Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day, especially for dieters. A healthy breakfast starts your day right with a nutritious meal, keeps away mid-morning hunger and helps you stick to your weight loss plan. If you're dieting, have a healthy breakfast every day to help you successfully reach your goal.
Lose Pounds with a Healthy Breakfast
Eating a healthy breakfast regularly can actually help you lose weight. Dieting data collected by the National Weight Control Registry shows that 78 percent of the people most successful at losing weight -- and at keeping it off -- are breakfast eaters. Breakfast helps control your hunger so you can make better food choices the rest of the day. It's also associated with a healthy lifestyle in general that includes nutritious foods and exercise. Not just any breakfast will do, though -- the breakfast associated with weight loss includes both protein and whole grains.
Healthy Breakfast Ideas
Build a healthy breakfast for weight loss with protein and whole grains. Make an omelet with eggs, egg substitute or egg whites and your favorite vegetables, and have a piece of whole-grain toast with olive oil instead of butter. Have low-fat plain yogurt with sunflower seeds and fresh berries. Enjoy half a whole-wheat bagel topped with low-fat cream cheese, smoked salmon and a tomato slice, or a whole-grain English muffin topped with melted low-fat cheddar cheese. Spread peanut butter on a banana or apple slices, or try a bowl of steel-cut oats cooked with skim milk along with a side of low-fat turkey sausage.
Grab N' Go
Even if you're pressed for time, you can still have a healthy breakfast. Mix together nuts, sunflower seeds, whole-grain cereal and raisins, and package individual servings in plastic baggies to keep in your car, briefcase, backpack or desk. Keep a stock of mozzarella sticks and whole-grain crackers for rushed mornings. If you leave the house empty-handed, stop by a convenience store and pick up hard boiled eggs and bananas or another fresh fruit.
What Not to Eat
Don't eat foods made from refined grains for breakfast, such as processed breakfast cereals high in sugar and white bread. They're digested and turned to sugar quickly, sending your blood sugar on a roller-coaster ride that leads to hunger and weight gain. Avoid hash browns or other foods made with white potatoes -- they have the same effect on blood sugar. Skip protein sources high in saturated fat, such as full-fat cheeses, fatty breakfast sausages and bacon.
Member Comments