Starting your morning off on the right foot when it comes to proper nutrition will do wonders for your weight and wellness. Not to mention, developing healthy morning time habits and routines will help to motivate you to stay on track for the rest of the day. Moreover, a proper breakfast will dictate your blood sugar levels throughout the morning and keeping those levels even with a nutritious breakfast will prevent blood sugar crashes and cravings.
Your breakfast should have three essential components: quality protein, healthy fat, and low-glycemic carbohydrates. So yes, that means ditching the pancakes, donuts, toast, and even most boxed cereals. Those foods contain high-glycemic carbohydrates which will raise your blood sugar faster than you can say "I need a mid-morning snack" and that's exactly what will happen. Blood sugar rises result in crashes and those crashes are commonly followed by a binge on another carb-ridden treat as the body is looking to raise that sugar again, so it's a vicious cycle. The following five breakfast ideas will keep you satiated so those office donuts won't be too tempting, come 10:30am.
1. Eggs
If you're not happy to see this on the list, you're not alone but not to worry--you can make your eggs far more exciting by scrambling them up with your favorite additions such as cheese, onions, mushrooms, and bell pepper. If you're too busy to prepare a scramble, hard-boiled eggs along with a piece of string cheese will suffice. And feel free to pair your eggs with some low-sugar fruits like berries, grapefruit, tomato, or avocado.
2. Protein Pancake
If you mash a very ripe banana and combine the mixture with two eggs, an amazing pancake batter will result. Pan cook the mixture using butter or olive oil just as you would with regular pancake mix. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and eat it while warm.
3. Avocado Sourdough Toast
Yes, I said to stay away from toast as it is high-glycemic but it's all about baby steps. If you love your morning toast, go for sourdough as it has the least effect on your blood sugar. In fact, rye is another good choice as well. Cover that piece of toast in a lot of mashed avocado as those healthy fats and fiber will help your blood sugar levels to stay even. If you have time to go the extra mile, put a fried egg on top for that protein!
4. Protein Oatmeal
You know how you prepare uncooked oatmeal by bringing water to a boil? Take away half that water and replace with two egg whites. Stir in the oats and cook through--you won't even notice those protein-packed whites and they actually give the oats a nice and creamy texture. Top with your favorite nuts and berries.
5. Avocado Berry Smoothie
If you haven't heard of Kefir, it's a more liquified version of Greek yogurt but with even more probiotics. I love using Kefir for my smoothie base--add half of a ripe banana, half of an avocado (trust me), around 15 blueberries, hemp or Chia seeds, a drizzle of honey, and some ice. This mixture comes out smooth and creamy and it will not be green as the color of the berries overpower the avocado.
If you're looking for some breakfast options that will help you lose the pounds, I hope you'll try some of these ideas. And if you don't have time to prepare food in the morning (it can be tough sometimes!), definitely check out our ready-to-go breakfast entrees here. They are all very high in protein, low in carbs, and low in sugar and that's exactly what we need to start the day.
