Breakfast of Champions

People always ask me, “What’s the best thing to eat for breakfast?” They ask about breakfast more often than dinner, lunch, or snacks. Most of us have been raised with “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day” mantra. Well, it’s true! We are all looking for a breakfast that gives us both immediate and long lasting energy. On top of this, it should ideally be tasty, satiating, nutritious, and convenient.

Does this ideal breakfast even exist? Yes, and there are many of them. First, I want to tell you what types of foods we are looking for in order to optimize your breakfast.

Low-glycemic fruit or NO carbohydrates
High glycemic carbs or a carb-centric meal will start with a shot of energy, but will result in a crash soon after. Eating low-glycemic fruit will give you a solid boost of energy without the sugar crash.

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Moderate amounts of fat
A solid dose of fat will allow a nice steady and consistent rise in blood sugar. This will give you long lasting energy as opposed to the spike and crash of eating a carb-centric meal, i.e. Bowl of Cheerios.

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High Protein
Protein is needed for tissue repair. If this alone is not enough for you to add lean meat to your breakfast, then consider that protein can be used for energy as well. It will give you a slow steady supply of energy and is more satiating than carbs.

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Solid food
Solid food is digested much slower than in the typical smoothie. The ingredients in a typical health smoothie (milk, protein powder, and fruit) are all quickly digested and will leave you hungry 1-2 hours after consuming it.

Here are some examples of solid breakfasts

A common convenient breakfast
2 eggs
1 cup of berries

High protein breakfast
3oz lean meat
2 eggs

The ideal breakfast – May take your body some time to adjust.
4oz of lean meat
Handful of nuts

Almost Ideal Breakfast
4oz of lean meat
1 cup of berries
Handful of nuts

Other options
1 cup Cottage cheese
Handful of nuts
Berries

2 slices of bacon (Yes, Bacon!)
3oz of lean meat

¾ cup Greek yogurt
Handfuls of nuts
Handful of berries

Most of these meals have three foods in common: lean meat, nuts, and berries. The lean meat will provide protein for cell repair as keeping you satiated. Nuts will provide a gradual and consistent rise in blood sugar/energy. Berries are a great low-glycemic fruit, meaning it will raise your blood sugar moderately slowly (much faster than nuts) with less crash. Other low glycemic fruits are okay to substitute for berries. Eat these foods for breakfast and it will help you lose body fat.

1) Group Health Cooperative, 2011. Retrieved from: https://provider.ghc.org/open/caringForOurMembers/patientHealthEducation/conditionsDiseases/diabetes/foodBloodSugar.pdf

Downtown San Jose Fitness Bootcamp. Women's fitness bootcamp serving the Naglee Park Neighborhood and Downtown San Jose area. Women's fitness, mom's fitness, injury prevention, weight loss, nutrition, healthy breakfast.