Baby Steps :: Start Eating Breakfast
Before we get started, I want to introduce you to a new series that will occur periodically on Nourishing the Soul. The series (as you’ve figured out by now, because you can all read) is called “Baby Steps” and it introduces small changes that each of us can make to better nourish our bodies, minds and souls. These are designed to be practical tips that you can incorporate into your life – starting today! (or maybe tomorrow…)
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Baby Steps :: Start Eating Breakfast
Just like your day, what better way to kick off this new series than to focus on breakfast! I remember long, long ago when I didn’t consistently eat breakfast – or when breakfast for me consisted of a jaunt to Dunkin’ Donuts drive-thru (and no, I was not just getting their amazing coffee to accompany my homemade flax-seed muffin) – and I would hear those annoying know-it-alls in their sing-song voices say, “You know, breakfast is the most important meal of the day!” …And then I would want to smack these people in the face. Breakfast didn’t seem all that important to me. Is cereal really that appetizing? Besides, I wasn’t even hungry in the morning. How could you possibly eat right after waking up? No, my body needs a few hours to “get going.”
Any of this sound familiar?
It should, because at least 51% of you out there do not regularly eat breakfast, according to the International Food Information Council (2007). Interestingly (at least I find these things interesting), there appear to be significant racial differences, as only 22% of blacks reported eating breakfast every day in a Harvard study. I’m happy to report that I am no longer counted among these statistics. And now I’ll tell you why:
It keeps my weight under control. The Mayo Clinic reports that eating breakfast not only jump starts our metabolism, but it helps reduce overeating later in the day. Breakfast keeps us satiated long enough to make it to mid-day, which prevents us from going bananas at Taco Bell on our lunch hour. Not only that, but skipping breakfast means you’ve fasted for at least twelve to eighteen hours. That’s a long time for our bodies to go without energy – and can result in an increase in our insulin response. Know what happens next? (I’ll tell you.) Our blood sugar drops, our fat storage increases, and we gain weight.
It keeps me on the right track. If I’ve eaten a semi-nutritious breakfast, I notice I’m more likely to continue making healthy choices throughout the day at other meals. Not only do I not feel that burning hunger and end up eating whatever sugary concoction the nurses on my unit have brought in that day (it’s incredible how many sweets are on a hospital unit!), but I have at least one success to draw from in making other food choices.
It helps me focus and concentrate. We always hear about the importance of children eating breakfast for improved school performance, and the same is true for work performance as well. I personally notice a major difference in my ability to focus when I’ve eaten my Wheaties (okay, I don’t really eat Wheaties…). And considering I work with people who expect me to listen carefully to their problems and provide (usually) sensible responses, I think it’s probably important that I can concentrate. Maybe.
It makes me nicer to my husband and coworkers in the morning. Low blood sugar can leave you irritable, depressed, and with a mean headache, and I notice a distinct difference in my mood if I haven’t eaten breakfast soon enough. Just ask my husband if you don’t believe me. In addition, breakfast foods rich in folic acid, B-vitamins, and omega-3s keep our emotional health in check. For more on the mood-food connection, check out this post.
Hopefully if you’re weren’t eating breakfast before, you’re convinced enough to start trying to make it a daily habit. If you’re not yet convinced (or you’re just being difficult), I’ve pulled together some of my favorite blogger breakfast ideas to tempt you into giving the first meal a fair shake.
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Weekdays
From Living With a Healthy Hunger :: Banana Oatmeal
From Honoring Health :: Cranberry Walnut Granola
From The Front Burner :: Peanut Butter and Jelly Oatmeal (a personal favorite!)
From A Weight Lifted :: Watermelon Smoothie
From Oh She Glows :: Overnight Oats (love them!)
From Oh She Glows :: Grilled Cashew Butter and Blueberry Sandwich
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Weekenders
From Carrots ‘N’ Cake :: Almond Butter Stuffed French Toast (Can I get an “Amen”!?)
From Carrots ‘N’ Cake :: Polenta Breakfast Pizza
From Health for the Whole Self :: Asparagus Quiche
From Hangry Pants :: Sour Cream Coffee Cake
From A Weight Lifted :: Unconventional Breakfasts (very fun!)
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Do you eat breakfast? What are some of your favorite foods to eat in the a.m.?
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Margie
994 days ago
I always start my day with a green smoothie. A banana, a juicy fruit, greens, lime/lemon juice, and a tablespoon of ground flax seeds or hemp seeds. If I don’t have access to a blender, I have what I call a deconstructed green smoothie – fruit on top of greens as a salad. It is instrumental in keeping me on the right track all day. There are lots of recipes online, but its also fun to improvise.
Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
994 days ago
Sounds delish! I have been trying to make more smoothies lately, but haven’t added seeds yet. Great tip.
Courtney
994 days ago
I have this bad habit of deciding that x breakfast food is “the healthiest” and then eating nothing but that for months and months, and right now it’s overnight oats. They can be very versatile though. I think my favorite combo is oats/almond milk/chia seeds/banana/almond butter, although I recently started making them with canned pumpkin/maple syrup/cinnamon and they really do taste like pumpkin pie!
Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
993 days ago
I’m on an overnight oats kick right now too! I like mine with soy milk and almond butter. And sometimes strawberry jam. I still need to try adding in chia seeds.
Val @ Balancing Val
994 days ago
When I wake up in the morning, I am generally not hungry AT ALL! Sometimes it takes a few hours for me to start feeling hunger pains.
I was actually going to write a post about this soon and I’m trying to get opinions. Is it smart to eat a little something? Or is it smart to wait until hunger surfaces?
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Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
993 days ago
I don’t really have the option of waiting until I feel hungry to eat breakfast due to my schedule unfortunately (because I’d love to be able to eat this meal more intuitively, like I do on weekends). But then again, I’m fairly hungry right when I wake up, because I’ve gotten into the pattern. I would say that you shouldn’t wait until you feel “hunger pains”, because hunger shouldn’t be painful! Try eating a little something for a while and see if you start to develop a “hunger” for breakfast a little earlier.
Val @ Balancing Val
992 days ago
oops! I mean pangs. My iPad fixes words without me even knowing it!
Kate D
994 days ago
I make either oatmeal (when I need to stay satisfied for a long time) or toast with peanut butter and sliced fruit.
I never used to be hungry in the mornings (when I was binge eating). I used to wait to have breakfast until I was hungry, usually by 10:00am, and then I would be starving all day and end up over eating. I also find that just eating cold cereal doesn’t satisfy me. I have to have something really hearty with a good mix of fiber and protein to keep going and not feel sluggish by mid morning.
Thanks for the breakfast links. They all look really good!
Kristan
993 days ago
I cannot live without breakfast! Growing up, my mom just gave me some yogurt or a granola bar on the drive to school, and actually that was usually enough to get me to lunch. So that’s probably where some of my habits started…
Lately my 2 favorite, and very simple, breakfasts are:
- apple slices w/ cinnamon raisin peanut butter (by Peanut Butter & Co.)
- natural vanilla yogurt w/ granola (fruit & nut) and grapes (or strawberries)
Takes less than 2 minutes to prepare either of these, and they are DELISH! Without them, I’d probably bite the heads off my coworkers, both figuratively and literally. :P
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Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
993 days ago
Mmmm, I must go get cinnamon raisin peanut butter. Like ASAP. My mouth is watering just reading that.
Robyn
993 days ago
I LOVE breakfast! I start the day off w/ cappuccino (I have a homemade, by me, concoction of coffee/ carnation instant breakfast/ hot cocoa and cappuccino mix). My latest favorite is peanut butter spread on a banana. I eat it w/ a slice of whole wheat bread (sandwich style) or a homemade muffin (I am a big muffin baker and eater).
Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
993 days ago
Ohhh, I need to get some muffin recipes from you!
Dorry
993 days ago
Love this and couldn’t agree more about the importance of breakfast. I’m a breakfast girl through and through these days but there was a time when breakfast was just black coffee. Ugh. Loved point #4 – I am much nicer when I’ve had my breakfast. If I’m running in the morning, I eat 2 breakfasts – something small 20-30 minutes before and something heartier about 45 minutes after. Works for me. :) Thanks for the oatmeal shout-out. :)
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Ashley @ Nourishing the Soul
993 days ago
I also often eat two breakfasts when I run in the morning – which is usually these days!
Katie @ Health for the Whole Self
993 days ago
Thanks for linking to my quiche recipe! And I love the whole concept behind the “Baby Steps” series – great idea!
Tina
993 days ago
I love the new series! And I also love breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day and I could eat it for other meals during the day too. Which means I need to check out some of those links. I don’t have a huge repertoire of breakfast ideas.
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Elise
992 days ago
I always have to have breakfast; I just don’t function very well without it. Also, like you, I have developed hunger from making sure to eat breakfast each morning. It makes me kind of excited that I can recognize and appreciate my hunger. For my breakfast lately, I’ve been making oatmeal and putting it in a travel coffee mug to take to class. Very convienent (and keeps my oatmeal pipin’ hot!).
maria
991 days ago
I am the biggest supporter of eating breakfast. I usually eat mine at work, so it’s nothing fancy, either greek yogurt, or the low-sugar instant oatmeal, and a cup of coffee.
Laura
991 days ago
I’ve recently discovered raisin bran in plain yogurt with banana, cinnamon, and some walnuts. I let it get mushy and it’s soooo good. However, I also like making egg whites scrambled with cottage cheese and broccoli, spinach, and tomatoes.
Water Cooler :
931 days ago
breakfast foods should always be high in carbohydrates to provide the energy you need in the mornign “
Styrofoam Sheets
907 days ago
breakfast foods should always be high in protein and also in carbohydrates, we need food energy during the early morning ~`-
keishua
790 days ago
I need to get back to breakfast. It really is good for the body.
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Kent Ehsan
655 days ago
Your house is valueble personally. Thank you!?-
Amanda
61 days ago
I swear by breakfast. Even when I was in the midst of an eating disorder, it was the only meal I would eat. Now that I am in recovery, I love my daily bowl of oatmeal (peanut butter oatmeal to be exact, love that there is a recipe for peanut butter and jelly oatmeal). It’s filling and keeps me going until 1 or so. Great post!
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