Breakfast has become my most important meal of the day, and not just because it’s my favorite. Many studies have shown that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. These studies usually claim similar reasons as I do on why breakfast is so important:

• It gives me energy for the day. I don’t like to run on empty (although I will admit that other studies have shown the benefits of fasting).
• It jump starts my metabolism.
• It’s linked with good health and lower chances of disease

All of those reasons are great, but

the main reason I love breakfast, is because it keeps my weight in check.

Breakfast helps me not to overeat throughout the day. If I didn’t eat anything at the start of my day, I would be starving and get hangry. Then once I finally “am allowed” to eat, I would eat everything in sight (I mean everything!). However, if I eat a healthy breakfast, I find that I better regulate my food intake the rest of the day.

Starting with a healthy breakfast is key for my weight maintenance as well. As much as I LOVE donuts, I love being a healthy weight more. Therefore when deciding what to eat in the morning, I usually grab high protein and fiber foods that will give me energy and have some staying power to keep me full for longer periods of time. My go-to breakfasts are the following:

• Scrambled eggs with sauteed veggies (whatever I have on hand, likely onions & peppers). Then I put that over a bed of spinach and top with tomatoes, avocado, and hot sauce of some sort.
• Eggs over-easy with spinach salad, tomatoes and avocado on the side.
• Savory oats (i.e. cooked oats with toppings of an over easy egg, cherry tomatoes, green onions, avocado and whatever cheese I have on hand)
• Plain greek yogurt (Fage is my favorite brand) + granola (we use Great Harvest granola) + berries
• My favorite oatmeal recipe….

Here is my favorite oatmeal “recipe” I use:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup old fashion oats
• 1/2 banana
• 1 Tbsp nut butter (I usually do peanut or almond butter)
• Sprinkle of cinnamon

Follow directions of liquid to oats ratios on the oats you buy (I just use water as my liquid) and microwave. Then top with sliced banana, scoop of nut butter and sprinkle of cinnamon. If I am feel fancy, I will cook the banana with the oats, it makes it seem more like you are eating banana bread oats.

The great thing about oats is that you can really add whatever you have as toppings. I’ve used bananas and strawberries, applesauce and cinnamon, and will add walnuts for a crunch.

My kids actually like oatmeal too, which is great because it is a healthy filling breakfast for them as well! The one who doesn’t like it is Ryan….although he does think he could get on board with my savory oats but he is more of a greek yogurt guy in the morning.

The one thing I haven’t mentioned yet is any breakfast beverages. I HAVE to have coffee. I know I am being dramatic here but I love coffee….the smell, the taste, the warmth, it is comfort in a cup. And I don’t drink it black. I used to but then I realized how great almond milk was in my coffee and I haven’t turned back. I will even use half & half if it is around (or if I am drinking “bad” coffee as I think it hides the taste). With that said, I am kind of a coffee snob and turned Ryan into one as well. We are Dunn Bros coffee drinkers all the way….they may know me by name at the Dunn Bros by my work ;).

In addition to coffee, I also like to start my day with a glass of water. It is always good to hydrate right after sleeping and all that coffee I drink can dehydrate me so I need the balance :).

What is your favorite breakfast or do you skip it?