| Ok... If you are reading this is because you | | | | Breakfast is good for you because it:provides |
| do want to hear the "why breakfast is good | | | | glucose to your brain, making you mentally |
| for you" sermon. | | | | efficient and alert. You get "the edge" by |
| | | | having breakie (Australian for "breakfast"); |
| Well, you may have read it in the paper, or | | | | ;-)reduces your cholesterol levels (depending |
| maybe you've heard it on the radio on your | | | | on what you eat for breakie, of |
| way to work. It's almost a cliche! Almost | | | | course!);gives you vital nutrients and |
| everybody knows that "breakfast is the most | | | | vitamins;makes you slimmer, by jump-starting |
| important meal of the day". | | | | your metabolism (how quickly your body burns |
| | | | energy), which is slow after relative |
| If it's so good... how come many people skip | | | | inactivity at night.makes you "Mr or Ms |
| breakfast? | | | | Happy". An energized and balanced meal may |
| | | | alter your mode and make you feel better |
| People do. There are lots of excuses for not | | | | during the day. |
| having breakfast, including (but not limited | | | | |
| to): | | | | What to have for breakfast? |
| | | | |
| Lack of timenot being a morning persontrying | | | | The opposite of skipping breakfast is having |
| to lose weight | | | | the wrong things for breakfast (and possibly |
| | | | too much of it too!). |
| Not finding anything good for breakfast, | | | | |
| andhaving forgotten to have it | | | | Every meal is capable of giving you energy. |
| | | | The question is "how long will that energy |
| A while ago I used to skip breakfast too. | | | | last for?". This is important to know because |
| | | | that will determine whether you still feel |
| Later on I would have "whatever", and then a | | | | "charged up" till lunch time, or whether |
| very heavy lunch (depending on how hungry I | | | | you're starving by 10 AM. |
| would be by lunch time). | | | | |
| | | | Avoid things like chocolate chip muffins and |
| But when I started paying attention to what I | | | | other high sugar meals. The energy levels are |
| ate (and how and how much), I realised the | | | | high (and they taste deliciuos, I know!) but |
| damage I was causing to my body by skipping | | | | short-lived, and the residual makes you |
| the most important meal of the day. | | | | bigger and heavier. So, these foods are a |
| | | | no-no. |
| What happens to our bodies when we skip | | | | |
| breakfast? | | | | Fresh fruits and cereals, are a healthier |
| | | | choice, but you have to be mindful of the |
| Understanding this question will help you | | | | sugar contained in cereals. Some of them can |
| realise "why breakfast is good for you", and | | | | have enough sugar a whole family in one |
| hopefully, you'll reconsider making breakfast | | | | single serving! |
| a must in your everyday life. | | | | |
| | | | But what if you're not "a breakfast person?" |
| For starters, if you skip breakfast you're | | | | |
| making it harder for your body to lose | | | | There is no such a thing as a "breakfast |
| weight, and your energy levels will tend to | | | | person". |
| be lower than those of a person who looks | | | | |
| after herself. | | | | If you need to do something for your health, |
| | | | you do it, and you can condition yourself to |
| Why? | | | | make having breakfast part of your life and |
| | | | take pleasure on it. |
| Think about it. By the time breakfast is due, | | | | |
| your body has not received any food for about | | | | But I've got a couple of tips that can help |
| 8 hours (a third of your day). Compare this | | | | you in your transition to having breakfast: |
| with your "day" hours, when you have 3 (if | | | | |
| not more) meals. | | | | Know "why" breakfast is important. Reading |
| | | | this article was a good start; ;-) |
| It is amazing how, if you are used to | | | | |
| skipping breakfast, you condition yourself to | | | | Buy fruits and cereal (but mind the amount of |
| feel "ok", but a close examination of your | | | | sugar that some cereals contain); |
| "fasting" mood would reveal that your levels | | | | |
| of energy are low. What happens is that your | | | | Check out my (ahem... )delicious low fat |
| body is rested at the end of a good sleep, | | | | breakfast recipes and try some (you'll like |
| but you still need the energy after you wake | | | | them, I promise);plan your meals. Planning |
| up. | | | | ahead to have interesting and tasty meals for |
| | | | breakfast will help you enjoy it; |
| Your body does not stop just because you go | | | | |
| to sleep. It goes on breathing, digesting, | | | | If you don't have the time to prepare breakie |
| pumping up blood everywhere in your body, and | | | | (you don't have 5 minutes for yourself!?), |
| moving (amongst many other physiological | | | | you may choose a good low fat fast food |
| processes). | | | | outlet and be good and have a |
| | | | low-fat-low-sugar-meal. |
| It constantly needs fuel (ie food), and even | | | | |
| if you're not hungry early in the morning, | | | | But whatever you do... do have breakfast! |
| your body will still need the extra energy | | | | |
| contained in a breakfast meal. It makes | | | | ... it's good for you! ;-) |
| sense, doesn't it? | | | | |
| | | | Have a great day! |
| But breakfast is more than an energy source. | | | | |