“In the morning eat like a king, at noon like a master and in the evening like a peasant"; proverbs abound, but we are still ignorant. According to recent research, almost 50% of Greeks don’t bother eating breakfast or don’t want to include it in their daily schedule, because they believe they will lose weight without it. As dieticians keep supporting, this is a misconception and a balanced breakfast must NOT be skipped.
While a bad breakfast is better than no breakfast at all, a correct and balanced breakfast can protect and strengthen and in fact, help you lose weight! It is an opportunity to take in nutrients such as iron and vitamin B from cereals, calcium from milk and vitamin C from fruits.
It should include:
• Whole grain foods and carbohydrates for energy, such as cereals and whole grain breads.
• Fruits for vitamins; make a fruit salad and mix it with yogurt and muesli.
• Protein for long-term energy and appetite control, from milk, yogurt, cheese or eggs.
Breakfast stabilizes glucose levels, that control the appetite and energy levels. People that eat breakfast have fewer chances of getting hungry later on, resulting in less eating during the day. Those that skip breakfast are usually very hungry at noon and choose snacks rich in fat and sugar as an easy and quick solution.
You say you don’t get enough sleep? A bad breakfast, or no breakfast at all, can make the situation harder. For starters, drink a glass of water – dehydration may make you feel even more tired. You can then accompany your cup of coffee with any of the food items above. Do you want to work out first thing in the morning? Have half your breakfast first, like a slice of bread or a fruit and within two hours after working out, eat the other half. Don’t stop at the first half, because the only thing you will achieve is to feel even more tired after working out.
Good Morning!