Happy Friday friend! I’m sure as long as you can remember you have been told breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Right? Well I am here to tell you that it is true. As nutritionist Adelle Davis famously put it back in the 1960s: “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” Her quote could not be more accurate. Breakfast is the time of day that we should load up on wholesome calories in order to get our metabolism going. How I describe it to my young patients is that breakfast is like a car key- without the car key the car will not start!
Four Reasons Why Breakfast Is Important
Even though it is essential to eat breakfast daily, most people rush through their morning routines and avoid preparing breakfast. But not this week friends! We are going to add breakfast to our daily routines as the final challenge this week. Not a breakfast eater? Well here are four reasons why breakfast is so important.
1. Your Metabolism
As I mentioned above, starting your morning with breakfast will boost your metabolism and keep your blood sugar levels stable during the day. When you wake up from sleeping 6-8 hours, you wake up from a long fast. Your body needs those calories and protein to come out of that fast. This is why it is critical to eat breakfast every morning.
2. Weight Gain Prevention
Some people think if they skip breakfast they are cutting out calories. This is false. If you skip breakfast you will make up those calories at lunch or through excessive snacking. Studies show that eating a healthy morning meal helps prevent further weight gain. Breakfast also provides you with essential nutrients that can be stored into energy so you can feel productive for the rest of the day.
3. Energy
A morning meal helps energize your body, keeping you active and productive until lunch. Energy is essential for your brain and body to work properly. You may feel slow and sheepish when you awake in the morning with low blood sugar {remember sleeping = fasting}. Adding fruit that is rich in vitamin C, like strawberries and oranges, helps your brain signals function so that you’re more alert.
4. Feel happier
Going for a breakfast that is high in carbohydrates like oatmeal can drastically improve your mood in the morning. When you sleep for eight hours or more, your body loses nutrients and you can become irritable when we wake up. When you supply your body with the energy it needs, you feel more satisfied and happy throughout the day.
Studies even show that eating breakfast along with drinking coffee first thing in the morning can both exert a pretty dramatic effect on both our health and mental well-being (International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science).
But Im Not Hungry When I Wake Up
This is probably the excuse that I hear the most in regards to not eating breakfast. I completely understand because I used to be the same way. If this is your struggle my tip is to find something small and easy to eat instead of eating a huge breakfast right after you wake up. For example, I love Belvita Breakfast Biscuits for early mornings. They are packed with fiber and a super easy thing to eat when you wake up. Another recommendation is eating oatmeal in a mason jar! This is my favorite thing to make the night before. I throw my oats in a mason jar, add milk (or water), add a little brown sugar then leave in my fridge overnight. The next morning I heat it in the microwave, throw fresh fruit and almond butter in it, then enjoy in the car! Super easy, nutritious breakfast! If you click here you can see many more recommendations that the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics put together.
Feel Pretty: Do Something Special For Yourself
This weeks beauty/wellness challenge is quite simple- do something special for yourself. Did that catch your attention? I sure hope so! Whether it is treating yourself to a manicure, facial, spa day- treat yourself pretty lady! If you are reading this blog you are probably either a hard working boss lady or a full time Mommy- both roles come with a lot of stress and exhaustion. So this week you are going to treat yourself to something special because YOU DESERVE IT!
But really- there is also science behind this weeks beauty/wellness challenge of self care. If we are psychologically and physically healthy than all of our work will be better. New research conducted by Experience In Motion LLC (EIM), Minneapolis, reveals that when healthcare organizations, their staff and practitioners engage in self-care as an organizational strategy, it not only improves the healing experience for themselves and patients, but it also improves business measures.
When I first became a Mom I was constantly told that I needed to take care of myself FIRST before I could properly take care of another human. The analogy of the plane was also brought up- during an emergency landing place your mask on first before helping your neighbor. This is so accurate- if you are burnt out (emotionally or physically) who are you going to help? No one. That is why we need to take care of ourselves first. So this week please treat yourself to something special!
Xo,
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