Research suggests that people who eat
breakfast manage their weight better than
do people who don’t eat breakfast.
Breakfast is associated with improved
performance at school and work, and it
helps prevent you from becoming ravenous
later in the day.
How:
-Try whole grains, such as oatmeal,
whole-grain cold cereal, whole-grain
toast.
Go for fresh or frozen unsweetened
fruit.
Low-fat milk and yogurt, an egg, nuts,
seeds, and nut butters such as
peanut butter can help you feel
satisfied throughout the morning.
-If time is an issue, place a box of
cereal, a bowl and a spoon on the
table the evening before.
-Make a smoothie by taking fruit
(bananas, pineapple, fresh or frozen
berries), adding low-fat yogurt and
blending to a smooth consistency.
-Hot or cold, choose your cereal by
looking on the Nutrition Facts label
for fiber (choose more) and sugar
content (choose less). If you add milk
or yogurt, choose reduced-fat or fatfree
varieties. Top with sliced banana
or berries.
-For French toast, dip whole-grain
bread in a batter made of egg whites
or an egg substitute, a pinch of
cinnamon and a few drops of vanilla
extract. Fry on a nonstick skillet or
use a cooking spray. Top with thinly
sliced apples, unsweetened
applesauce, berries or sliced banana
for sweetness.
-Keep on hand food that you can grab
and take with you to work.
Convenient foods include apples,
oranges, bananas, whole-grain bagels
(mini-sized), pre-portioned cereals,
low-fat yogurt in single-serving
containers and low-fat cottage
cheese in single-serving containers.
Stir in berries or fruit to add fiber and
sweetness.
-Make a breakfast wrap with wholewheat
tortillas, roll in scrambled eggs
with diced peppers and onions or
peanut butter and bananas.
-If you don’t like traditional breakfast
foods, look for something healthy that
you do like. For example, fix yourself
a sandwich made with lean meat,
low-fat cheese, vegetables and
whole-grain bread.
If you’re not in the habit of eating
breakfast, start with just grabbing a piece
of fruit as you walk out the door. Gradually
include other food groups. Just like you got
used to not eating breakfast, you can make
eating breakfast an enjoyable and effective
health habit.
If you don’t eat breakfast, eventually your
body says, “If you’re not going to feed me,
I won’t be hungry,” and you don’t miss
eating breakfast. But you’ll overeat later in
the day. Eating breakfast can help you lose
weight and improve your health.
