How often have you heard the phrase, “Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.”? That’s because it’s true…with some caveats. First of all, if your breakfast consists of sugary cereal, or donuts, or pop tarts, or any of the other high sugar content, processed crap you find on the “cereal” aisle of the grocery store, then your breakfast may be the worst meal of your day.
In an ideal world you would have a breakfast of high quality protein (like eggs), maybe some steel cut oats (grits are an acceptable southern substitute), and fruit (apple, orange, grapefruit, etc.). Unfortunately, most of us don’t live in an ideal world with the time to prepare the perfect breakfast. A couple of years ago I started “drinking” my breakfast using the following ingredients in a shaker bottle (I use a Blender Bottle from Walmart):
- 8-10 ounces of unsweetened almond milk (Blue Diamond is the brand I use)
- 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
- 30 grams of whey protein powder
- 1 teaspoon of greens powder (I use Premier Greens formula)
- optional for those wishing to add muscle–5 grams of 100% Creatine Monohydrate
I have one of these every morning about 30-45 minutes after I wake up (usually 5:30 am or earlier 7 days a week). And I always bring a banana with me to eat between 8 and 9 am so that I’m not famished by the time I eat lunch. I use almond milk because I have a mild lactose intolerance. Skim milk would work also. The protein helps build muscle and also helps you feel full so you are less likely to snack before lunch. The EVOO provides 14 grams of GOOD fats and helps you stay full longer. The greens is equivalent to 2 servings of vegetables.
I hope this helps those of you out there who would love to eat a healthy breakfast but don’t have the time to prepare it. For other ideas on how you can eat healthier and feel better, check out these past posts:
12 Small Changes to a Healthier Body
3 Ways Your Cardio is Making You Fatter
SMART Fitness 
11/14/2013 at 6:38 pm
Perfectly balanced meal on the go for a runner. . . I just struggle to drink meals!
11/15/2013 at 10:01 am
It took me a while to get used to it too, but eventually the convenience factor combined with the health benefits won me over. Thanks for taking time to read and leave a comment! Have a great weekend! -S
11/14/2013 at 9:58 pm
I used to subscribe to this theory…until I began to do intermittent fasting. I rarely eat breakfast. Instead what I’ve found that works for ME is fasting for 16 hrs and” feeding ” for 8. So I don’t eat until noon daily. As a5am workout person I so use BCAA’s to help preserve muscle. But basically I eat the same Amt of calories in my 8hrs as I do if I would eat all day. The idea is that you stabilize insulin levels and other hormones along with allowing your body to tap into stores body fat for energy. I do have steamed heavy cream in my coffee which helps get me through the fast (bc of the fat content). Anyway just a different opinion…def not saying don’t eat breakfast…just saying there are other ways. We have to be detectives of ourselves and find what works for us individualiy.
11/15/2013 at 10:06 am
Hey Hal! Great feedback! I am also a proponent of the IF. I do it on the backside–I will skip the evening meal once or twice per week. I eat out most lunches with clients, so occasionally I’m not even hungry in the evenings which makes it less painful. And like you, I use BCAA’s before, during, and post workout (one big drink that I sip on). Keep the great comments coming! Have a great weekend!