Breakfast - Start your day as you mean to go on.
By Martin Ebner
My alarm bell rings, I slowly regain consciousness and before I mutter a single word to my better half, I'm in the kitchen preparing an almighty breakfast jam-packed-full of absolutely everything I need to get myself and my body prepared for the day that lies ahead.
Benefits of eating breakfast
Kick starts your metabolism.
Great for Weight-loss.
Improves strength and endurance for better physical performance.
Lowers cholesterol levels.
Reduces high blood pressure, risk of heart disease, and diabetes.
Heightens concentration and performance in the boardroom.
Now, there is a right way and a wrong way to do breakfast. A sugar-laden donut with a full-fat latte is the wrong way. The right way is as follows:
Keep it balanced
You should aim to fill your breakfast bowl with a healthy serving of good carbohydrates, fiber, and protein. The magic combination will provide you with enough energy and satisfy your appetite right up until lunch.
Boost your immune system with H20 + Lemon.
If you can't stomach breakfast first thing. Start your day with a glass of warm water and fresh lemon juice. Lemon juice boasts some very impressive health benefits. Just one lemon provides a whopping 185% of your recommended daily allowance of vitamin c, protecting you come flu season.
Insert Coffee to begin ->
Not only will a strong coffee wake up the sleeping beauty in all of us, it's actually pretty good for you. It's loaded with antioxidants, protects the good bacteria in the intestines and promotes digestion. As if you ever needed another reason to drink coffee!
Note - Skip the full fat Starbucks latte and try to avoid drinking orange juice with your coffee. It will make your breakfast too acidic, leading to lethargy among other symptoms. Instead, chase your coffee down with a glass of water.
Greek yogurt
Greek yogurt is rich in calcium meaning it's good for your bones. It's packed with muscle building protein, is loaded with probiotics that help with stomach issues, and will give you a boost during flu season.
Note - Greek yogurt can be quite high in saturated fats. Instead, go for the low fat version.
Porridge - Scotland's breakfast of choice
With winter closing in fast, there is no better way to start your day than with a healthy serving of piping hot Porridge. Porridge is easy to make and is the ideal choice for sustained energy, muscle recovery, strong bones and improved immunity.
Try my recipe:
75g oats
200ml of milk
3 egg whites
1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon of cocoa
1/2 teaspoon of honey
1/2 a banana.
Instructions: Throw all of the ingredients (except the banana) into a pot, turn on the stove and stir until the mixture forms a consistent texture. Serve and enjoy!
Think outside the cereal box
The low-fat food is marketing genius at it's best. It plays on the myth that fat makes you fat. What actually makes you fat is the over consumption of sugar and
Prepackaged cereal, as convenient as it may be, will not, despite Shreddies claim, keep hunger locked up till lunch. More often than not, these prepackaged cereals contain large amounts of sugar and zero fibre, leading to sugar spikes, hunger pangs and lethargy before you even step foot in the office.
Instead buy wholegrain cereals with no added sugar or try my recipe below.
Ingredients:
50g of rolled oats
25g of mixed nuts
1 tbsp of flax seeds.
Instructions: Toast all of the ingredients in a warm oven or pan for 3-5 minutes and voila. Top with fresh fruit and natural yogurt.
Eggs on toast
most of these low-fat products are jam-packed full of the white stuff
Advice:
Instead of obsessing over the magical low fat logo, read the nutritional content label. It will tell you everything you need to know!
Despite what they said, eggs do not worsen your cholesterol. This theory has been disproven.
Eggs are cheap, provide a feeling of satiation unlike any other, reducing the need to snack mid-morning. Studies show that they can actually help aid weight-loss in adults.
Add a couple of slices of wholegrain toast to your breakfast plate for your hit of fiber and healthy carbs.
Dinner for breakfast... sure, why not!?
There is absolutely no reason whatsoever that you can't enjoy dinner for breakfast or vice versa. Just make sure whatever you do have, contains healthy carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and a little fat.
Dinner for breakfast ideas: A bowl of hearty chicken and vegetable soup. Wholegrain pasta with fresh tomato sauce and venison sausages or why not take last night's roasted vegetable casserole, crack 2 eggs over the top and reheat it in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes.
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