Ah, reasons, reasons, reasons… We always feel obligated to explain ourselves, especially when we know our bad habits should be improved. When trying to lose weight, we often deprive ourselves trying to cut back on calories and reduce our snacking tendencies. But skipping breakfast, even for such purposes, is actually a bad idea. When you want to improve your diet, for weight loss by example, it’s essential that you eat regularly. In fact, you should consume food at least 3 times a day: at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A snack (rich in protein or, before sports, rich in carbohydrates) could also be added. Skipping just one or multiple meals puts you at risk of having irrepressible cravings. And if you do resist, your body will store the calorie surplus of your next meal in prevention. You must therefore listen to your body. Just know that everyone has different needs. In this world, there are people who have never eaten breakfast and think it is completely normal. There are those who have a routine and carefully incorporated breakfast in it. There are the tardy people, or the “snooze” lovers, who eat on the go or not at all. There are the compassionate, who make breakfast for everyone but don’t take the time to eat as well. And let’s not forget night owls, who go to bed in the very early hours of morning and wake up late in the day! Which category best describes you? It’s Important to Eat Breakfast! No matter your lifestyle, you must find a way to incorporate breakfast to your morning routine. Let it become the backbone of your days! It will give you the energy to be productive and have a nice day! First, know that there are multiple factors that can conceal hunger, such as stress and preoccupations of all sorts. When we are super busy, we sometimes don’t feel hungry at all, but it’s not because you don’t feel it that it’s not there! If you’re on a time crunch lately and don’t really have time in the morning, try waking up 15 minutes earlier and eating breakfast anyway. Plus, breakfast doesn’t have to equal brunch. It is not necessary to devour 2 over-easy eggs with ham and 2 toasts with hash brown every morning. Most of the time, very little cooking is needed to make breakfast. Just make sure what you eat is nutritious, filling, and varied. Here are a few examples of perfect breakfasts: 1 bowl of protein and fiber rich cereals + skimmed milk + 1 fresh fruit. 1 or 2 whole wheat toasts + peanut butter + 1 banana. 1 omelette with vegetables (1 whole egg and liquid egg whites) + 1 glass of milk. Fat-reduced cheese cubes (1 to 2 ounces) + 1 bunch of grapes + 1 homemade oatmeal muffin. 1 oatmeal bowl seasoned to your taste (nutmeg, brown sugar, cinnamon) + 1 glass of milk + 1 fresh fruit. 1 bowl of baby cereals made with regular or soy milk + 1 glass of orange juice + a few nuts. 1 tropical or wild berry smoothie (made with dessert tofu, skimmed milk, Greek yogurt, and frozen fruits). 1 Greek yogurt cup with homemade granola and fresh, frozen or canned fruits. 1 shop-bought muffin bar that’s rich in protein and fiber. And for those on the go: 1 dietary supplement, Boost™ or Ensure™ type, or 1 Breakfast Essential by Nestlé Carnation™ + 1 fresh fruit. If you’re not hungry when you wake up, get ready for work, do a few exercises, take a shower, choose your outfit, and eat breakfast just before leaving. This way, you might have time to regain appetite. If not, bring your breakfast to work! If you have access to a refrigerator and kitchen, bring a loaf of bread, a jar of peanut butter, and your favourite juice. Eating at the restaurant is another possibility for some mornings, but choose your food carefully… Coffee with Breakfast? Besides, not everyone has the same tolerance to caffeine! If you’re a coffee enthusiast, BPT suggests that you wait until you arrive at work to drink your first cup of coffee. Indeed, when consumed along with breakfast, we tend to substitute certain foods that would be better to prioritize, such as whole grain toasts, eggs, fresh fruits, yogurt, kefir, etc. with coffee. Plus, it is recommended not to drink more than 400 mg of caffeine during a day, whether in a coffee, tea, or any other beverage. If you can’t make concessions, we suggest that you reduce the size of your morning coffee to an espresso or latte (which, besides, would increase your dairy product consumption!). GOOD TO KNOW: You could also drink your coffee in a smaller cup! Most travel mugs we bring with us in the car can contain the equivalent of 2 regular cups (500 ml). Be careful with coffees from fast-food chains as well: they are often oversized, which can lead to a surplus of caffeine. Lacking energy during the day? Maybe your diet is not quite balanced. Maybe you don’t do enough sports. Maybe your sleep cycle is not restorative. Whatever the reason, drinking coffee (or any energy drink) will only create a temporary alert state, but cannot bring you the energy of a healthy lifestyle.
