Easy Change #11: Start Eating Breakfast

This is part of my Easy Changes series. Want to take a small step toward better health? Check them out and make an easy change today!

 

I've always been a breakfast lover. My mom still jokes that even when I would sleep in until noon as a teenager I would wake up and eat breakfast, not lunch. It always felt wrong to skip breakfast, no matter what time it was.

And what's not to love? Warm, comforting oatmeal with cream and maple syrup.  Fried eggs sprinkled with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Homemade bread lightly toasted with butter melting all over it. Crispy, chewy, smoky bacon. Potatoes, greens, onion, and herbs in a flavorful frittata topped with cheese browned from the broiler. French toast, pancakes, waffles, sausage, and oh my, Eggs Benedict!

But I realize that not everyone feels the same way I do (what are you, crazy?). Do you wake up starving, like I do, or are you the type of person who can go a few hours before eating? If you think that you are just "not a breakfast person" I beg you to think again.

Three Reasons to Start Eating Breakfast

#1. Eating breakfast boosts your metabolism.
Starving yourself is no good for your metabolism. And even if you're "not hungry" right when you wake up, not eating until lunchtime is just not wise. If you skip breakfast to "cut calories", I encourage you to rethink this whole calorie restriction thing. A healthy body is a well-fed body, and not eating enough to satisfy your hunger is not a good plan for long-term health. (Check out 180 Degree Health for more info on metabolism.)

#2. Eating breakfast balances your blood sugar.
If you skip breakfast, you set yourself up for a big blood sugar plummet, which may cause binging on unhealthy foods throughout the day. When you eat a breakfast full of protein and healthy fats, your blood sugar will stay balanced and you'll have more energy throughout the day. And who doesn't need more energy?

#3. Eating breakfast helps your brain to function well.
It has been shown that children who eat a good breakfast do better in school, and I'm sure the same goes for adults! Whether you are a student, a stay-at-home mom, or someone who works outside the home, you need a well-functioning brain in order to do whatever it is you spend your days doing.

"But I'm not Hungry!" 

 

Some of you are going to argue that you are not hungry and food doesn't sound good in the morning. It could be the case that years and years of starving yourself have lowered your metabolism and caused you to not be hungry for breakfast. You may want to start taking your temperature throughout the day; if it is consistently below 98.6, your metabolism is low. You need to eat more food, not less! I encourage you to just try eating a little in the morning, and gradually increase it until you're eating a decent sized meal.

Also, caffeine is an appetite suppressor, so if you are drinking coffee in the morning, it could be masking your hunger. You may want to cut back on the caffeine a bit and see what happens. 

What Makes a Healthy Breakfast?

 

All three macronutrients - fat, protein, and carbohydrates - are important to include in a healthy breakfast. So skip the fat-free yogurt! (And skip the cereal, too.) Here are a few ideas:

• Pastured eggs, fried in butter, with soaked, sprouted, or sourdough toast
• French toast with butter and real maple syrup (or French Toast Frittata)
• Fried Eggs with Vinegar and Garlic
• Whole milk yogurt with homemade soaked granola
• Soaked Oatmeal with raw milk, butter, and honey
• Soaked pancakes or waffles (try the recipe in Real {Fast} Food) with local pastured bacon or Frugal Homemade Breakfast Sausage
• In a hurry? How about a smoothie with whole milk, coconut oil, egg yolks, and fruit (try my Pumpkin Spice Smoothie, Strawberry Orange Julius, and How to Make an Awesome Smoothie)
• Quiche: make it for dinner, and the leftovers make a super quick breakfast!
• If you're in the mood for something sweet but healthy, try my Peach Coffeecake Muffins, Rhubarb Coffeecake, Cranberry Orange Ricotta Muffins, or Breakfast Brownies. Eat with a side of scrambled eggs to make sure you're getting enough protein to keep you going!

So tomorrow morning, get up and make yourself some breakfast. It is SO worth it!

Do you eat breakfast? If not, what's stopping you?

 

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This is part of: Simple Meals Friday, Freaky Friday, Fight Back Friday, Farm Girl Friday, Fresh Bites Friday, Natural Living Monday, Monday Mania, Hearth and Soul, Fat Tuesday, Tiny Tip Tuesday