What do you usually eat for breakfast?
Do you put much thought into how your breakfast choice will impact the rest of your day?
If you begin your day with a big bowl of sugary cereal, what kind of energy do you think you’ll have to get through your morning?
And what if you skip breakfast? How will that affect what you eat later in the day?
When you are trying to lose weight, eating the wrong things at the wrong times can sabotage your efforts. Minor changes to your breakfast routine can make a big difference in how successful you are at losing weight and keeping it off.
To lose weight, try adding more protein to your breakfast.
Protein Reduces Appetite
High-protein foods are very filling. When you eat protein-rich foods for breakfast, you’ll be less likely to overeat at lunchtime and feel fewer cravings for snacks throughout the day.
If you eat a high-carbohydrate breakfast like bagels or pancakes, your blood sugar will spike and crash a few hours later. This can leave you feeling tired, irritable, and craving more sugar.
Protein will help you feel fuller longer and help to stabilize your blood sugar levels. This will give you more energy while eating less (and consuming fewer calories) later in the day.
Digesting Protein Burns More Calories
Protein takes more work for your body to digest than other macronutrients. When you eat protein, your body uses up more energy (calories) to break it down and absorb it.
Replacing your carbohydrate-rich breakfast (cereal, bread, muffins, etc) with a protein-packed breakfast will help you to boost your metabolism and burn more calories throughout the day.
High-Protein Breakfast Options
Your best choices for a healthy weight-loss breakfast should be high in protein and low in saturated fat. Saturated fats are found in animal products like bacon, sausage, and whole milk, so those protein sources may not be a great option for you.
Better breakfast choices could include:
- Eggs with spinach and mushrooms
- Oatmeal with almond milk and berries
- Greek yogurt with nuts and honey
- Tofu scramble
- Black bean breakfast burrito
- Smoked salmon on whole-wheat toast with avocado
- Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit
Eating a healthy breakfast is one of the most important things you can do if you are trying to lose weight.
Instead of starting your morning with refined carbs and sugary treats, spend a little extra time and effort preparing a meal that will give you sustained energy and help you reach your weight-loss goals.
