For years I ate nothing for breakfast because I always did my workout first thing in the morning and found that food got in the way of my high intensity cardio session! I now realise that this was the reason that I felt shattered for the rest of the day and would end up fuelling on something sugary and un-healthy afterwards along with large amounts of caffeine! Running on empty is now a thing of the past and I do not recommend it, whether you are heading for the gym or for a sedentary desk job, eat something before your day gets started. Once you get into the habit of eating breakfast you will quickly find how much better you feel throughout the day and you may also discover that you will no longer crave something sugary mid-morning. Let’s take a look at a few breakfast choices that you may already be making and see why they may not be the best for weight loss, energy and nutrients. The grab something on the way to work breakfast will probably consist of a Coffee and a bagel or croissant. This choice is too high in Carbohydrate and low in protein and nutrients which means that you will no doubt feel an energy crash within an hour of eating. The Hotel breakfast may include a big fry up including fried sausages, eggs, bacon and bread. This is possibly a good protein choice but is way over the fence high with saturated fat. The at home breakfast will probably be a bowl of cereal and milk. Again, the milk will provide you with a small amount of protein, but the cereal will no doubt be mostly sugar and hydrogenated fats, depending on the type and brand. So, how can we improve on these choices? Firstly, try and eat breakfast within 20 minutes of waking up and try and eat it at home. If you really are pressed for time, then pre-plan by making a Protein Shake that you can store in the fridge over night and take with you in a sealed cup. For the at home options, I suggest a filling bowl of oatmeal or muesli for those days when you need some pre-workout energy, or a plate of scrambled or boiled eggs and veggies. None of these things take more than 10 minutes to prepare and eat, so no excuses about time please!
Protein Shake -Take 2 cups of frozen berries and place in your blender along with 1/2 cup of natural yoghourt, 1 scoop of protein powder*, 1 tbs of honey and a cup of ice. Whizz together and you are good to go! If you are going to prepare this the night before, it will need to be shaken up again in the morning to blend the contents together. You can replace the berries with a banana and the yogourt with some almond milk and add a tsp of ground flaxseeds, or experiment with whatever fruits you have available.
Basic oatmeal – 1 cup of rolled oats, 1 cup of skimmed milk and a scoop of vanilla whey protein. Once you have cooked the oatmeal, you can add a cup of berries or a chopped apple with a pinch of cinnamon, a tsp of ground flaxseed and a mashed banana…or some pureed apple or pear or even a few chopped apricots and nuts. As long as you stick with the 3 basic ingredients (oats, liquid and protein powder) and the right sized portion you can add whatever fruits you desire.
Muesli – You can make your own muesli by using rolled oats, chopped nuts, chopped dry fruits and seeds or you can simply buy some ready made. When buying your muesli, look at the list of ingredients on the packet. There should be nothing there that you would not add yourself, so make sure there is no added sugar, chocolate chips or hydrogenated fats. You may eat your muesli with milk normally but for a change, you can also soak it in some apple juice and leave in the refrigerator overnight. Add some fresh grated apple to the mix before eating and voila..Muesli a la Swiss!
Eggs - Eggs are so versatile and it is a good idea to keep a dozen or so in the fridge at all times. You can make a high protein, low calorie recipe by using just the egg whites, but the yolks are so full of nutrients that it would be a shame to miss out on their goodness. You can use upto 6 egg whites per recipe or stick with 2 or 3 whole eggs instead, this will depend on your requirements and preference. Combining your eggs with some green veggies is the absolute perfect start to your day if you are looking to reduce fat and provide your muscles with high -quality protein. Here are a couple of suggestions. I do favour the whole egg option, but feel free to use just egg white if you prefer.
Spinach and cheese omelet – Take a handful of fresh spinach and wilt it in a frying pan with a touch of oil. Beat 2 large eggs in a separate bowl and add a pinch of salt. Add this to the pan, combine the spinach with the eggs and add a slice of mozarella cheese. Fold the omelet and allow the cheese to melt in the middle. A perfect breakfast in every way!
Scrambled eggs a la Ryan – Take 3 eggs and beat together in a bowl with a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat some oil in a pan and gently brown 2 ozs of chopped ham and a handful of sliced mushrooms and half a chopped red pepper. Once they are softened, add the eggs and stir together until the eggs are cooked. Serve with a small portion of tomato salsa and a slice of whole wheat toast.
These are just a few things that you can do with some oats, eggs and a shake. Please contact me if you have any questions at [email protected] or you can leave a comment on the forum.
In health, Tamara
