The Importance of Breakfast

I used to be the worst at eating breakfast! A combination of rushed, stressful mornings and feeling sick to my stomach from lack of rest caused me to dart out the front door every morning without even considering a meal. Because I am a college student, meals are typically the last thing on my mind throughout the day. Before I know it, its 4:30pm and I am starving to the point of scarfing down everything in sight. We all know this leads to over eating. 

Breakfast is considered the most important meal of the day because it does just that...breaks the fast. My last meal of the day typically falls between 5:30pm and 6:30pm. Following this meal, I consume nothing but water for the remainder of the day because I am not as active. From about 6:30pm until 6:30am, my body has been fasting. Our bodies need a morning meal to amp our metabolism back up and give us energy for the busy day ahead. Without eating breakfast, we feel sluggish, fatigued, scatter-brained, and hungry. Those who skip breakfast are more likely to binge at the next meal time and choose unhealthy snack options to curb hunger. Of course, this leads to packing on the pounds.

I was diagnosed with a couple health problems back in December that now require me to take medication twice each day with food. Now that I am forced to eat breakfast with my medication, I have noticed that I have so much energy during the day, I think clearer, my grades have gotten better, and my waistline began to shrink without any further dieting or exercise! I guess you could say I am now a breakfast advocate. 

With busy mornings filled with a quick workout, getting ready your day, sending the hubby off to work and getting the kids off to school, I get that not everyone has time to sit down for a full scrambled egg white frittata with freshly squeezed juice and whole grain toast. If you do, that's great! Go for it! But for those of us who do not have the time for an elaborate breakfast, do whatever you have to do to provide your body with a healthy break to the fast. I have gotten into the habit of making smoothie packets with fresh fruit and yogurt in food storage containers. I toss my smoothie ingredients into the containers and freeze them. When I want a smoothie for breakfast, I dump the contents of one container into my magic bullet blender with ice and either fresh orange juice or almond milk, blend it up, pour it in a travel tumbler, and hit the road. Check out the rest of my blog for some tasty smoothie recipes! 
On cooler mornings when I do not feel like a chilly smoothie, I grab a piece of fresh fruit, a cup of non-fat Greek yogurt or a protein bar, and fresh juice or coffee with almond milk. Whatever you have to do to rev up your metabolism for the day...do it! You'll feel more energized and overall healthier.